Trade Contractor License Practice Tests by State
Contractor licensure is what lets you sell and run the work, not just perform it. The contractor exams tracked by CraftPATH are listed below by state and trade, each with its licensing authority.
14 contractor exams tracked · 1 published guides · free, no signup.
What a contractor exam covers
Most contractor licenses are two exams wearing one name: a trade section that looks a lot like an advanced journeyman test, and a law, business, and finance section covering contracts, liens, payroll, insurance, safety obligations, and estimating. Candidates who fail usually fail the second one, because it is the part that no amount of field experience teaches you.
Requirements vary sharply by jurisdiction — some states license by classification (electrical, mechanical, plumbing, general building), others by dollar value of the work, and several delegate everything to a city or county. Start with your own state below.
Contractor exams by location
Grouped by the jurisdiction that issues the license. Published guides link straight to the practice test; exams still in production link to the trade prep page, which draws from the same question bank.
Arizona
- Arizona Electrical Contractor Practice Test
Electrician · Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC)
ROC trade and statutes-and-rules prep for residential and commercial electrical classifications. In production — use the Electrician exam prep page meanwhile.
- Arizona HVAC Contractor Practice Test
HVAC Technician · Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC)
ROC mechanical classification prep with desert-climate load and refrigerant handling drills. In production — use the HVAC Technician exam prep page meanwhile.
California
- California C-36 Plumbing Contractor Practice Test
Plumber · Contractors State License Board (CSLB)
CSLB trade and law-and-business prep with California Plumbing Code drills. In production — use the Plumber exam prep page meanwhile.
- California C-20 HVAC Contractor Practice Test
HVAC Technician · Contractors State License Board (CSLB)
CSLB warm-air heating and air-conditioning prep with Title 24 energy code coverage. In production — use the HVAC Technician exam prep page meanwhile.
- California B General Building Practice Test
Carpenter · Contractors State License Board (CSLB)
General building trade knowledge plus the law and business exam every CSLB applicant sits. In production — use the Carpenter exam prep page meanwhile.
Florida
- Florida HVAC Contractor Practice Test
HVAC Technician · FL Dept. of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR)
12 original DBPR-aligned questions with full answer explanations, six exam domains, EPA Section 608 crossover coverage, and a sourced Florida licensing summary.
- Florida Electrical Contractor Practice Test
Electrician · FL Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board
Certified and registered electrical contractor prep with Florida Building Code coverage. In production — use the Electrician exam prep page meanwhile.
- Florida Plumbing Contractor Practice Test
Plumber · FL Dept. of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR)
CILB plumbing contractor prep with Florida Plumbing Code and business-and-finance drills. In production — use the Plumber exam prep page meanwhile.
Georgia
- Georgia Conditioned Air Contractor Practice Test
HVAC Technician · GA Construction Industry Licensing Board
Class I and Class II conditioned air prep with Georgia mechanical code coverage. In production — use the HVAC Technician exam prep page meanwhile.
Nevada
North Carolina
- North Carolina Electrical Contractor Practice Test
Electrician · NC Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors
Limited, intermediate, and unlimited license prep with North Carolina code amendments. In production — use the Electrician exam prep page meanwhile.
- North Carolina Plumbing Contractor Practice Test
Plumber · NC Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors
P-I and P-II prep with North Carolina plumbing code drills. In production — use the Plumber exam prep page meanwhile.
Ohio
- Ohio HVAC Contractor Practice Test
HVAC Technician · Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board
Ohio mechanical code prep with business-and-law coverage for the contractor exam. In production — use the HVAC Technician exam prep page meanwhile.
Texas
- Texas ACR Contractor Practice Test
HVAC Technician · Texas Dept. of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)
Air conditioning and refrigeration Class A and B prep with Texas mechanical code coverage. In production — use the HVAC Technician exam prep page meanwhile.
Contractor exams by trade
HVAC Technician
Free hvac technician exam prep · practice hub · career overview
- Florida HVAC Contractor Practice Test — Florida · FL Dept. of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR)
- California C-20 HVAC Contractor Practice Test — California · Contractors State License Board (CSLB)
- Texas ACR Contractor Practice Test — Texas · Texas Dept. of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)
- Georgia Conditioned Air Contractor Practice Test — Georgia · GA Construction Industry Licensing Board
- Arizona HVAC Contractor Practice Test — Arizona · Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC)
- Ohio HVAC Contractor Practice Test — Ohio · Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board
Plumber
Free plumber exam prep · practice hub · career overview
- California C-36 Plumbing Contractor Practice Test — California · Contractors State License Board (CSLB)
- Florida Plumbing Contractor Practice Test — Florida · FL Dept. of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR)
- North Carolina Plumbing Contractor Practice Test — North Carolina · NC Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors
Carpenter
Free carpenter exam prep · practice hub · career overview
- California B General Building Practice Test — California · Contractors State License Board (CSLB)
- Nevada Residential Contractor Practice Test — Nevada · Nevada State Contractors Board
Electrician
Free electrician exam prep · practice hub · career overview
- Florida Electrical Contractor Practice Test — Florida · FL Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board
- North Carolina Electrical Contractor Practice Test — North Carolina · NC Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors
- Arizona Electrical Contractor Practice Test — Arizona · Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC)
How to prepare for a contractor exam
- Treat the law-and-business section as a separate subject with its own study block. Contracts, liens, and bookkeeping vocabulary are memorization, not intuition.
- Learn your jurisdiction's classification system before you study, so you are preparing for the right scope of license.
- Run trade-section drills from the matching trade prep page while you work through business material, so both are fresh on exam day.
Frequently asked questions
What is on a contractor license exam?
Typically two parts: a trade knowledge section based on the applicable code, and a law, business, and finance section covering contracts, liens, insurance, payroll, safety, and estimating.
Do I need a journeyman or master license to become a contractor?
It depends on the state and the classification. Some require an existing trade license or a qualifying individual on staff; others license the business directly after an exam and proof of experience.
Are contractor exams open book?
The trade section often allows specific code books; the law and business section usually does not. Confirm with the board listed next to your exam.
What else do I need besides passing the exam?
Most jurisdictions also require proof of experience, general liability insurance, workers' compensation where applicable, a surety bond, and a registration or filing fee.
Is contractor exam practice free on CraftPATH?
Yes. All practice content is free, and licensing facts on our published guides are sourced with an accessed date or marked pending rather than estimated.