The Qualifier Gave Two Weeks’ Notice
The electrician gave his notice on a Friday, in the shop, standing next to the wire rack. Two weeks. He had a job lined up...
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How to get licensed and how to study for contractor exams in 45 states.
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Two $950 Invoices on a $2,400 Bathroom
The bathroom job came to $2,400. He knew that number because he had added it up himself on the back of a lumber receipt. New...
Read More →The Certification Signed for Years the Certifier Never Saw
The envelope came back thicker than it left. Inside was his application for a California contractor license. The Certification of Work Experience was flagged. A...
Read More →Same Day at Santa Clara PSI: The C-36 He Could Sit and the Law Exam He Could Not Look Up
He had the California Plumbing Code in a canvas bag on the passenger seat, tabs in three colors, the index pages dog-eared, a pencil in...
Read More →Connecticut E-1 Unlimited Electrical Contractor Exam: 100 Questions, 4 Hours, Open Book
Connecticut E-1 is the unlimited electrical contractor license. The trade exam that goes with it is a specific PSI paper: 100 questions, 4 hours, 70...
Read More →After the CSLB Exam: What a C-36 License Looks Like in the Field
Passing the CSLB exam is the gate, not the business. What C-36, B, C-2, and Law and Business actually govern once you start contracting.
Read More →Illinois Plumber License Exam (2026): Three Parts and How It Is Scored
An apprentice in Peoria is coming up on four years under his sponsoring plumber. He has heard the state exam has a written test and...
Read More →Nebraska Electrician License Exams (2026): One License at the Top, Not Two
Two things about Nebraska are worth knowing before you buy any preparation, and one of them concerns what we can honestly tell you. Figures below...
Read More →New Jersey Contractor License Exams (2026): Trade Plus Business and Law, Every Time
An electrician in Edison gets the eligibility notice from the New Jersey board and books a seat at PSI. They have spent months in the...
Read More →Washington Contractor License Exams (2026): Sectioned Exams You Must Pass Twice
Washington’s electrical examinations are split into sections, and you must reach the pass mark in each section separately. A strong overall score does not save...
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