North Carolina splits contractor licensing across two boards, and its electrical examination does something unusual enough to change how you prepare.
Figures below are compiled from state board and exam-provider sources. Where a board does not publish a count we say so rather than estimate. Always confirm against the current candidate bulletin for your specific exam before you register.
The electrical exam is partly closed book
The North Carolina electrical contractor examination runs 100 questions over six hours at 70 percent, and it is not uniformly open book. The code portion is open book against the 2023 NEC and NFPA 72. The statutory portion, covering General Statutes Chapter 87 Article 4 and the board’s rules, is closed book.
That mix is rare and it catches people out. Candidates prepare their code references meticulously and then meet a section on licensing law with nothing in front of them. The Limited, Intermediate and Unlimited classifications all sit the same 100-question format, so the classification you hold does not change the structure.
Two boards, different papers
| Examination | Questions | Time | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Contractor (all classes) | 100 | 6 hours | 70% |
| General Contractor – Building | 115 | 330 minutes | 70% |
| Public Utilities Contractor | 100 | 4 hours | 70% |
| Highway Contractor | 90 scored | 265 minutes | 70% |
| Plumbing Contractor Class I | 150 | 4 hours | 70% |
The Licensing Board for General Contractors covers building, highway and public utilities. The Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors covers plumbing and heating.
Plumbing Class I is the longest paper in the state
At 150 questions in four hours the plumbing trade exam gives you 96 seconds per question, which is tight for an open-book paper. A separate 50-question business and law exam is also required. If you are pacing your practice, this is the one where lookup speed matters most.
A note on the heating exam
The board does not publish an exact question count for the Heating Contractor H-1 examination. What is established is four hours, 70 percent, open book. Our preparation is built to a length consistent with North Carolina’s other four-hour trade papers, and we have recorded that as an inference rather than a published figure. Confirm with the board at (919) 875-3612 if exact length matters to you.
North Carolina exam prep
- North Carolina Electrical Contractor Exam Prep
- North Carolina General Contractor (Building) Exam Prep
- North Carolina Heating Contractor (H-1) Exam Prep
- North Carolina Highway Contractor Exam Prep
- North Carolina Plumbing Contractor (Class I) Exam Prep
- North Carolina Public Utilities Contractor Exam Prep
- North Carolina Residential Contractor Exam Prep
Before you register
- Confirm the question count and time limit on the current bulletin.
- Confirm the code edition named; it is pinned and a newer edition is not a substitute.
- Confirm whether a separate business and law paper is required.