An Ohio contractor license takes two examinations: a trade technical paper and a separate Business and Law paper. Both are required, and they are sat and scored independently.
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. Confirm against the current candidate bulletin for your exam before you register.
The exams
| Examination | Questions | Time | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business and Law | 50 | 2 hours | 70% |
| Electrical Contractor (trade technical) | 100 | 4 hours | 70% |
| Plumbing Contractor (trade technical) | 100 | 4 hours | 70% |
All open book, administered by PSI for the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board.
Business and Law is the one people leave too late
Fifty questions in two hours sounds slight next to a four-hour trade paper, and that is exactly why candidates under-prepare it. It covers contracts, lien law, tax and payroll obligations, insurance and bonding, and estimating. Competence in your trade contributes nothing to it.
Because the papers are scored separately, failing Business and Law leaves you unlicensed regardless of how well the trade exam went.
Four hours for a hundred questions
The trade papers allow 2.4 minutes per question. Comfortable if your references are tabbed and you know where things live, tight if you are searching. Practice the lookup, not just the answer.
A note on the HVAC exam
We have not been able to source a published question count for the Ohio HVAC contractor examination. What is established is the same OCILB structure: a trade technical paper alongside the separate Business and Law requirement. Confirm the current format with the board before planning around a specific length.
Ohio exam prep
- Ohio Business & Law Exam Prep
- Ohio Electrical Contractor Exam Prep
- Ohio HVAC Contractor Exam Prep
- Ohio Plumbing Contractor Exam Prep
Before you register
- Confirm the question count and time limit on the current bulletin.
- Confirm the code edition; it is pinned and a newer edition is not a substitute.
- Confirm whether a separate business and law paper is required.