Tell us your state & exam
Pick your state, trade, and exam type (trade / Business & Law / NASCLA / both). We line up the right books from your board.
A clean state-by-state exam prep hub showing open-book rules, closed-book exams, allowed reference books, suggested study materials, and a custom study plan for every major trade.
No signup needed to use the planning tools — every step happens in your browser and outputs a printable plan tied to your state and exam.
Pick your state, trade, and exam type (trade / Business & Law / NASCLA / both). We line up the right books from your board.
A timeline matched to 7, 14, 30, 60, or 90 days — with a book checklist, study order, open-book tabbing notes when applicable, and an exam-day strategy.
Print or download as PDF, run the matched practice exams on ContractorsLicenseExam.com, and verify with your candidate bulletin before exam day.
Choose your state and trade to see open-book rules, reference books, study focus, and links to official board sources — without wading through bulletin PDFs alone.
A few sample rows below — open the full chart to search, filter by trade or state, and jump to official board links.
Each state gets a useful page with licensing overview, exam format, book list, and study checklist.
Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and contractor pages target high-intent visitors by exam category.
Every page includes unique rules, official source links, FAQs, study timeline, and internal links.
Books, study order, weekly schedules, and checklists — built around your state, trade, and exam date.
Choose your state and trade to see whether your exam is open book, closed book, or mixed — plus what books to buy or study.
Enter your exam date, trade, weak areas, and weekly study time. Get a realistic day-by-day study plan.
Print a tabbing, highlighting, and permitted-reference checklist before exam day so candidates do not bring the wrong books.
When you are ready to test pacing, find timed practice exams matched to your state, trade, and exam type.
Four quick questions to find out if Business & Law is separate for your state and license type.
Pick your biggest worry — lookup speed, code language, math, blueprints — and personalize your plan.
7, 14, 30, 60, or 90 days? Pick your timeline and pre-fill the study plan generator.
Bulletin-first reference planning and acceptance-state reminders for NASCLA candidates.
A snapshot of the plan a Massachusetts CSL candidate would generate with a 30-day exam date and 10 study hours per week.
Plans include the official reference list, suggested order of study, open-book tabbing strategy (when applicable), exam-day strategy, common confusion topics for your state, and a “verify with the bulletin” disclaimer on every section.
Generate this planMost candidates get stuck before practice tests — figuring out which books they need, whether the exam is open-book, and what to study first.
Built for contractors, electricians, plumbers, HVAC techs, and tradespeople
Plain-English study guidance instead of confusing bulletin language
Links to timed practice exams when you are ready to test under pressure
State-specific structure without thin, repetitive filler pages
Detailed starter plans for common licensing paths. Each page covers the books, open-book rules, and a recommended study order for that exam.
780 CMR + 2015 IRC/IECC + MGL Ch. 142A + OSHA 1926. One Prometric sitting that embeds business/law content.
Open MA CSL plan → Trade-specificHydronics-specific exam tied to mechanical code, OSHA, and Ohio business/law rules. Niche path most boards do not cover well.
Open OH Hydronics plan → Business & LawSeparate Business & Law module that trips up trade-strong candidates. NASCLA AL Business/Law guide drives the study order.
Open AL B&L plan → Business & LawSeparate Business & Law module for residential / general contractor paths. Standalone or paired with the trade exam.
Open GA B&L plan → Trade + B&FFBC 8th Edition trade exam plus separate Business & Finance module. NASCLA may cover trade — B&F still required for most paths.
Open FL plan → Open-book2018 NC codes, lien law, and erosion control through PSI. NASCLA accepted for some trade paths.
Open NC plan → Trade + B&LIBC/IRC trade exam plus separate Business Management & Law module. Coastal wind and lien law are heavily tested.
Open SC plan → Trade-specificNEC, IMC, and plumbing law paths through PSI. No statewide GC license — confirm local vs state requirements first.
Open TX plan → Closed-bookSeparate Law & Business + trade classification exams through PSI. Seismic, wildfire, and Title 24 energy are heavily tested.
Open CA plan → Open-bookTrade + Statutes & Rules exams through PSI. Desert soils, caliche, and heat-illness OSHA topics show up frequently.
Open AZ plan →Every planning tool on this site is free. When you want timed questions, we point you to matching practice exams on ContractorsLicenseExam.com.
State book finder, exam format overview, basic checklist, and full study plan generator.
Build my planExpanded PDF: book checklist, weak-topic tracker, tabbing worksheet, exam countdown, and practice schedule — built from your generated plan.
Get Starter PackStarter Pack plus state-matched timed practice exams on ContractorsLicenseExam.com — best after your books and plan are confirmed.
Get Pass KitState-specific timed practice exams on ContractorsLicenseExam.com — use when you are ready to test pacing and weak spots.
View practice examsYes. The book finder, study plan generator, state charts, B&L checker, weakness quiz, time-until-exam picker, and all guides are free. The Starter Pack ($19) adds an expanded PDF with trackers and worksheets. The Pass Kit ($49) includes that PDF plus state-matched practice exams on ContractorsLicenseExam.com.
No. This site helps you figure out which books and topics to study, then sends you to timed practice exams on ContractorsLicenseExam.com when you are ready to test pacing and weak spots.
Reference lists change when codes are updated or bulletins are revised. Every chart and plan on this site shows the official source link and a “verify with the current bulletin” disclaimer. We update the master data periodically and re-run the build script, but the official board is always the source of truth.
Yes. The NASCLA planner is a dedicated tool, and the main study plan generator supports a NASCLA exam type. NASCLA is open-book with a published reference set; the tool guides reference handling and acceptance-state reminders without claiming specific titles.
It depends on your state, trade, and license class. Use the B&L checker for a quick rule-based verdict. Some states (e.g. Massachusetts) embed it in the trade exam; others (e.g. Alabama, Georgia, California) require a separate sitting.
ContractorsLicenseExam.com sells timed practice exams. ContractorStudyPlan.com is the planning step before that — figuring out which books you need, whether the exam is open-book, and how to schedule your study time. Together they cover the full prep journey.
Pick your state, confirm your books, and get a realistic day-by-day plan you can print, share with study partners, or export to PDF.