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21. Is there an examination requirement for a contractor's license? The qualifying individual for a contractor's license is required to pass written law and trade examinations unless he or she meets the requirements for a waiver. 22. Under what circumstances is a waiver of an examination granted? There is no examination requirement if the qualifying individual meets the following conditions:
23. Are there any additional circumstances under which a waiver of an examination may be requested? Yes, if the qualifying individual meets either of the two following criteria:
OR
24. If I think I am eligible for a waiver, do I complete the experience section of the application? Even if you think that you are eligible for an examination waiver, you must complete the experience section of the application to document a minimum of five years of journey-level experience. All experience claims must be verified by a qualified and responsible person, such as an employer, fellow employee, other journeyman, contractor, union representative, building inspector, architect, or engineer. The person verifying your claim must have first-hand knowledge of your experience; that is, he or she must have observed the work that you have done. Exceptions:
25. How will I find out if I need to take the examination? If you need to take the examination, you will be sent a Notice to Appear for Examination. If you qualify for a waiver, you will be sent a notice requesting the required documents and fees be submitted. 26. How soon after filing my application will I receive my Notice to Appear for Examination? Once CSLB has received your complete application, you will be scheduled for the examination. It generally takes four to six weeks to process an application and send the notice to appear. You should receive your examination notice at least three weeks prior to the examination date. 27. Where are the examinations given? The CSLB has exam sites in eight cities: San Diego, San Bernardino, Buena Park, Inglewood, Ventura, Oakland, Sacramento and Fresno. (The Fresno testing site is operational one week a month.) To make the examination procedures more convenient for applicants, testing centers have been set up at numerous locations throughout the state. Through the use of zip codes, applicants are assigned to the testing center nearest their business address. The Notice to Appear for Examination mailed to the applicant will state where you will take your examination, what identification is required, and directions on how to get to the examination site. 28. Of what does the examination consist? There are two parts to the examination process. All qualifying individuals must pass the standard Law and Business examination. In addition, qualifying individuals must pass a second test covering the specific trade or certification area for which they are applying. 29. What does the Law and Business examination cover? The Law and Business examination consists of approximately 100 multiple choice questions related to business management and construction law. The examination is divided into ten major sections:
30. How can I prepare for the Law and Business examination? The current edition of the California Contractors License Law and Reference Book is the basic study reference. Copies may be purchased from the Department of General Services, Office of Procurement, Publication Section: Counter Sales:
Mail Order - Please send check or money order (no cash) with request to:
The California License Law and Reference Book is not sold at any CS LB office. Copies may be available from some specialty bookstores. Please check your local telephone directory. Other suggested study materials are listed in the reference list included in the Study Guide for the Law and Business Examination that is sent to applicants along with the Notice to Appear for Examination. These additional reference materials include employers' guides from state and federal tax agencies and books focusing on business management and construction law. The study guide is available at all CSLB offices or by calling the CSLB's 24-hour automated public information line (800) 321-2752. 31. How may I prepare for my trade or certification examination? A study guide for each examination is available from the CSLB in Sacramento and will be sent to you with your Notice to Appear For Examination. The study guide lists the topic areas covered by the examination, shows how each area is weighed, and in most cases recommends reference materials to study. 32. What are the trade examinations like? Most trade examinations consist of multiple-choice questions. You will be informed at the test site about the percentage of correct answers needed to pass each examination. Most examinations include questions that refer to accompanying blueprints and/or booklets containing drawings or blueprints. 33. What do I bring to the examination site? You will need your Notice to Appear for Examination to be admitted to the examination room. You must also show two forms of signed identification before taking your examination(s):
The only materials allowed at your seat during your examination are a scale ruler and a nonprinting calculator. Calculators must be battery operated or solar powered. Alpha-programmable calculators are not permitted under any conditions. Pencils and scratch paper will be provided. You will be told to place any other items brought to the examination site, at your own risk, in a common storage area. You are advised to leave articles of value locked in your vehicle. The examination site staff do not watch the storage area. 34. How long does the examination take? You will be given approximately 2-1/2 hours to complete each examination. The exact amount of time allowed for each examination will be announced at the test site. 35. What is involved with the Computer Assisted Testing (CAT) system? In most cases, you will be taking your examination on a computer. The Computer Assisted Testing (CAT) system is very easy for license applicants to use. No prior experience with computers is necessary. Only the space bar and four arrow keys on the keyboard are needed. The test monitor guides all test-takers through a short exercise to help them to feel at ease with the computer. Examinees who have used the CAT system, as well as the old paper and pencil method, report that using the computer speeds the examination process. They also claim they are less likely to make careless errors when using the computer. Finally, they prefer receiving their test results immediately after finishing their examinations on the computer, instead of waiting up to six weeks for their results as they had to in the past. 36. What kind of feedback will I receive? Successful test-takers are only told that they have passed the examination. They will not be given detailed information about the score. Applicants who are not successful are told the percentage of questions they answered correctly. In addition, they are given a statement showing how well they did in each of the major sections of the test. These sections are described in greater detail in the Study Guide for that examination, so that the test-taker will know what areas to emphasize in preparing for the next test. Yes. If you fail to appear for an examination, you must pay a $50 rescheduling fee. If you fail to appear a second time, your application will be considered void, and you will have to submit a new application with new fees. If you fail the Law and Business examination and/or your trade examination, you must also pay a $50 fee each time you are rescheduled. You are given two more opportunities to succeed. If you do not pass after three attempts, your application is considered void, and you will have to submit a new application. To file for rescheduling, complete the application on the bottom of the notice informing you that you failed to pass the examination, and submit it with the $50 fee to the CSLB. (Please note any address change on this form.) You will be sent a notice informing you where and when to appear for your next examination. Test results are good for five years. If you have passed the Law and Business examination or your trade examination, you would not have to take it again if you failed the other test, failed to appear for testing, or even had to submit a new application. 38. May I review the test questions after the examinations? No. Test questions and answer keys are not available for review. You may file a written protest or critique of any examination question(s) after you have completed your examination and before you turn in your examination materials to the proctor. 39. Are there any penalties for disclosing the contents of a state examination? Conduct which violates the security of the examination (includes providing information about test questions to any person or business other than the CSLB examination staff); removing examination materials from the examination site (includes writing down examination questions for future use); communicating with other examinees during an examination; copying or permitting your answers to be copied; having in your possession any written material other than test materials provided by the CSLB; or taking the examination on behalf of another applicant. Penalties for conduct that violates the security of the examination include prosecution on misdemeanor charges resulting in a fine of $500, payment of damages of up to $10,000 plus the costs of litigation, and a sentence in the county jail. You would also be subject to automatic test failure; any fee(s) paid to the State of California would not be refunded; and you would not be allowed to apply for any license classification for a period of one year from your examination date. 40. What will I receive to show that I am licensed? You will receive three things: (1) a wall certificate showing the name of the person or company to which the certificate has been issued, the license number, and the date of issue; (2) a temporary paper pocket card; and (3) a permanent plastic pocket card showing the license number, business name, classification(s), certifications, if applicable, and the license expiration date. The law requires that you display your wall certificate in your main office or chief place of business. You should also make it a habit to carry your pocket card, especially in situations where you think you might be soliciting business or talking to potential customers. 41. How long before I receive those documents? You should receive your wall certificate and temporary paper pocket card within a week of the time your license is issued. Your plastic pocket card should arrive in six to eight weeks.
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