The Endorsement Exam — Arctic Building Science, Format & References
The Residential Contractor Endorsement exam is built around cold-climate construction. This chapter reviews the exam format, the arctic building-science content areas, and the reference materials, so candidates know what the test actually measures.
Format: 100 questions, 240 minutes, 70% to pass
According to the official PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, the Residential Contractor Endorsement exam has 100 questions, allows 240 minutes, and requires a 70% score (70 correct) to pass. It is an open-reference exam: candidates may bring the approved code books and references into the test center, but not writing-in or unapproved materials. Because it is open-reference, speed at navigating the approved books matters as much as recall — practice finding answers quickly.
Arctic and cold-climate content areas
The exam concentrates on building durable homes in a cold climate. Major content areas include sitework, footings and foundations (with cold-climate orientation, slabs, and crawl spaces); concrete and reinforcement; masonry; carpentry and framing (including advanced cold-climate framing of walls, attics, and roofs); wood-framing fundamentals; seismic and wind loading; and — heavily weighted — thermal and moisture protection using advanced cold-climate techniques. The emphasis on thermal and moisture protection reflects the real risk in Alaska: heat loss, condensation, and moisture damage in extreme cold.
Code, safety, and Alaska-specific references
The exam also tests general code and life/fire safety, equipment and tools, OSHA construction safety (29 CFR 1926), and Alaska regulations for the residential endorsement. Reference materials used to build the exam include the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, American Wood Council wood-design and wind/seismic standards, the OSHA construction standards, and 'Northern Comfort: Advanced Cold Climate Home Building Techniques' from the Alaska Craftsman Home Program. Studying 'Northern Comfort' alongside AS 08.18 is the most direct preparation for the arctic and licensing portions of the test.