Nevada Contractor License Exam Practice Test
Frequently asked questions
How many Nevada Contractor License Exam practice questions are here?+
A full bank of original Nevada Contractor License Exam practice questions across the official content areas, weighted like the real exam, with explanations. Free, no signup.
What is the Nevada Contractor License Exam exam like?+
About 60 questions, 120 minutes, and you need 45 of 60 (75%)% to pass. Practice by topic here, then take the full timed mock exam to gauge readiness.
Are these the real exam questions?+
No. Every question is 100% original, written from public primary sources with explanations. We never copy real exam questions or paid prep material.
Can I study in Chinese or Spanish?+
PrepPass practice is in English, 中文 and Español. The official exam is in English — switch the question language to English any time to rehearse the exact terminology you'll see on test day.
Sample practice questions
A few real questions from this free bank, with full explanations. Use the practice tool above for the whole set.
- 1. Business Organization & Licensing
A construction business is organized as a corporation. If the corporation is sued and cannot pay a judgment, what is generally at risk?
- a.The personal homes and bank accounts of every shareholder
- b.The personal assets of the highest-paid officer only
- c.The assets owned by the corporation itself, not the shareholders' personal assets
- d.Nothing, because corporations cannot be sued
Answer: c
Explanation: A corporation is a separate legal entity from its owners (shareholders). This separation creates limited liability: creditors and judgments generally reach only the assets the corporation owns, and shareholders risk losing only what they invested — not their personal homes or savings. That protection can be lost only in unusual cases such as fraud or 'piercing the corporate veil.'
- 2. Estimating & Bidding
How many cubic yards of concrete are needed for a slab 27 ft long, 30 ft wide, and 4 inches thick?
- a.3.3 cubic yards
- b.6.7 cubic yards
- c.8.5 cubic yards
- d.10 cubic yards
Answer: d
Explanation: First convert thickness to feet: 4 in / 12 = 0.3333 ft. Volume in cubic feet = 27 x 30 x 0.3333 = 270 cubic feet. Convert to cubic yards by dividing by 27 (there are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard): 270 / 27 = 10 cubic yards. Getting units consistent — feet for all three dimensions — is the key step.
- 3. Contracts & Contract Law
Under the Statute of Frauds, which of the following is generally required to be in writing to be enforceable?
- a.A one-hour verbal agreement to sweep a job site
- b.A casual promise to lend a friend a hammer
- c.An agreement to buy lunch for the crew
- d.A contract for the sale of land or an interest in real property
Answer: d
Explanation: The Statute of Frauds requires certain categories of contracts to be in writing and signed to be enforceable — most notably contracts for the sale of land or interests in real property, and agreements that cannot be performed within one year. This is why construction and real-property agreements are documented in writing. Minor, short, everyday arrangements are not covered.
- 4. Financial Management & Accounting
A contracting company has current assets of $240,000 and current liabilities of $120,000. What is its current ratio?
- a.0.5 to 1
- b.1.2 to 1
- c.2.0 to 1
- d.12 to 1
Answer: c
Explanation: Current ratio = current assets / current liabilities = $240,000 / $120,000 = 2.0. A ratio of 2.0 means the company has $2 of short-term assets for every $1 of short-term debt, which generally indicates healthy short-term liquidity. Sureties and lenders watch this ratio closely; a ratio below 1.0 signals the company may struggle to pay near-term obligations.
- 5. Safety & OSHA
According to the hierarchy of controls, which method of protecting workers from a hazard is MOST effective and should be considered first?
- a.Eliminating the hazard entirely
- b.Providing personal protective equipment (PPE)
- c.Posting a warning sign
- d.Writing the hazard into a safety manual
Answer: a
Explanation: The hierarchy of controls ranks protections from most to least effective: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and finally PPE. Removing the hazard entirely is best because it does not depend on worker behavior or equipment holding up. PPE is the last line of defense — it only reduces exposure and relies on correct, consistent use, so it is the least reliable control on its own.
- 6. Employment & Labor Law
What is the purpose of Form I-9 that a contractor completes for each new hire?
- a.To calculate the employee's overtime rate
- b.To register the employee with the local building department
- c.To order the employee's personal protective equipment
- d.To verify the employee's identity and legal authorization to work in the United States
Answer: d
Explanation: The federal Form I-9 is used to verify each new employee's identity and their authorization to work in the United States, as required by immigration law. Employers must complete and retain an I-9 for every employee and review acceptable documents. It is separate from tax forms (like the W-4) and from any safety, permitting, or payroll-rate functions.
- 7. topics.ctnv_financial_management
A Nevada applicant's financial statement shows current assets of $180,000 and current liabilities of $110,000. What working capital will the Board consider?
- a.$70,000
- b.$290,000
- c.$110,000
- d.$160,000
Answer: a
Explanation: Working capital = current assets - current liabilities = $180,000 - $110,000 = $70,000. Working capital measures short-term financial strength and is one basis the Board uses when setting a contractor's monetary limit.
Source: Construction Business & Law Manual for Nevada (working capital = current assets - current liabilities)
- 8. topics.ctnv_licensing
Nevada's CMS (Construction Management Survey) Business & Law examination has 60 scored questions and is open book. How many correct answers are required to pass?
- a.30
- b.45
- c.42
- d.54
Answer: b
Explanation: A candidate must answer 45 of the 60 scored questions correctly, which is 75%. Because the exam is open book, effective use of the Construction Business & Law Manual for Nevada is a major part of preparation.
Source: NSCB CMS Business & Law examination (60 scored questions, open book)
- 9. topics.ctnv_contracts
During a project the owner requests additional work that was not in the original scope. What is the proper instrument to authorize the added work, price, and time?
- a.A mechanic's lien
- b.A written change order signed by the parties
- c.A notice of completion
- d.A performance bond
Answer: b
Explanation: Added or changed scope should be documented by a written change order that states the added work, its price, and any schedule impact, signed by both parties before the work proceeds. Verbal changes are a leading cause of payment disputes.
Source: Construction Business & Law Manual for Nevada (change orders)
- 10. topics.ctnv_environmental_safety
Workplace safety on Nevada construction sites is enforced primarily by which agency?
- a.The Nevada State Contractors Board's examination division
- b.The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- c.Nevada OSHA, part of the Division of Industrial Relations, which operates an OSHA-approved state plan
- d.There is no workplace-safety enforcement in Nevada
Answer: c
Explanation: Nevada runs its own OSHA-approved state plan through Nevada OSHA within the Division of Industrial Relations (DIR). It enforces standards at least as effective as federal OSHA, so contractors answer to the state program on jobsite safety.
Source: NRS Chapter 618 (Nevada OSHA / Division of Industrial Relations)