NASCLA exam — one test, accepted in 17 states
Pass the NASCLA Accredited Commercial General Building Contractor exam once, and it’s recognized in 17states plus the U.S. Virgin Islands — so you don’t re-take the trade exam in each one. Each state still has its own business & law step; here’s exactly who participates and how to prep.
States that accept the NASCLA exam
The official participating jurisdictions (17 states + the U.S. Virgin Islands). Tap a state with a full prep hub to start there.
17 of these jurisdictions have a full free PrepPass hub. Source: NASCLA participating state agencies.
How NASCLA reciprocity actually works
- Take it once. The exam is 115 questions, open-book, on commercial general building. Your NASCLA record can then be sent to any participating jurisdiction.
- It replaces the trade exam, not the whole license. In participating states NASCLA stands in for that state’s technical/trade exam — but you still complete the state’s business & law exam, application, bond, and fees. How each state applies it varies, so check the state hub.
- Best for multi-state contractors. If you build commercially across state lines, one NASCLA pass saves re-testing the trade portion in every state below.
NASCLA exam — common questions
Which states accept the NASCLA exam?
The NASCLA Accredited Commercial General Building Contractor exam is accepted in 17 states plus the U.S. Virgin Islands: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia. How each jurisdiction uses the exam varies — some accept it in place of their state trade exam, others for a specific license class.
Does passing NASCLA mean I don't have to take a state exam?
Not entirely. NASCLA covers the commercial building trade/technical portion where a jurisdiction accepts it, but nearly every state also requires its own separate business and law exam and a state license application. Passing NASCLA once lets you skip re-taking the trade exam in participating states — it does not replace each state's business/law requirement.
What is on the NASCLA exam?
The NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor exam is 115 questions, open-book, drawn from published references and construction management content. PrepPass has 24 free practice questions with explanations mapped to the official content areas.
Practice the NASCLA exam free
24 questions with explanations, mapped to the official content areas — no signup.
Start the free NASCLA practice test →