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C-21 Building Moving/Demolition Contractor License in California

C-21 is CSLB's Building Moving/Demolition Contractor classification (16 CCR §832.21). Raises, lowers, underpins, moves or demolishes structures and their foundations, but does not rebuild retained portions. Applicants take the Building Moving and Demolition Examination as well as the Law and Business exam. CSLB's Data Portal lists 1,811 active licenses in this class (read November 7, 2026). CSLB Building Moving and Demolition (C-21) Trade Examination — Questions: Not published by CSLB · 210 minutes · Passing score: Not published by CSLB. PrepPass also publishes a complete study guide for this exam as a downloadable book (255 pages, 404 practice questions inside, $24.99).

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PrepPass Course: CSLB Law and Business

This license also needs the Law and Business exam (CSLB can waive an exam in some cases). 110 lessons, 732 practice questions.

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A printable colour cheat sheet for the exam: the format, the content areas and the figures it turns on, each checked against a named source and dated.

CSLB C-21 Building Moving and Demolition cheat sheet PDF — $9.99 →

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The C-21 license, from CSLB's own pages

What the C-21 license covers and what CSLB requires

Building Moving/Demolition Contractor (16 CCR §832.21). Raises, lowers, underpins, moves or demolishes structures and their foundations, but does not rebuild retained portions.

Trade exam
Yes. Applicants take CSLB's Building Moving and Demolition Examination as well as the Law and Business exam.
Exam topics and weights
  • Planning and Estimating25%
  • Project Preparation20%
  • Building Moving13%
  • Structure Demolition21%
  • Safety21%
As published in CSLB's study guide, form 13E-21 (03-2026), for examinations scheduled on or after July 1, 2024.
Experience
At least 4 years journey-level/foreman/supervisor/contractor/owner-builder experience in the class within the last 10 years; up to 3 years credit for education/apprenticeship, at least 1 year must be practical. Source: 16 CCR §825 (2026 CSLB Law Book); CSLB Step 3 Qualifying Experience page.
Active licenses
1,811 active licenses (CSLB Data Portal, read November 7, 2026)

CSLB's official C-21 study guide (PDF)CSLB's C-21 classification page

Free C-21 practice questionsFree C-21 study guideC-21 study guide book, $24.99CSLB C-21 Building Moving and Demolition cheat sheet PDFBundle: $30.99 for 4 itemsAll California license classes

Facts as of November 7, 2026; check CSLB for current rules. PrepPass is independent of CSLB.

01

Test what you know · free, all of it

Five ways to practise.

The same 260 questions, dealt five ways. Pick the one that fits the time you have.

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Ten questions, no feedback while you answer. Then one report: all 10 explained, each pointing at the chapter that teaches it.
10 questionsabout 5 minevery answer explained
By section
Pick Planning and Estimating, Safety, Structure Demolition, Project Preparation. An explanation appears the moment you answer.
260 questionsuntimed
Timed mock
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100 questions210 minutes
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02

Learn what the questions test

Practice finds the gaps. Reading closes them. The five chapters below are free to read online. The study guide book is a separate download, sold on its own page.

Practice · free
260
questions, each explained — finds what you don't know yet
Learn · the guide
255
pages in the study guide book, section by section

The five sections, as chapters

free to read online
  1. 1Planning and Estimating25% of the exam — the largest sectionRead free →
  2. 2Project Preparation20%Read free →
  3. 3Building Moving13%Read free →
  4. 4Structure Demolition21%Read free →
  5. 5Safety21%Read free →
Cover: CSLB C-21 Building Moving and Demolition Study Guide — 2026 Edition
Study guide · PDF + EPUB
CSLB C-21 Building Moving and Demolition Study Guide — 2026 Edition
255 pages · 404 practice questions inside · updated 2026-11-08
$24.99 one-time · yours to keep
Get the book — $24.99Read a chapter free
  • 404 original CSLB building moving and demolition trade-exam practice questions, each with a worked explanation, in one PDF + EPUB you keep
03

Before you sit

Know the exam you're walking into.

Free study guideEvery section, onlineTopics by weightWhat to study firstHow hard is it?Honest answer, with numbersScores & retakesWhat the board publishesOne-page cheat sheetNight-before facts
04

See the questions first

Two from the bank, answered.

Real items, with the answer marked and the reason written out — the same format as all 260.

Planning and Estimating

In a building move, what is cribbing used for?

  1. AStacked blocking that holds the raised structure in positionCorrect
  2. BA tool for measuring the level of the beams under the structure
  3. CA trailer axle assembly used under the load for the trip
  4. DA coating applied to the beams to prevent rust during storage

Why: Cribbing is temporary stacked blocking that supports the structure at each stage of a lift, so the load is not left on jacks alone. Cribbing is a support, not a coating. It is not a measuring tool. Axles belong to the transport equipment, not the cribbing.CSLB 16 CCR §832.21 classification text; CSLB 13E-21 (03-2026)

Safety

An employee feels overheated and wants a break. What does the heat illness rule say?

  1. AThe rest must be taken at the next scheduled break
  2. BThey are allowed and encouraged to rest in the shadeCorrect
  3. CThe employee must first get a supervisor's written approval
  4. DThe rest is allowed once the employee has worked two hours

Why: Employees shall be allowed and encouraged to take a preventative cool-down rest in the shade when they feel the need, and access is permitted at all times. The rest is not limited to scheduled breaks. No written approval is required. No hours-worked test applies; access is permitted at all times.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §3395(d)(3)

Read all 260 questions with answers →

06

The exam itself

CSLB C-21 Building Moving and Demolition (Trade Exam), by the numbers.

QuestionsNot published by CSLBCSLB says only that “All trade examinations consist of multiple-choice questions.” No count appears in the study guide, the Examinations FAQ, or PSI's candidate bulletin.
Time210 minutesCSLB: “You will be given 3-1/2 hours to complete each examination.” It is per examination, not per sitting — a candidate taking Law and Business plus a trade exam gets 3-1/2 hours for each.
SectionsPlanning and Estimating · Project Preparation · Building Moving · Structure Demolition · Safety
Passing scoreNot published by CSLBCSLB: “You will be informed at the test site about the percentage of correct answers needed to pass each examination,” and, in Get Licensed to Build Q14, that the percentage “varies for each exam”. Passing candidates are never shown their own score. PrepPass states no passing score for this exam.
Our bank260 questions · updated November 2026Written from California Contractors State License Board (CSLB)
LanguagesEnglish
SourceCalifornia Contractors State License Board (CSLB)Verified 2026-11-08

Full facts and sources →

08

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09

Questions

Asked before starting.

What is the C-21 license in California?

C-21 is CSLB's Building Moving/Demolition Contractor classification (16 CCR §832.21). Raises, lowers, underpins, moves or demolishes structures and their foundations, but does not rebuild retained portions.

Do I need a trade exam for the C-21 license?

Yes. CSLB requires the Building Moving and Demolition Examination in addition to the Law and Business exam.

How many years of experience does the C-21 license need?

As CSLB states it: At least 4 years journey-level/foreman/supervisor/contractor/owner-builder experience in the class within the last 10 years; up to 3 years credit for education/apprenticeship, at least 1 year must be practical. Source: 16 CCR §825 (2026 CSLB Law Book); CSLB Step 3 Qualifying Experience page.

Where is CSLB's official study guide for C-21?

CSLB publishes the C-21 study guide (form 13E-21 (03-2026)) as a free PDF at https://www.cslb.ca.gov/Resources/StudyGuides/C21StudyGuide.pdf. It lists the exam's content areas and their percentages.

Is the practice really free, or does it stop after a few questions?

All 260 questions, the timed mock and the report are free with no sign-up. A free account only adds saving your progress. The study guide book is sold separately, $24.99 one-time; nothing in the practice requires it.

Is your mock the same as the real CSLB C-21 Building Moving and Demolition (Trade Exam)?

No. Ours is 100 questions in 210 minutes; the real exam is 210 minutes long. Use the mock for stamina and section timing, not as a score predictor.

What score do I need?

Not published by CSLB. CSLB: “You will be informed at the test site about the percentage of correct answers needed to pass each examination,” and, in Get Licensed to Build Q14, that the percentage “varies for each exam”. Passing candidates are never shown their own score. PrepPass states no passing score for this exam.

Is there a study guide for the CSLB C-21 Building Moving and Demolition (Trade Exam)?

Yes. PrepPass sells CSLB C-21 Building Moving and Demolition Study Guide — 2026 Edition, a PDF + EPUB download, $24.99 one-time; the practice on this page stays free without it. See the study guide →

Practice questions are AI-assisted study material written from California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) and reviewed by PrepPass — for practice only, not official exam questions. Bank updated November 2026. PrepPass is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by California Contractors State License Board (CSLB). Always confirm current exam details with California Contractors State License Board (CSLB).