CSLB C-21 Building Moving and Demolition (Trade Exam) — All Questions

A foundation wall is 60 feet long, 9 feet high and 1 foot thick. How many cubic yards of concrete is that?

• a.60 cubic yards
• b.540 cubic yards
• c.6.7 cubic yards
• d.20 cubic yards✓

60 × 9 × 1 = 540 cubic feet, and 540 ÷ 27 = 20 cubic yards. Five hundred forty is the cubic feet. Sixty divides by 9. Six point seven divides by 81.CSLB 13E-21 (03-2026), computation questions

Federal OSHA's demolition subpart addresses selective demolition by explosives how?

• a.It allows the demolition contractor to use explosives with a permit
• b.It limits explosives to buildings of three stories or fewer
• c.It sends the work to the applicable sections of the explosives subpart✓
• d.It prohibits explosives in demolition operations

Selective demolition by explosives shall be conducted in accordance with the applicable sections of subpart U. The section does not leave explosives to the contractor's choice. It does not prohibit explosives. It sets no story limit.29 CFR 1926.860

A job produces 38 cubic yards of debris and the bins hold 12 cubic yards each. How many bin hauls are needed?

• a.5 hauls
• b.26 hauls
• c.3 hauls
• d.4 hauls✓

38 ÷ 12 = 3.17, and a partial bin is still a haul, so the count rounds up to 4. Three hauls rounds down and leaves 2 cubic yards. Five hauls over-counts. Twenty-six subtracts 12 from 38.CSLB 13E-21 (03-2026), computation questions

The 20 cubic yards of concrete in a footing weighs 150 pounds per cubic foot, a figure given in the problem. How many tons does it weigh?

• a.81 tons
• b.40.5 tons✓
• c.3,000 tons
• d.15 tons

20 × 27 = 540 cubic feet, 540 × 150 = 81,000 pounds, and 81,000 ÷ 2,000 = 40.5 tons. Eighty-one is the thousands of pounds. Three thousand multiplies 20 by 150 and skips the conversion. Fifteen is a guess with no basis in the data.CSLB 13E-21 (03-2026), computation questions

A building above the federal thresholds will be demolished after asbestos removal. When must the notice of intention be postmarked or delivered?

• a.On the day demolition begins, if work starts before noon
• b.At least 24 hours before the first worker enters the building
• c.At least 10 working days before asbestos removal or any other activity begins✓
• d.At least 10 calendar days before the demolition permit is issued

Notice is due at least 10 working days before asbestos stripping or removal or other disturbing activity begins. The count is working days, and it runs to the start of work, not the permit. 24 hours is the timing for other notices, not this one. A same-day notice does not meet the rule.40 CFR 61.145(b)(3)(i)

Where in a typical document set would you look first for dust limits, recycling requirements and sequence restrictions on a demolition project?

• a.In the elevation drawings, which show heights and materials
• b.In the specifications, which state methods, limits and restrictions✓
• c.In the title block, which lists the sheet number and date
• d.On the site plan, which shows property lines and utilities

Specifications carry the methods, sequence and performance limits that drawings do not show. A site plan locates things; it does not state limits. A title block identifies the sheet. Elevations give heights and materials, not rules about how to work.2025 CBC §3303.1; CSLB 13E-21 (03-2026)

Who must be in immediate supervision of demolition work at all times?

• a.The building official who issued the demolition permit
• b.The most senior laborer who has done a similar job before
• c.A qualified person with the authority to secure maximum safety✓
• d.The owner of the structure or the owner's representative on site

Demolition work shall be under the immediate supervision of a qualified person with the authority to secure maximum safety for employees. The building official does not supervise the work. Ownership does not make someone qualified or give the needed authority. Seniority alone does not meet the qualified-person standard.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1734(a)

What is the minimum width of the pedestrian walkway required in front of a demolition site?

• a.6 feet
• b.4 feet✓
• c.5 feet
• d.8 feet

Walkways must be sufficient for the pedestrian traffic and not less than 4 feet wide. Five feet is more than the minimum requires. Six feet is more than the minimum requires. Eight feet is the barrier height, not the walkway width.2025 CBC §3306.2

Which dust control method does Cal/OSHA's demolition section name?

• a.Using water to keep material or debris sufficiently wet✓
• b.Running exhaust fans to blow dust out of the structure
• c.Covering the debris with dry sand at the end of each day
• d.Requiring respirators for the workers within 100 feet

Provisions for dust control shall include the use of water to keep material or debris sufficiently wet, or equivalent steps. Blowing dust out would spread it. Dry sand does not keep material wet. Respirators protect workers but do not control dust at the source.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1735(t)

Direct cost is $48,000 and the contractor wants a 20 percent margin on price. What is the price?

• a.$60,000✓
• b.$38,400
• c.$57,600
• d.$48,000

Price = 48,000 ÷ 0.80 = $60,000, and 20 percent of $60,000 is $12,000. Fifty-seven thousand six hundred adds 20 percent to cost, a markup. Forty-eight thousand is the cost. Thirty-eight thousand four hundred subtracts 20 percent from cost.CSLB 13E-21 (03-2026), computation questions

A three-story building has 1,200 square feet of floor space per story and generates 30 pounds of debris per square foot of floor space. How many tons will it generate?

• a.108 tons
• b.36 tons
• c.54 tons✓
• d.18 tons

3 × 1,200 × 30 = 108,000 pounds, and 108,000 ÷ 2,000 = 54 tons. Eighteen tons counts one story and divides wrongly. One hundred eight is the thousands of pounds, not tons. Thirty-six tons counts two stories.CSLB 13E-21 (03-2026), computation questions

A building will be moved onto a new lot. Under the Existing Building Code chapter on relocated buildings, what must the new foundation system comply with?

• a.What the moving contractor's engineer finds adequate, with no code reference
• b.The California Building Code or Residential Code, as applicable✓
• c.The manufacturer's instructions for the jacks used to lift the building
• d.The code in force at the building's original site when it was built

The foundation system of a relocated building shall comply with the Building Code or the Residential Code, as applicable. The chapter points to the current codes for the foundation. An engineer's opinion does not replace the code requirement. Jack instructions say nothing about the receiving foundation.2025 CEBC §1402.2

A two-story building stands 5 feet from an occupied neighbor. Which method choice fits the safety rules?

• a.Removing the ground floor first so the upper floors drop into the basement
• b.Swinging a ball from a long boom to reach the far wall
• c.Pulling the walls over toward the neighbor to save time
• d.Controlled top-down removal, with the neighbor's structure checked✓

Demolition proceeds from the top down, adjacent structures where employees may be exposed are checked, and a ball's boom is kept as short as possible. Pulling walls toward the neighbor endangers it. The rule calls for the boom to be as short as possible. Bottom-first removal violates the top-down rule.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §§1734, 1735; 29 CFR 1926.859

Interior demolition is estimated at 0.05 labor hours per square foot for 3,000 square feet. A crew of 5 works 8-hour days. How many crew days are needed?

• a.150 days
• b.3 days
• c.4 days✓
• d.5 days

3,000 × 0.05 = 150 labor hours, the crew supplies 40 hours per day, and 150 ÷ 40 = 3.75, which rounds up to 4. Three days rounds down and leaves part of the work. One hundred fifty is the labor hours. Five days has no basis in the calculation.CSLB 13E-21 (03-2026), computation questions

When must pedestrian protection be in place at a demolition site?

• a.Before the work of demolishing the building is commenced✓
• b.After complaints are received from pedestrians near the site
• c.After the first floor has been removed and the debris cleared
• d.Within one week after demolition begins, once barriers arrive

The work of demolishing any building shall not be commenced until pedestrian protection is in place. Protection precedes the work and does not wait for the first floor. The requirement does not depend on complaints. A one-week grace period does not exist in the section.2025 CBC §3303.2

What does CSLB say all applicants for an initial contractor license must complete about asbestos?

• a.A 40-hour asbestos supervisor course before the exam is scheduled
• b.A written asbestos plan for each project
• c.An asbestos air monitoring report from a past job
• d.The open book asbestos examination, submitted before licensing✓

All applicants for an initial license complete the open book examination and submit it before issuance. No course is the stated requirement. The requirement is an examination, not a project plan. Air monitoring reports are not required of applicants.B&P Code §7058.5

A demolition disturbs half an acre but is part of a subdivision that will disturb 6 acres in all. How does the stormwater permit rule treat it?

• a.It is covered if the demolition site is on a steep slope
• b.It is not covered, because the demolition alone is under an acre
• c.It is covered, being part of a common plan of 1 or more acres✓
• d.It is covered if the plan is publicly funded in some way

Less than an acre is covered if it is part of a common plan of development that will ultimately disturb 1 or more acres. The common-plan clause brings the smaller disturbance in. Slope is not the trigger. Funding source is not the trigger.EPA stormwater discharges from construction activities

A plan shows 90 tons of nonhazardous debris with 54 tons diverted. Which change closes the gap to 65 percent most directly?

• a.Divert at least 4.5 more tons, for example by salvaging framing before demolition✓
• b.Count the 10 tons of asbestos waste as diverted debris in the total
• c.Mix the metals into the general bin to save handling time on site
• d.Lower the total by leaving some of the debris on the site afterward

65 percent of 90 is 58.5 tons, so 4.5 more tons must be diverted; salvage and separation are the levers. Hazardous waste is outside the percentage. Leaving debris on site is not diversion. Mixing streams lowers diversion.CalRecycle on CALGreen

After Class I removal, a crew vacuums the dust and debris from the work area. Which class is that cleanup?

• a.Class IV✓
• b.Class III
• c.Class I
• d.Class II

Class IV includes activities to clean up dust, waste and debris resulting from Class I, II and III activities. Class I is the removal itself. Class II is removal of other ACM. Class III is repair and maintenance.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1529(b)

Which item is among the components of a site safety plan under Chapter 33?

• a.A list of subcontractor bid amounts
• b.A map of the owner's other properties
• c.A schedule of progress payments
• d.A hot-work permit plan✓

Site safety plan components include a hot-work permit plan. Bid amounts are not safety plan components. Payments are not part of the plan. Other properties are not part of the plan.2025 CBC §3302.1.1

Where does the DMV handbook say permits for oversized vehicles may be obtained for city streets?

• a.From the CHP, for streets in cities and counties
• b.From Caltrans, for the public roads in the state
• c.From the DMV, at a field office
• d.From the city or county, for city or county highways✓

Caltrans issues permits for state highways, and the city or county issues them for city or county highways. Caltrans covers state highways only. The handbook does not name the CHP as the issuer. The DMV is not the issuer of these permits.California Commercial Driver Handbook

A city orders a fire-damaged building demolished because it may collapse at any moment. What does the federal asbestos rule require about the notice?

• a.No notice, since the city itself issued the order
• b.Notice at least 10 working days before the demolition begins
• c.Notice if more than 260 linear feet of asbestos is present on pipes
• d.Notice as early as possible, and no later than the next working day✓

For a demolition ordered because of imminent collapse, notice is due as early as possible, no later than the following working day. The 10-working-day clock does not apply to this special case. The special case has its own requirements, not the usual threshold test. The order does not remove the notice.40 CFR 61.145(a)(3)

A crew will disturb 70 square feet of lead-containing material. Is the Cal/OSHA pre-job notice required?

• a.Yes, because 70 square feet is more than the 50 square foot exception
• b.No, because the amount is less than 100 square feet, though the rest of the lead standard still applies✓
• c.Yes, because a small amount of lead-containing material requires the notice
• d.No, and no other part of the lead standard applies to this small job

The pre-job notice exception covers amounts less than 100 square or 100 linear feet, but only the notice is excused. The exception applies below 100. The standard's other requirements still apply. Fifty square feet is not the threshold.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1532.1(p)

Which green building code edition does the Board's C-21 study guide list among its references?

• a.The 2022 California Green Building Standards Code
• b.The 2025 California Green Building Standards Code✓
• c.The 2019 California Green Building Standards Code
• d.The 2016 California Green Building Standards Code

The study guide lists the 2025 California Green Building Standards Code. The 2019 edition is not the one listed. The 2022 edition is not the one listed. The 2016 edition is not the one listed.CSLB 13E-21 (03-2026) reference list

A crew chief inspects the dump trucks every Monday morning, and the job runs five days a week. Is that enough?

• a.No, because the rule requires checks at the start of each shift✓
• b.Yes, if the driver also checks them after a repair
• c.No, because inspections are required by an outside mechanic
• d.Yes, because weekly checks satisfy the rule

The rule requires checking all vehicles in use at the beginning of each shift. Weekly is not the rule. Post-repair checks do not replace shift checks. The rule does not require an outside mechanic.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1593(d)

Debris is piling up around a work area on the second floor. What does Cal/OSHA's disposal rule require?

• a.Removal from the immediate work area as the work progresses✓
• b.Covering it with plastic until the floor is demolished
• c.Pushing it into the stairwell so it is out of the way
• d.Waiting until the weekend crew can clear it in one visit

All scrap lumber, waste material and rubbish shall be removed from the immediate work area as the work progresses. Waiting lets debris accumulate. Debris is not left in the stairwell. Covering does not remove it.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1736(g)

A plumber must cut through asbestos-containing wallboard to repair a pipe. Which class of asbestos work is that?

• a.Class I, removal of thermal system insulation or surfacing
• b.Class II, removal of ACM that is not insulation or surfacing
• c.Class IV, contact with ACM that does not disturb it
• d.Class III, repair or maintenance likely to disturb ACM✓

Repair and maintenance operations where ACM is likely to be disturbed are Class III. Class I is removal of thermal insulation or surfacing. The task is repair, not removal. Class IV involves no disturbance.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1529(b)

What is the site safety director responsible for completing each day?

• a.A daily fire safety inspection of the project site✓
• b.A written estimate of the next day's debris tonnage
• c.A test of the hand tools on the job
• d.A count of workers on site for the fire marshal

The site safety director is responsible for the completion of a daily fire safety inspection at the project site. Debris tonnage is an estimating task. A headcount for the fire marshal is not the duty. Tool testing is not the duty.2025 CBC §3302.3

Which item is one of the five federal universal waste categories?

• a.Lamps✓
• b.Concrete block
• c.Structural steel
• d.Roofing felt

The federal categories are batteries, pesticides, mercury-containing equipment, lamps and aerosol cans. Roofing felt is not on the list. Block is not on the list. Structural steel is not on the list.EPA universal waste (40 CFR Part 273)

Which excavation needs a Cal/OSHA permit?

• a.A trench 3 feet deep that employees must enter
• b.A trench 6 feet deep that employees must enter✓
• c.A shallow footing excavation dug with a backhoe
• d.A trench 6 feet deep that no one will enter

Permits apply to trenches or excavations 5 feet or deeper into which any person is required to descend. Three feet is shallower than the trigger. The permit rule depends on a person descending. Depth and entry are what matter, not the machine.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §341(d)(5)

Which of these is a Level 3 lead trigger task?

• a.Heat gun application on a lead-painted window frame
• b.Welding where lead-containing coatings are present✓
• c.Manual demolition of drywall that has lead-containing paint
• d.Manual scraping of paint with a hand tool in a small area

Level 3 tasks include welding, torch cutting and torch burning. Manual demolition is Level 1. Manual scraping is Level 1. Heat gun use is Level 1.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1532.1(d)(2)(D)

Under what condition may RACM that is encased in concrete stay in place during demolition?

• a.When it is on an exterior wall that will be demolished last
• b.When the contractor wraps it in plastic sheeting before the machines arrive
• c.When it is on a component encased in hard material and kept wet✓
• d.When it makes up less than 5 percent of the whole building

RACM need not be removed first if it is encased in concrete or similar hard material and adequately wet whenever exposed. A percentage of the building is not the test. Wrapping does not meet the condition. Location on an exterior wall does not matter.40 CFR 61.145(c)(1)(ii)

Where must solvent waste and oily rags be kept until they are removed from the work site?

• a.In fire-resistant covered containers✓
• b.In open buckets near the work, to keep them handy
• c.In plastic bags at the base of the nearest wall
• d.In the same bin as clean wood scrap

All solvent waste, oily rags and flammable liquids shall be kept in fire-resistant covered containers until removed. Open buckets are uncovered. Plastic bags are not fire-resistant containers. Mixing them with wood creates a fire hazard.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1736(h)

A project will generate 150 tons of nonhazardous debris. What is the most that may go to disposal and still meet a 65 percent diversion minimum?

• a.85 tons
• b.65 tons
• c.97.5 tons
• d.52.5 tons✓

At least 65 percent is diverted, so up to 35 percent may be disposed, and 150 × 0.35 = 52.5 tons. Ninety-seven point five is the minimum to divert. Sixty-five tons uses the percentage as tons. Eighty-five tons has no basis in the arithmetic.CalRecycle on CALGreen

A loader is parked on a slope at the end of the day. What does Cal/OSHA require?

• a.Leave the engine idling so the brake system stays fully charged
• b.Hang the key on the board in the site office and lock the gate
• c.The wheels chocked and the parking brake set, or equally effective mechanical means✓
• d.Raise the bucket to the top of its travel and lock the lift arms

Equipment parked on inclines shall have the wheels chocked and the parking brake set or be otherwise prevented from moving. A raised bucket does not hold a machine on a slope. Idling does not hold it. Key control is not the requirement.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1593(h)

Who must supervise all asbestos work done inside regulated areas?

• a.The industrial hygienist from the owner's insurer
• b.A competent person✓
• c.The project superintendent, by virtue of the job title
• d.A laborer with 40 hours of respirator training

All asbestos work performed within regulated areas shall be supervised by a competent person. Position alone does not make someone competent. Respirator hours alone do not meet the standard. An insurer's hygienist is not the required supervisor.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1529(e)(6)

What must an employer ensure about first-aid ability on a construction project?

• a.A suitable number of appropriately trained persons are available to render first aid✓
• b.The workers hold a first-aid card issued within the last two years
• c.A nurse is present whenever more than 10 workers are on site
• d.A doctor is on call within 15 minutes of the site by telephone

Each employer shall ensure the availability of a suitable number of appropriately trained persons to render first aid. The rule does not require every worker to be trained. No nurse is required by that headcount. A 15-minute physician call is not the stated requirement.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1512(b)

A door and a stack of framing lumber are carefully removed before demolition and sold to a reuse buyer. How does that weight count toward the CALGreen requirement?

• a.It counts at half weight, as it was not recycled
• b.It counts as salvaged for reuse, which is diversion✓
• c.It does not count, because it was removed before demolition
• d.It counts as disposal, as it left the site

CALGreen counts recycling and salvage for reuse toward the minimum. Pre-demolition salvage is salvage for reuse. Salvage for reuse counts at its full weight. Material sold for reuse is diverted, not disposed of.CalRecycle on CALGreen

A project will generate 200 tons of nonhazardous debris. What is the minimum tonnage to be diverted at a 65 percent minimum?

• a.65 tons
• b.135 tons
• c.70 tons
• d.130 tons✓

At 65 percent of 200 tons of nonhazardous debris, the minimum to divert is 200 × 0.65 = 130 tons. Seventy tons is the most that may be disposed. Sixty-five tons uses the percentage as tons. One hundred thirty-five is not the product.CalRecycle on CALGreen

Who may adopt a construction and demolition diversion ordinance with its own requirements?

• a.The State Water Board, through its construction stormwater permit
• b.A local jurisdiction such as a city or county✓
• c.The landfill operator, through its tipping fee schedule
• d.The demolition contractor, in its bid documents

Local jurisdictions may have C&D diversion ordinances, which they can amend or align with CALGreen. The Water Board does not adopt C&D ordinances. A contractor does not adopt ordinances. A landfill operator does not adopt ordinances.CalRecycle C&D diversion guidance

A demolition generated 120 tons of nonhazardous debris, and 90 tons were recycled or salvaged. What share was diverted?

• a.75 percent✓
• b.25 percent
• c.90 percent
• d.33 percent

90 ÷ 120 = 0.75, or 75 percent. Ninety is the tonnage, not the percentage. Twenty-five percent is the share disposed. Thirty-three percent divides the wrong totals.CalRecycle on CALGreen

A demolition job also requires pulling an underground storage tank. What must the contractor have?

• a.No action beyond the C-21 classification, since tanks are structures
• b.The hazardous substance certification, passed by the license qualifier✓
• c.A C-22 Asbestos Abatement classification added to the C-21 license
• d.A written notice to the owner before the tank is pulled

A contractor shall not install or remove an underground storage tank unless it has passed the hazardous substance certification examination. C-22 is for asbestos abatement. Notice does not replace the certification. The classification alone is not enough for tank work.B&P Code §7058.7

What size of land disturbance requires a Clean Water Act stormwater permit under EPA's description?

• a.1 acre or more of land✓
• b.5,000 square feet or more of land
• c.A disturbance that reaches the groundwater
• d.10 acres or more of land

A permit is required for stormwater discharges from construction activity disturbing 1 acre or more of land. Five thousand square feet is well below the trigger. Ten acres is above the trigger. Groundwater contact is not the trigger.EPA stormwater discharges from construction activities

A crew will perform a lead trigger task before any exposure monitoring is available. What must the employer provide?

• a.A written waiver signed by each employee before work starts
• b.Respirators for the supervisor, since supervisors direct the work
• c.Interim protection until the exposure assessment is completed✓
• d.No action, since protection is required after monitoring

Until the employer performs the exposure assessment, employees on trigger tasks get the interim protection the standard prescribes. Trigger tasks require protection before monitoring. Employees doing the task are the ones protected. A waiver does not replace protection.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1532.1(d)(2)(E)

How often must an employer obtain an Annual Permit for permit-required activity?

• a.Once in five years
• b.Once for each job
• c.Once for each employee
• d.Once per year✓

An employer conducting annual-permit activity shall obtain an Annual Permit once per year. Once per job describes a project-based permit. Five years is not the period. Permits are issued to employers, not per employee.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §341(c)(2)(B)

Which CALGreen sections does CalRecycle cite for the minimum 65 percent diversion?

• a.Section 8.9, the appendix on compliance forms and worksheets
• b.Sections 101.1 and 102.4, the code's scope and application sections
• c.Sections 4.408, 5.408, 301.1.1 and 301.3✓
• d.Section 12.5, the chapter on installer qualifications and inspectors

CalRecycle cites CALGreen sections 4.408, 5.408, 301.1.1 and 301.3. Those sections do not carry the requirement. Section 8.9 is not cited. Section 12.5 is not cited.CalRecycle on CALGreen

The start date or work method in a written asbestos notice to Cal/OSHA changes. When must the change be reported?

• a.At or before the time of the change✓
• b.Within 24 hours after the change
• c.Within 10 working days after the change
• d.At the end of the job in the final report

Any change in the information in the written notice shall be reported at or before the time of the change. The rule does not allow a 10-working-day delay. Reporting comes at the time of the change. The rule gives no 24-hour grace period; the report is due at or before the change.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §341.9

Which tool appears on the silica standard's table of specified exposure control methods?

• a.A tape measure
• b.A paint roller
• c.A jackhammer✓
• d.A hand level

Jackhammers and handheld power tools are on the table. A tape measure does not generate silica dust. A level does not generate silica dust. A paint roller does not generate silica dust.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1532.3(c), Table 1

When must a person be trained before working as a flagger?

• a.When a supervisor says so
• b.Before being assigned as a flagger✓
• c.Within 30 days after being assigned
• d.If the job runs more than 10 working days

Flaggers shall be trained in the fundamentals of flagging moving traffic before being assigned as flaggers. The training comes before assignment, not after. Training is required before assignment for every flagger; the supervisor does not decide. The training is not tied to job duration.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1599(g)

Who designates the site safety director under Chapter 33's fire safety provisions?

• a.The building official
• b.The owner✓
• c.The contractor's insurance carrier
• d.The fire department

The owner shall designate a person to be the site safety director. The fire department does not make the designation. The insurer does not designate the director. The building official does not make the designation.2025 CBC §3302.2