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

A two-story house has 1,500 square feet of floor area per story, and the problem gives 35 pounds per square foot of floor area for each story. What is its weight in tons?

• a.52.5 tons✓
• b.5.25 tons
• c.26.25 tons
• d.105 tons

2 × 1,500 × 35 = 105,000 pounds, and 105,000 ÷ 2,000 = 52.5 tons. Twenty-six and a quarter counts one story. One hundred five is the thousands of pounds. Five and a quarter misplaces the decimal.Engineering practice; CSLB 13E-21 (03-2026) section 3 outline

A trench beside a building is 5 feet deep and workers must enter it. How near must a ladder, stairway or ramp be?

• a.Within 50 feet of lateral travel from the work
• b.At each end of the trench, whatever the length
• c.Within 10 feet of the spoil pile at the edge
• d.So no more than 25 feet of lateral travel is needed✓

A means of egress shall be located in trench excavations 4 feet or more deep so as to require no more than 25 feet of lateral travel. Fifty feet is twice the allowed travel. The rule is by travel distance, not by ends. Egress is not placed by the spoil pile.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1541

A load extends 5 feet beyond the rear of the body. What must mark the end of the load in daylight?

• a.A flag of a bright color, 6 inches square, on a short pole
• b.A solid red or fluorescent orange flag, 12 inches square✓
• c.A white sheet at least 24 inches square, tied at the rear
• d.A reflective triangle at least 4 inches wide at the corners

When a load extends 4 feet or more beyond the rear of the body, a solid red or fluorescent orange flag at least 12 inches square goes at the extreme end. A triangle is not the required marker. White is not the required color. The flag must be red or fluorescent orange and 12 inches square.California Commercial Driver Handbook

When does Caltrans say house moving should generally be done?

• a.In daylight hours and at periods of least traffic✓
• b.At night, when pedestrians and traffic are least likely
• c.During the morning commute, to use road crews
• d.At midday on weekdays, when the permit office is open

House moving should be confined to daylight hours and periods of least traffic. Night moves are discouraged by the policy. Peak commute periods are the opposite of least traffic. Weekday midday traffic is not a period of least traffic.Caltrans Transportation Permits Manual, ch. 2 §201.25

A crew will dig pockets in a foundation on Wednesday. By when must the notification centers have been told?

• a.By the end of the day on the Wednesday that digging starts
• b.At least 24 hours after the digging has started
• c.At least 2 working days before the digging starts✓
• d.At least 10 working days before the digging begins

Notification centers and owners must be advised at least 2 working days before any digging or excavation work. A same-day notice is shorter than the rule. Ten working days is the federal asbestos period. Notice after digging starts is too late.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1541

What is the legal height limit for a vehicle and its load in California?

• a.14 feet✓
• b.13 feet 6 inches
• c.13 feet
• d.12 feet

The vehicle and load height limit, measured from the roadway, is 14 feet. Twelve feet is below the limit. Thirteen feet six inches is below the limit. Thirteen feet is below the limit.California Commercial Driver Handbook

A permitted load is involved in a crash caused by excessive wind. How does Caltrans treat it?

• a.The highway agency's responsibility, since it sets the road conditions
• b.An act of nature, with no consequence under the permit
• c.A violation of the permit's route condition, not its weather condition
• d.A prima facie violation of the permit's weather condition✓

Any crash caused by excessive wind or weather conditions is a prima facie violation of the weather condition. The permit treats it as a violation, not an excused event. The permit holder is responsible for checking conditions. The weather condition is the one involved.Caltrans Transportation Permits Manual, ch. 5 §502.8

What does Caltrans say about traffic control during a house move on a state highway?

• a.A single warning sign at the start of the route is enough
• b.No traffic control is needed on rural highways with light traffic
• c.A police escort must control all traffic during the move
• d.Sufficient flagmen must be used to safeguard highway traffic✓

Sufficient flagmen must be used to properly safeguard highway traffic. The rule is not limited to urban highways. CHP involvement is not required except in unusual situations. A single sign is not the stated control.Caltrans Transportation Permits Manual, ch. 2 §201.25

The relocated building is lowered onto its new foundation. How must the connection of the building to the foundation comply?

• a.With the California Building Code or Residential Code, as applicable✓
• b.With the bolts the moving crew happens to have on the truck
• c.With the old foundation's connection details from the first site
• d.With the manufacturer's instructions for the jacks used in the lift

The connection of the relocated building to the foundation shall comply with the Building Code or Residential Code. The connection is a code matter and not left to what is on hand. The old connection does not govern the new foundation. Jack instructions do not cover the connection.2025 CEBC §1402.2.1

A house is moved into a flood hazard area. What does the relocated-buildings chapter require?

• a.A sign noting the flood zone, posted at the entrance
• b.Flood insurance, with no change to the construction
• c.Compliance with the flood provisions of the building codes✓
• d.No action, since the house existed before the flood map was drawn

Structures relocated into a flood hazard area shall comply with Building Code Section 1612 or Residential Code Section R306, as applicable. Existing status does not exempt a relocated structure. A sign is not compliance. Insurance is not a code requirement here.2025 CEBC §1402.6

A building weighs 100 tons. Each jack is rated 30 tons, and the plan allows 75 percent of the rating. What is the minimum number of jacks?

• a.3 jacks
• b.5 jacks✓
• c.4 jacks
• d.8 jacks

Usable capacity is 30 × 0.75 = 22.5 tons per jack, and 100 ÷ 22.5 = 4.44, which rounds up to 5. Four jacks rounds down and leaves load over capacity. Three jacks uses the full rating of 30 tons and rounds up. Eight jacks has no basis in the arithmetic.Engineering practice; CSLB 13E-21 (03-2026) section 3 outline

Who shall be consulted before any house move on a state highway under the Caltrans manual?

• a.The utility company's billing office
• b.The county assessor
• c.The Maintenance Supervisor✓
• d.The local fire chief

The Maintenance Supervisor shall be consulted prior to any house moves. The manual does not name the fire chief. The assessor is not named. A billing office is not named.Caltrans Transportation Permits Manual, ch. 2 §201.25

How does lowering a building onto a foundation compare with raising it?

• a.It is the same work in reverse: jacks take the load, cribbing comes out course by course, and the building lowers in small steps✓
• b.It is done in one continuous drop once the beams have been removed
• c.It is done faster, because the weight of the load assists the jacks
• d.It is done with the jacks removed, using the cribbing as a slide

Lowering reverses the raising sequence, with the load always carried by jacks or cribbing and no free drop. A free drop damages the structure and is unsafe. Cribbing cannot slide a load down safely. Speed is not the aim.CSLB 16 CCR §832.21 classification text; NPS Hamilton Grange move account

Which finding in a pre-move inspection most directly threatens the lift?

• a.Faded exterior paint on the siding of the house
• b.A decayed sill plate under a bearing wall✓
• c.A squeaky stair tread on the main stairway
• d.A dripping faucet in the kitchen of the house

A decayed sill under a bearing wall cannot safely take lifting loads. Faded paint does not affect structure. A leak is a plumbing issue and does not threaten the lift. A squeak is not a structural defect.NPS Moving Historic Buildings guide, preparing the structure for the move

Which excavation does not need a protective system under Cal/OSHA's rule?

• a.One exactly 5 feet deep in firm-looking clay, which seems stable
• b.One less than 5 feet deep where a competent person finds no sign of a cave-in✓
• c.One 8 feet deep with a ladder placed at the near end
• d.One 6 feet deep that has been dry for a full week

A protective system is not required where the excavation is in stable rock, or is less than 5 feet deep and a competent person finds no indication of a cave-in. Five feet reaches the depth trigger. A ladder is egress, not protection against cave-in. Dryness does not remove the requirement.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1541.1(a)

To which buildings does the Existing Building Code's chapter on relocated or moved buildings apply?

• a.Buildings moved across a county line, with moves inside a county left to local rules
• b.Buildings more than 50 years old, with newer buildings exempt
• c.Commercial buildings, since houses are moved under local ordinance
• d.Any moved or relocated building, subject to the chapter's exclusions✓

The chapter applies to relocated or moved structures, with the state housing agency's exclusions noted in the scope. No county-line test exists; the chapter covers moves inside a county too. No age test exists. The chapter covers residential and other buildings alike.2025 CEBC §1401

A house is estimated at 96,000 pounds. What is its weight in tons?

• a.480 tons
• b.96 tons
• c.48 tons✓
• d.192 tons

96,000 ÷ 2,000 = 48 tons. Ninety-six is the thousands of pounds. Four hundred eighty misplaces the decimal. One hundred ninety-two multiplies by 2.Engineering practice; CSLB 13E-21 (03-2026) section 3 outline

Above what width does Caltrans restrict permit loads during peak periods in designated metropolitan areas?

• a.10 feet✓
• b.8 feet 6 inches
• c.9 feet
• d.8 feet

The restriction covers permit loads and vehicles in excess of 10 feet in width. Eight feet is below the threshold. Eight feet six inches is the legal vehicle width, below the peak-period threshold. Nine feet is below the threshold.Caltrans Transportation Permits Manual, ch. 5 §502.2

What does the code official's inspection of a relocated building look for?

• a.Whether the paint on the moved house matches the neighboring houses
• b.Whether the moving contractor's trucks carry the required insurance
• c.Whether the new lot has street trees planted along the frontage
• d.Whether structural components and connections have sustained damage, with repairs made before final approval✓

The inspection verifies that structural components and connections have not sustained structural damage; repairs are made before final approval. Truck insurance is not a structural check. Paint is not a structural check. Street trees are not part of that inspection.2025 CEBC §1402.7

Who must make daily inspections of excavations, adjacent areas and protective systems?

• a.A representative from the equipment rental company
• b.A laborer on the crew
• c.A competent person✓
• d.The owner of the adjoining property

Daily inspections shall be made by a competent person for evidence of possible cave-ins and other hazards. Adjoining owners do not perform the inspection. Any laborer is not necessarily competent. A rental representative does not perform inspections.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1541

A jack has an 8-inch stroke, and a building is raised 40 inches. How many full strokes are needed at each jack?

• a.8 strokes
• b.5 strokes✓
• c.32 strokes
• d.4 strokes

40 ÷ 8 = 5 strokes. Eight strokes uses the stroke length as the count. Thirty-two subtracts 8 from 40. Four strokes divides by 10.CSLB 16 CCR §832.21 classification text; arithmetic on the lift plan stated in the problem

The single trip permit covers loads greater than what dimensions and weight?

• a.15 feet wide, 17 feet high and over 135,000 pounds
• b.8 feet 6 inches wide, 14 feet high, 80,000 pounds✓
• c.12 feet wide, 14 feet high and over 90,000 pounds
• d.10 feet wide, 12 feet high and over 60,000 pounds

The single trip permit is for loads greater than 8 feet 6 inches wide, 14 feet high and over 80,000 pounds. Those numbers are not the stated thresholds. Those numbers belong to no stated permit category. The large dimensions are the variance category's.Caltrans Transportation Permits page

Where must excavated material and equipment be kept relative to the edge of an excavation?

• a.At least 10 feet from the edge
• b.At least 2 feet from the edge✓
• c.Within arm's reach of the edge
• d.At least 6 inches from the edge

Hazardous materials and equipment shall be kept at least 2 feet from the edge of the excavation. Six inches is less than the rule. Material at the edge can fall into the excavation. Ten feet is more than the rule requires.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1541

The top of a house on a trailer will be 18 feet above the road. A 12,000-volt line crosses the route. At least how high above the road must the wire be?

• a.20 feet
• b.24 feet✓
• c.22 feet
• d.18 feet

The general clearance for a line from 600 to 50,000 volts is 6 feet, so the wire must be at least 18 + 6 = 24 feet up. Eighteen feet is the house height and leaves no clearance. Twenty feet adds only 2 feet, which is less than the table requires. Twenty-two feet adds only 4 feet, which is less than the table requires.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §2946(b)(2), Table 1

A load of 45,000 pounds rests on two beams 10 feet apart, with its center of gravity 4 feet from beam A. What does beam B carry?

• a.4,500 pounds
• b.18,000 pounds✓
• c.27,000 pounds
• d.22,500 pounds

Beam B carries 45,000 × 4 ÷ 10 = 18,000 pounds, and beam A carries 27,000. Twenty-seven thousand is the share of beam A. Twenty-two thousand five hundred is an equal split. Forty-five hundred has no basis in the data.Engineering practice (statics); CSLB 13E-21 (03-2026) section 3 outline

A heavy masonry chimney stands at one end of a house. How does it affect the center of gravity?

• a.It moves the center of gravity toward that end✓
• b.It moves the center of gravity toward the opposite end
• c.It lowers the center of gravity to the sill
• d.It has no effect because masonry is rigid

A heavy item at one end shifts the center of gravity toward it. The shift is toward the heavy end. Rigidity does not cancel weight. The chimney is high on the building and does not lower the center.Engineering practice; CSLB 13E-21 (03-2026) section 3 outline

A house is moved from a low-seismic site to a site with higher seismic loads. What applies at the new location?

• a.The manufacturer's tie-down instructions for the beams used
• b.No seismic provisions, because the house already exists
• c.The seismic provisions of the old location, which governed when the house was built
• d.The seismic provisions of the current code at the new location✓

Buildings shall comply with the seismic provisions of the Building Code or Residential Code at the new location, with limited exceptions. The old location's loads are the exception only where the new loads are not higher. Relocated buildings are covered by the chapter's seismic rule. Tie-down instructions do not replace the code.2025 CEBC §1402.4

Which loads does Caltrans list as the variance permit category?

• a.Vehicles up to 14 feet 6 inches high and 90 feet long on repeated trips
• b.Vehicles carrying intermodal cargo containers near the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports
• c.Vehicles over 15 feet wide, 17 feet high and 135 feet long, or on special equipment✓
• d.Vehicles up to 12 feet wide and 14 feet high, with loads of ordinary size

The variance permit is for vehicles greater than 15 feet wide, 17 feet high and 135 feet long, or special hauling equipment beyond standard weight classification. Up to 12 feet wide and 14 feet high describes the annual permit. Port containers are the sea container permit. Up to 14 feet 6 inches high and 90 feet long describes the repetitive permit.Caltrans Transportation Permits page

What is the maximum length of a single vehicle under the DMV handbook?

• a.50 feet
• b.45 feet
• c.40 feet✓
• d.65 feet

The maximum length for a single vehicle is 40 feet. Forty-five feet is above the limit for a single vehicle. Fifty feet is above the limit for a single vehicle. Sixty-five feet is the limit for a combination, not a single vehicle.California Commercial Driver Handbook

Which roads are house moves not permitted to use under Caltrans policy?

• a.City streets that cross the state highway at grade
• b.County roads that connect to the state highway system
• c.Two-lane conventional state highways
• d.Freeways and expressways✓

House moves on freeways and expressways shall not be permitted. House moves may use limited portions of state highways under the stated restrictions. The policy does not bar county roads. The policy does not bar city streets.Caltrans Transportation Permits Manual, ch. 2 §201.25

Which vehicle falls in Class B of the commercial driver license classes?

• a.A single vehicle with a GVWR of more than 26,000 pounds✓
• b.A motorcycle used for escort
• c.A combination with a GCWR of 40,000 pounds towing 15,000 pounds
• d.A pickup with a GVWR of 8,000 pounds

Class B is a single vehicle with a GVWR of more than 26,000 pounds. That combination is Class A. A pickup is not a commercial class. A motorcycle is not a Class B vehicle.DMV commercial driver license classes

A house on two support beams has its center of gravity much closer to beam B than to beam A. Which statement is correct?

• a.The shares depend on beam length
• b.Both beams carry equal shares
• c.Beam B carries a larger share of the weight✓
• d.Beam A carries a larger share of the weight

The support nearer the center of gravity carries more of the load. Equal shares occur only with a centered load. The farther support carries less. Beam length is not what sets the share.Engineering practice; CSLB 13E-21 (03-2026) section 3 outline

Why is removing a cracked chimney before a move often sensible?

• a.It lets the building travel faster once it is on the road
• b.It removes the need to inspect the framing before the lift
• c.It raises the number of jacks needed for the lift of the building
• d.It lowers the total weight and moves the center of gravity back toward the middle✓

Removing a heavy, fragile item cuts weight and rebalances the load. It lowers weight, so it does not raise the jack count. Speed is not the reason. Framing inspection is still required.Engineering practice; CSLB 13E-21 (03-2026) section 3 outline