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

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

What does Cal/OSHA say about seat belts in jobsite vehicles?

• a.They are required for passengers, not for drivers
• b.The employer shall require their use✓
• c.They are optional when the vehicle is used under 15 miles per hour
• d.They are advisory, not required

The employer shall require the use of seat belts. The rule has no speed exception. The employer must require seat belt use; it is not advisory. Seat belt use is required for operators as well.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1597(h)

A contractor plans to remove an underground storage tank. What does the Business and Professions Code require?

• a.That the contractor passed the hazardous substance certification exam✓
• b.That the contractor notifies the building official, with no examination
• c.That the tank holds no more than 500 gallons
• d.That the contractor holds a C-22 Asbestos Abatement classification

A contractor shall not install or remove an underground storage tank unless it has passed the hazardous substance certification examination. C-22 relates to asbestos. The section sets no size limit. Notice does not replace the examination.B&P Code §7058.7

A subcontractor is the competent person for asbestos work on a project. What does Cal/OSHA say about the general contractor?

• a.It is responsible when the project is publicly funded
• b.It has no responsibility, since the subcontractor is the competent person
• c.It is deemed to exercise general supervisory authority over the covered work✓
• d.It answers for its own employees' work but has no authority over the subcontractor's crew

General contractors on a project including covered work are deemed to exercise general supervisory authority over it. The deeming rule applies even when another party is competent person. The deeming rule reaches the covered work of the project, including the subcontractor's. Public funding is not a condition.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1529(d)(5)

Under Section 7058.7, who must have passed the hazardous substance certification examination before the contractor engages in a removal or remedial action?

• a.The supplier of the equipment
• b.The workers on the crew
• c.The property owner
• d.The qualifier for the license✓

The qualifier for the license must have passed an approved hazardous substance certification examination. The requirement is on the qualifier, not on each worker. The owner is not the one certified. Equipment suppliers are not covered.B&P Code §7058.7

Manual scraping of lead-containing paint is presumed to produce exposure at what level until an assessment is done?

• a.Above the PEL but not more than 10 times it✓
• b.Above 50 times the PEL
• c.Above 10 times the PEL but not more than 50 times it
• d.Below the action level

Manual demolition, manual scraping and heat gun use are Level 1 tasks presumed above the PEL and not above ten times it. That band belongs to Level 2 tasks. That band belongs to Level 3 tasks. Trigger tasks are presumed to exceed the PEL.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1532.1(d)(2)(A)

Removing asbestos-containing roofing shingles is which class of work?

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

Class II covers removal of ACM that is not thermal system insulation or surfacing, including roofing and siding shingles. Shingles are not thermal insulation or surfacing. Removal is not repair and maintenance. Class IV is custodial work.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1529(b)

A building is moved from point A to point B on a single trip permit, and the empty extralegal trailer must come back the same route. What does Caltrans say?

• a.The original permit covers the return trip for seven days
• b.No permit is needed for an empty trailer returning to the yard
• c.A second single trip permit is required for the return trip✓
• d.The return needs a notice to Caltrans, not a permit

Single trip permits are valid only for one-way travel, and an extralegal vehicle needs another permit to return. The permit is one-way, whatever its seven-day validity. An extralegal-size trailer still needs a permit. The page calls for an additional permit.Caltrans single trip permit page

Where must flammable or hazardous wastes generated on a construction site be placed?

• a.In open drums, so that vapors escape
• b.In the same bins as ordinary debris if the bin is covered
• c.In covered containers separate from the normal debris✓
• d.In a pile near the exit for quick pickup

Flammable or hazardous wastes shall be placed in covered containers separate from the normal debris. Separate containers are required. Covered containers are required. A pile near the exit creates a hazard.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1513(e)

A general contractor, a prime contractor, an owner-builder and a construction manager are all examples of what Cal/OSHA permit role?

• a.Annual Permit holder for the year
• b.Project Administrator✓
• c.Competent person on the site
• d.Qualified person on the site

The definition of Project Administrator gives general contractors, prime contractors, owner-builders, joint ventures and construction managers as examples. The Annual Permit holder is the other employer role. Competent person is a safety role, not a permit role. Qualified person is a safety role, not a permit role.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §341(b)

What is the asbestos excursion limit, and over what time is it averaged?

• a.1.0 fiber per cubic centimeter, averaged over 30 minutes✓
• b.0.1 fiber per cubic centimeter, averaged over 30 minutes
• c.0.1 fiber per cubic centimeter, averaged over 8 hours
• d.1.0 fiber per cubic centimeter, averaged over 8 hours

The excursion limit is 1.0 f/cc averaged over a 30-minute sampling period. That is the 8-hour permissible exposure limit. The excursion limit is a 30-minute average. The excursion value is 1.0, not 0.1.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1529(c)(2)

Who must the employer designate to make frequent and regular inspections to implement the written silica exposure control plan?

• a.The first worker on the site each day
• b.A competent person✓
• c.An outside laboratory
• d.The building owner

The employer designates a competent person to make frequent and regular inspections of job sites, materials and equipment. A laboratory is not the designated inspector. Arrival order does not qualify a person. The owner is not designated.Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, §1532.3(g)

According to CalRecycle, which kinds of projects does the CALGreen diversion requirement cover?

• a.Projects in a county that has a landfill shortage
• b.Projects of 1 acre or more of land disturbance
• c.Projects that the state, not the local jurisdiction, permits
• d.Locally permitted construction, demolition and some alterations✓

CALGreen covers locally permitted new construction, demolition and certain additions and alterations. The one-acre figure belongs to the stormwater permit, not to CALGreen's diversion rule. CalRecycle describes locally permitted projects. Landfill capacity is not a condition.CalRecycle on CALGreen

Why does keeping clean concrete in its own pile help a recycling plan?

• a.Concrete is exempt from the diversion percentage if it is stockpiled
• b.Separated clean material can be diverted, and mixed bins cost more✓
• c.Concrete counts double toward the percentage when separated
• d.Separated concrete need not be weighed at the recycling facility

Source separation keeps streams clean enough to divert; mixed debris is harder to divert. Stockpiling does not exempt concrete. Nothing counts double. Weighing and documentation still apply.CalRecycle on CALGreen

How may the federal notice of intention to demolish be delivered?

• a.By telephone message, with written follow-up within 30 days
• b.By posting it at the job site entrance for the public to read
• c.By Postal Service, commercial delivery or hand delivery✓
• d.By e-mail to the nearest Cal/OSHA district office

The rule accepts delivery by U.S. Postal Service, commercial delivery service or hand delivery. A phone call is not an accepted delivery method for this written notice. Posting at the site is not delivery to the Administrator. Cal/OSHA's office is not the recipient of the federal notice.40 CFR 61.145(b)(1)

RACM is exposed while a component is cut or disjoined. What does the federal rule require?

• a.Sweeping the material up with brooms as it falls to the floor
• b.Adequately wetting all RACM exposed during the cutting or disjoining operation✓
• c.Blowing the dust away from the cut with compressed air hoses
• d.Letting the material dry out so that it can be bagged more easily

The rule requires adequately wetting all RACM exposed during cutting or disjoining operations. Drying releases fibers. Compressed air spreads fibers. Dry sweeping releases fibers.40 CFR 61.145(c)(2)