C-46 is CSLB's Solar Contractor classification (16 CCR §832.46). Installs and services thermal and photovoltaic solar energy systems and only the other trade work needed for that. Applicants take the Solar (C-46) Examination as well as the Law and Business exam. CSLB's Data Portal lists 1,136 active licenses in this class (read November 7, 2026). CSLB Solar (C-46) 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 (212 pages, 209 practice questions inside, $24.99).
Your other CSLB exam
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-46 Solar cheat sheet PDF — $9.99 →
6 pages · US Letter · printable PDF · yours to keep
The C-46 license, from CSLB's own pages
Solar Contractor (16 CCR §832.46). Installs and services thermal and photovoltaic solar energy systems and only the other trade work needed for that.
CSLB's official C-46 study guide (PDF)CSLB's C-46 classification page
Free C-46 practice questionsFree C-46 study guideC-46 study guide book, $24.99CSLB C-46 Solar 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.
Test what you know · free, all of it
The same 250 questions, dealt five ways. Pick the one that fits the time you have.
Learn what the questions test
Practice finds the gaps. Reading closes them. The six chapters below are free to read online. The study guide book is a separate download, sold on its own page.
Before you sit
See the questions first
Real items, with the answer marked and the reason written out — the same format as all 250.
What is the basic job of a PV inverter?
Why: DOE describes the inverter as a device that converts direct current, which a solar panel generates, to alternating current, which the grid uses. Storage is the job of batteries.DOE, Solar Integration: Inverters and Grid Services Basics
What is the maximum arresting force a personal fall arrest system may put on a worker wearing a body harness?
Why: Section 1670 limits the maximum arresting force on an employee to 1,800 pounds when used with a body harness. Five thousand pounds is the anchorage strength per employee, not the force on the body.Cal/OSHA Title 8 section 1670(b)
The exam itself
| Questions | Not 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. |
|---|---|
| Time | 210 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. |
| Sections | Planning and Estimating · Solar Panel and Collector Installation · PV System Installation and Commissioning · Solar Thermal Installation · Service, Operation, and Maintenance · Safety |
| Passing score | Not 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 bank | 250 questions · updated September 2026Written from California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) |
| Languages | English |
| Source | California Contractors State License Board (CSLB)Verified 2026-09-24 |
Contractor License Exams
Questions
C-46 is CSLB's Solar Contractor classification (16 CCR §832.46). Installs and services thermal and photovoltaic solar energy systems and only the other trade work needed for that.
Yes. CSLB requires the Solar (C-46) Examination in addition to the Law and Business exam.
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.
CSLB publishes the C-46 study guide (form 13E-46 (03-2026)) as a free PDF at https://www.cslb.ca.gov/Resources/StudyGuides/C46StudyGuide.pdf. It lists the exam's content areas and their percentages.
All 250 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.
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.
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.
Yes. PrepPass sells CSLB C-46 Solar Trade Exam Study Guide (2026), a PDF + EPUB download, $24.99 one-time; the practice on this page stays free without it. See the study guide →