Free practice + study guide

C-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile Contractor License in California

C-54 is CSLB's Ceramic and Mosaic Tile Contractor classification (16 CCR §832.54). Prepares surfaces and installs ceramic, mosaic, quarry, glass and stone tile and stone slabs inside buildings. Applicants take the Ceramic and Mosaic Tile (C-54) Examination as well as the Law and Business exam. CSLB's Data Portal lists 6,058 active licenses in this class (read November 7, 2026). CSLB Ceramic and Mosaic Tile (C-54) 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 (236 pages, 259 practice questions inside, $24.99).

Your other CSLB exam

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-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile cheat sheet PDF — $9.99 →

4 pages · US Letter · printable PDF · yours to keep

The C-54 license, from CSLB's own pages

What the C-54 license covers and what CSLB requires

Ceramic and Mosaic Tile Contractor (16 CCR §832.54). Prepares surfaces and installs ceramic, mosaic, quarry, glass and stone tile and stone slabs inside buildings.

Trade exam
Yes. Applicants take CSLB's Ceramic and Mosaic Tile (C-54) Examination as well as the Law and Business exam. CSLB offers this exam in Spanish.
Exam topics and weights
  • Planning and Estimating18%
  • Preparation for Tile and Stone Installation16%
  • Installation and Repairs33%
  • Specialty Installations15%
  • Safety18%
As published in CSLB's study guide, form 13E-54 (03-2026), for examinations scheduled on or after July 1, 2023.
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
6,058 active licenses (CSLB Data Portal, read November 7, 2026)
Wages
The median annual wage of employees in the related occupation, Tile and Stone Setters (SOC 47-2044), is $58,880 in California. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. This is an employee wage, not contractor or owner income.

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 250 questions, dealt five ways. Pick the one that fits the time you have.

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
250
questions, each explained — finds what you don't know yet
Learn · the guide
236
pages in the study guide book, section by section

The five sections, as chapters

free to read online
  1. 1Planning and Estimating18% of the examRead free →
  2. 2Preparation for Tile and Stone Installation16%Read free →
  3. 3Installation and Repairs33% — the largest sectionRead free →
  4. 4Specialty Installations15%Read free →
  5. 5Safety18%Read free →
Cover: CSLB C-54 Tile Trade Exam Study Guide (2026)
Study guide · PDF + EPUB
CSLB C-54 Tile Trade Exam Study Guide (2026)
236 pages · 259 practice questions inside · updated 2026-10-23
$24.99 one-time · yours to keep
  • 259 original CSLB tile 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.

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 250.

Installation and Repairs

Which is one of the three jobs thin-set mortar does in a tile assembly?

  1. ALevels an uneven slab
  2. BSupports the tileCorrect
  3. CWaterproofs the substrate
  4. DColors the grout joint

Why: Mortar bonds to the substrate, supports the tile and bonds to the tile back. It is not a leveling or waterproofing material.CTEF, troweling

Planning and Estimating

A kitchen floor measures 7 ft 6 in. by 10 ft. What is its area?

  1. A76 ft²
  2. B75 ft²Correct
  3. C86 ft²
  4. D70 ft²

Why: 7 ft 6 in. is 7.5 ft, and 7.5 × 10 = 75 ft². Reading 7 ft 6 in. as 7.6 ft gives 76 ft², the common error of treating inches as tenths of a foot.NIST Handbook 44, App. C (units)

Read all 250 questions with answers →

06

The exam itself

CSLB C-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile (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 · Preparation for Tile and Stone Installation · Installation and Repairs · Specialty Installations · 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 bank250 questions · updated September 2026Written from California Contractors State License Board (CSLB)
LanguagesEnglish
SourceCalifornia Contractors State License Board (CSLB)Verified 2026-09-24

Full facts and sources →

08

Contractor License Exams

On the same path.

09

Questions

Asked before starting.

What is the C-54 license in California?

C-54 is CSLB's Ceramic and Mosaic Tile Contractor classification (16 CCR §832.54). Prepares surfaces and installs ceramic, mosaic, quarry, glass and stone tile and stone slabs inside buildings.

Do I need a trade exam for the C-54 license?

Yes. CSLB requires the Ceramic and Mosaic Tile (C-54) Examination in addition to the Law and Business exam.

How many years of experience does the C-54 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.

Is the C-54 exam offered in Spanish?

Yes. CSLB's Examination FAQ lists the Ceramic and Mosaic Tile (C-54) Examination among the exams it offers in Spanish.

Where is CSLB's official study guide for C-54?

CSLB publishes the C-54 study guide (form 13E-54 (03-2026)) as a free PDF at https://www.cslb.ca.gov/Resources/StudyGuides/C54StudyGuide.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 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.

Is your mock the same as the real CSLB C-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile (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-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile (Trade Exam)?

Yes. PrepPass sells CSLB C-54 Tile 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 →

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 September 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).