Question 1

Who administers the CSLB General Engineering (A) Trade Examination?

Accepted Answer

Contractors State License Board (CSLB), California Department of Consumer Affairs — exam delivered by PSI Services LLC

CSLB's legal existence is set by Business and Professions Code § 7000.5. CSLB states it has contracted with PSI to administer its examinations.

Source: CSLB — Examinations Frequently Asked Questions (2026-09-03)

Question 2

How many questions are on the CSLB General Engineering (A) Trade Examination?

Accepted Answer

Not published by CSLB. CSLB 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.

Question 3

How long is the CSLB General Engineering (A) Trade Examination?

Accepted Answer

210 minutes. CSLB: “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.

Question 4

What is the passing score for the CSLB General Engineering (A) Trade Examination?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 5

How much does the CSLB General Engineering (A) Trade Examination cost?

Accepted Answer

$450 — Original application (exam or waiver, one classification) (CSLB, one-time)
$51.43 — Examination registration (each registration, first attempt or retake) (PSI Services LLC, per attempt) Source
$200 — Initial license fee (sole owner) (CSLB, one-time)
$350 — Initial license fee (non-sole owner: partnership, corporation, LLC, joint venture) (CSLB, one-time)

Two payees: application and license fees go to CSLB, the per-exam registration fee to PSI. CSLB's 2023 “Get Licensed to Build” PDF still names a $100 rescheduling fee; it appears neither on CSLB's current fee list nor in Business and Professions Code § 7137 as amended effective 1 January 2026, so it is not stated here. The application fee is charged once per original license application and covers both required exams.

Source: CSLB — List of All CSLB Fees (2026-09-03)

Question 6

What languages is the CSLB General Engineering (A) Trade Examination offered in?

Accepted Answer

English. CSLB names ten exams that have Spanish versions and A is not one of them, so the A exam is English only. For trade exams without a Spanish version, CSLB says accommodations may be made for a candidate to be joined by an approved translator.

Administering body	Contractors State License Board (CSLB), California Department of Consumer Affairs — exam delivered by PSI Services LLC CSLB's legal existence is set by Business and Professions Code § 7000.5. CSLB states it has contracted with PSI to administer its examinations. Source: CSLB — Examinations Frequently Asked Questions (2026-09-03)
Questions	Not published by CSLB CSLB 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. What we read and found nothing in: CSLB — Step 7: Studying for the Examination (2026-09-03) · CSLB — Examinations Frequently Asked Questions (2026-09-03) · CSLB — General Engineering (A) Examination Study Guide (PDF, 13E-A rev. 03-2026) (2026-09-24) · PSI Services LLC — Contractors State License Board Licensing Examination Information Guide (fee table) (2026-09-03)
Time limit	210 minutes CSLB: “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. Source: CSLB — Examinations Frequently Asked Questions (2026-09-03)
Passing score	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. What we read and found nothing in: CSLB — Step 7: Studying for the Examination (2026-09-03) · CSLB — Get Licensed to Build (PDF), Q14 (2026-09-03) · CSLB — Examinations Frequently Asked Questions (2026-09-03)
Fees	$450 — Original application (exam or waiver, one classification) (CSLB, one-time) $51.43 — Examination registration (each registration, first attempt or retake) (PSI Services LLC, per attempt) Source $200 — Initial license fee (sole owner) (CSLB, one-time) $350 — Initial license fee (non-sole owner: partnership, corporation, LLC, joint venture) (CSLB, one-time) Two payees: application and license fees go to CSLB, the per-exam registration fee to PSI. CSLB's 2023 “Get Licensed to Build” PDF still names a $100 rescheduling fee; it appears neither on CSLB's current fee list nor in Business and Professions Code § 7137 as amended effective 1 January 2026, so it is not stated here. The application fee is charged once per original license application and covers both required exams. Source: CSLB — List of All CSLB Fees (2026-09-03)
Languages offered	English CSLB names ten exams that have Spanish versions and A is not one of them, so the A exam is English only. For trade exams without a Spanish version, CSLB says accommodations may be made for a candidate to be joined by an approved translator. Source: CSLB — Examinations Frequently Asked Questions (2026-09-24)

CSLB General Engineering (A) Trade Examination — exam facts

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