The CSLB Exam Blueprint, Trade by Trade: What's Actually Tested in Each of California's 26 Contractor Classifications
How to use this page
Every trade classification below is a real CSLB license — not a certification, not a card, a legal classification defined in the California Code of Regulations (Title 16, Division 8). If you want to hold yourself out as a licensed C-10 electrical contractor, C-36 plumbing contractor, or any of the other 24 classifications on this list, you need to pass two exams: Law and Business (required for every applicant, regardless of trade) and a trade-specific exam for the classification you're applying under.
Both exams are computer-based, multiple choice, and run about 115 questions in 3.5 hours. CSLB doesn't publish an exact passing score, but candidates and prep instructors consistently report needing roughly 72% on Law and Business and roughly 67% on the trade exam to pass.
Jump to your trade:
A – General Engineering · B – General Building · Law & Business · C-5 Framing & Rough Carpentry · C-6 Cabinet, Millwork & Finish Carpentry · C-7 Low Voltage Systems · C-8 Concrete · C-9 Drywall · C-10 Electrical · C-12 Earthwork & Paving · C-13 Fencing · C-15 Flooring & Floor Covering · C-16 Fire Protection · C-17 Glazing · C-20 HVAC · C-21 Building Moving/Demolition · C-27 Landscaping · C-29 Masonry · C-33 Painting & Decorating · C-35 Lathing & Plastering · C-36 Plumbing · C-39 Roofing · C-46 Solar · C-51 Structural Steel · C-53 Swimming Pool · C-54 Ceramic & Mosaic Tile
A — General Engineering
What CSLB says it covers: A general engineering contractor's principal business is connected to "fixed works requiring specialized engineering knowledge and skill" — irrigation, drainage, flood control, harbors, dams, railroads, highways, airports, sewers, bridges, pipelines, refineries, powerhouses, and earthmoving/grading/paving work tied to those projects (BPC §7056).
What the exam actually tests: Because the A license spans civil-engineering-scale infrastructure rather than a single trade, the trade exam draws heavily on earthwork, grading, and heavy-civil construction fundamentals — surveying basics, soils and compaction, drainage design, and safety on excavation and heavy-equipment sites — layered on top of general contracting business practice.
Study smart: The breadth is the trap — candidates who've only worked one type of civil project (say, paving) get tripped up by questions on drainage or earthwork they haven't touched day-to-day. A – General Engineering Study Guide
B — General Building
What CSLB says it covers: A general building contractor's principal business connects to any structure "requiring in its construction the use of at least two unrelated building trades or crafts" (BPC §7057) — in practice, the classification most residential and commercial general contractors hold.
What the exam actually tests: The B exam is intentionally broad rather than deep — framing, foundations, basic electrical/plumbing/mechanical awareness (not depth), code administration, and above all the ability to correctly identify when a project legally requires a subcontractor holding a specialty license instead of self-performing under a B card.
Study smart: Most B-exam failures aren't about not knowing construction — they're about the licensing-law nuance of what a General Building contractor is and isn't allowed to self-perform. B – General Building Study Guide
Law and Business
What CSLB says it covers: Every applicant for every classification must pass this exam — it's not trade-specific. It covers the California Business and Professions Code as it applies to contracting: licensing law, bonding and insurance requirements, contracts, mechanics liens, worker classification, and safety regulation.
What the exam actually tests: This is the exam people underestimate because it has nothing to do with their trade. It's dense with specific numbers — bond amounts, notice deadlines, license bond and workers' comp thresholds, retention limits — that shift periodically and that field experience alone won't teach you.
Study smart: This is the one exam every single applicant takes regardless of trade, which makes it the single highest-leverage page on this whole post to link. California Contractor's Law & Business Online Course
C-5 — Framing and Rough Carpentry
What CSLB says it covers: "Any form work, framing or rough carpentry necessary to construct framed structures" — sub-flooring, siding, exterior staircases and railings, overhead doors, roof decking, truss members, and sheathing (16 CCR §832.05).
What the exam actually tests: Structural framing sequence and connections, lumber grading and span tables, truss and joist systems, and shear/lateral bracing requirements — the parts of framing that show up in plan check and inspection, not just the parts you learn on a crew.
Study smart: Field carpenters often know how to frame faster than they know why code requires a specific connector or nailing schedule — the exam tests the why. C-5 Framing & Rough Carpentry Study Guide
C-6 — Cabinet, Millwork and Finish Carpentry
What CSLB says it covers: Making cabinets, cases, sashes, doors, trims, non-bearing partitions and other "finish carpentry" items by cutting, surfacing, joining, gluing, and fabricating wood or other products, plus placing, erecting, and finishing them in structures (16 CCR §832.06).
What the exam actually tests: Material selection and joinery methods, finish specifications and tolerances, and the business/contract side of custom fabrication work — where C-6 differs most from a pure woodworking skillset is the contracting-law layer on top.
Study smart: Skilled woodworkers sometimes assume shop skill translates directly to passing — it's the licensing and installation-standards half of the exam that catches them. C-6 Cabinet, Millwork & Finish Carpentry Study Guide
C-7 — Low Voltage Systems
What CSLB says it covers: Installing, servicing, and maintaining communication and low-voltage systems energy-limited to 91 volts or less — telephone systems, sound systems, cable TV, closed-circuit video, satellite dishes, instrumentation/temperature controls, and low-voltage landscape lighting. Low-voltage fire alarm systems are explicitly excluded (16 CCR §832.07).
What the exam actually tests: Cabling standards and low-voltage code requirements, system design basics across the categories CSLB lists, and — critically — the boundary between what C-7 covers and what belongs to C-10 (electrical) or C-16 (fire protection) instead.
Study smart: The exclusion of fire alarm systems is a real trap on this exam — know exactly where the C-7 scope stops. C-7 Low Voltage Systems Study Guide
C-8 — Concrete
What CSLB says it covers: Forming, pouring, placing, finishing, and installing mass, pavement, flat, and other concrete work, and placing/setting screeds for pavement or flatwork. Notably, this classification excludes contractors whose sole business is plaster coatings or placing/erecting reinforcing steel (16 CCR §832.08).
What the exam actually tests: Mix design and curing, formwork and reinforcement placement (short of C-50's scope), finishing techniques, and joint/crack control — plus the classification boundary questions that trip people up between C-8, C-50 (Reinforcing Steel), and C-29 (Masonry).
Study smart: Read the "does not include" language in the classification definition closely — CSLB tests those boundaries directly. C-8 Concrete Study Guide
C-9 — Drywall
What CSLB says it covers: Laying out and installing gypsum wall board and gypsum wall board assemblies, including nonstructural metal framing members, plus taping and texturing operations to produce a smooth or textured finished surface (16 CCR §832.09).
What the exam actually tests: Framing layout for drywall assemblies, fire-rating and sound-rating requirements for wall/ceiling systems, taping/finish-level standards (the "Level 0–5" finish system), and moisture-control detailing in wet areas.
Study smart: Contractors who are excellent tapers sometimes haven't studied the fire- and sound-rated assembly requirements — that's usually the softer spot on this exam. C-9 Drywall Study Guide
C-10 — Electrical
What CSLB says it covers: Placing, installing, erecting, or connecting any electrical wires, fixtures, appliances, apparatus, raceways, conduits, or solar photovoltaic cells that generate, transmit, transform, or utilize electrical energy "in any form or for any purpose" (16 CCR §832.10).
What the exam actually tests: This is the California-adopted National Electrical Code (NEC) applied to real installation scenarios — load calculations, wiring methods, grounding and bonding, overcurrent protection, and increasingly solar/PV interconnection questions given C-10's explicit authority over solar wiring.
Study smart: This is the classification most often confused with journeyman or apprentice electrical exams — the CSLB C-10 exam tests you as a business owner and installer, not as a union test-taker; don't assume passing a journeyman card means you're ready. C-10 Electrical Study Guide
C-12 — Earthwork and Paving
What CSLB says it covers: Digging, moving, and placing material to form cuts, fills, excavations, grades, trenches, backfill, or tunnels — including use of explosives for those purposes — plus mixing, fabricating, and placing paving and other surfacing materials (16 CCR §832.12).
What the exam actually tests: Soil classification and compaction, grading and drainage plans, trench safety/shoring requirements (a heavily-tested OSHA-adjacent area), and paving material specifications and application methods.
Study smart: Trench and excavation safety regulations are one of the most consistently tested — and consistently under-studied — areas on the C-12 exam. C-12 Earthwork & Paving Study Guide
C-13 — Fencing
What CSLB says it covers: Constructing, erecting, altering, or repairing all types of fences, corrals, runs, railings, cribs, game court enclosures, guard rails and barriers, playground game equipment, backstops, posts, flagpoles, and gates — explicitly excluding masonry walls (16 CCR §832.13).
What the exam actually tests: Post-setting and footing depth requirements, material selection for different fence types, pool-safety-barrier code (a frequently tested cross-reference given California's pool enclosure laws), and the boundary with C-29 masonry for wall-type enclosures.
Study smart: Pool safety barrier requirements show up more often than people expect on this exam — don't skip that section even if you don't build pool fencing regularly. C-13 Fencing Study Guide
C-15 — Flooring and Floor Covering
What CSLB says it covers: Preparing any surface for flooring/floor covering installation and installing carpet, resilient sheet goods, resilient tile, wood floors and flooring (including finishing and repair), and other established flooring materials — explicitly excluding ceramic tile, which falls under C-54 (16 CCR §832.15).
What the exam actually tests: Subfloor moisture testing and preparation standards, adhesive and transition selection, wood floor finishing methods, and — again — the classification boundary with C-54 tile.
Study smart: Moisture testing before installation is a favorite exam topic because it's also the #1 cause of real-world flooring callbacks. C-15 Flooring & Floor Covering Study Guide
C-16 — Fire Protection
What CSLB says it covers: Laying out, fabricating, and installing all types of fire protection systems and associated equipment — explicitly excluding electrical alarm systems (16 CCR §832.16). Notably, a General Building (B) contractor cannot contract for C-16 scope work without holding this license or subcontracting it out.
What the exam actually tests: Fire sprinkler system design and hydraulic calculations, standpipe systems, fire suppression agent selection, and NFPA standards as adopted into California fire code.
Study smart: The B-license carve-out for C-16 is a strong sign of how seriously CSLB treats this classification's scope boundaries — expect the exam to test those boundaries directly. C-16 Fire Protection Study Guide
C-17 — Glazing
What CSLB says it covers: Selecting, cutting, assembling, and/or installing all kinds of glass, glass work, mirrored glass, and glass substitute materials, and fabricating/glazing frames, panels, sashes, and doors (16 CCR §832.17).
What the exam actually tests: Glazing methods and sealant systems, energy-code glazing requirements (California's Title 24 has real teeth here), safety glazing/tempered glass locations required by code, and structural glazing considerations for curtain wall and storefront systems.
Study smart: Title 24 energy compliance for glazing is a growing share of what's tested as California's energy code tightens — don't study this trade like it's 2010. C-17 Glazing Study Guide
C-20 — Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning
What CSLB says it covers: Fabricating, installing, maintaining, servicing, and repairing warm-air heating systems and water-heating heat pumps, ventilating systems, and air-conditioning systems complete with ducts, registers, flues, and controls — explicitly including systems that use solar energy (16 CCR §832.20).
What the exam actually tests: Load calculations (Manual J-style sizing logic), ductwork design and sizing, refrigerant handling and EPA regulations, combustion venting safety, and increasingly heat pump and solar-thermal integration given the classification's explicit solar authority.
Study smart: Combustion venting and carbon monoxide safety questions are a common stumbling block for HVAC contractors who mostly work on the AC side and haven't touched gas furnace venting recently. C-20 HVAC Study Guide
C-21 — Building Moving/Demolition
What CSLB says it covers: Raising, lowering, cribbing, underpinning, demolishing, and moving or removing structures, including their foundations — but not alterations, additions, repairs, or rehab of the permanently retained portions of a structure (16 CCR §832.21).
What the exam actually tests: Structural shoring and cribbing methods, hazardous material identification before demolition (asbestos and lead awareness, even though abatement itself is a separate C-22 license), utility disconnection sequencing, and demolition permit/notification requirements.
Study smart: Pre-demolition hazmat survey requirements are a real-world liability issue and a real exam topic — treat them as core material, not a footnote. C-21 Building Moving/Demolition Study Guide
C-27 — Landscaping
What CSLB says it covers: Constructing, maintaining, repairing, installing, or subcontracting the development of landscape systems for gardens and grounds that aesthetically, architecturally, horticulturally, or functionally improve a property — including preparing and grading plots for that installation (16 CCR §832.27).
What the exam actually tests: Irrigation system design and backflow prevention, grading and drainage for landscape areas, plant material and soil science fundamentals, and hardscape installation basics.
Study smart: Backflow prevention on irrigation systems is a cross-disciplinary code area (it overlaps plumbing code) that catches landscape contractors who've never had to think about it from a code-compliance angle. C-27 Landscaping Study Guide
C-29 — Masonry
What CSLB says it covers: Installing concrete units, baked clay products, block, natural and manufactured stone, terra cotta, and fire brick, including structural and non-structural load-bearing walls and fences, ceramic veneer, and thin brick — with or without mortar (16 CCR §832.29).
What the exam actually tests: Mortar types and mixing ratios, structural masonry reinforcement (especially relevant given California seismic requirements), veneer attachment methods, and waterproofing/caulking incidental to masonry work.
Study smart: Seismic reinforcement requirements for masonry walls are a heavily California-specific topic that generic national masonry references won't fully prepare you for. C-29 Masonry Study Guide
C-33 — Painting and Decorating
What CSLB says it covers: Preparing surfaces (scraping, sandblasting, etc.) and applying paints, textures, stains, varnishes, adhesives, and similar materials for the purposes of decorating, protecting, fireproofing, and waterproofing structures (16 CCR §832.33).
What the exam actually tests: Surface preparation standards for different substrates, coating compatibility and failure diagnosis, lead-safe work practices on pre-1978 structures (a federal EPA RRP requirement that intersects heavily with this trade), and fireproofing/intumescent coating basics.
Study smart: Lead-safe practices are federal law, not just a California requirement, and they're tested more rigorously than most painting contractors expect going in. C-33 Painting & Decorating Study Guide
C-35 — Lathing and Plastering
What CSLB says it covers: Coating surfaces with plaster, lime, or cement-based mixtures for permanent finishes, including soundproofing and fireproofing coatings, plus installing the lath (wood or metal) or other base/bond material the coating requires (16 CCR §832.35).
What the exam actually tests: Plaster mix ratios and application coats (scratch, brown, finish), lath attachment and weather-resistive barrier integration, and fire- and sound-rated assembly requirements — overlapping meaningfully with C-9 drywall's rated-assembly content.
Study smart: This trade shares a surprising amount of tested material with C-9 drywall around rated assemblies — if you're studying both, you can cross-reference. C-35 Lathing & Plastering Study Guide
C-36 — Plumbing
What CSLB says it covers: Providing a safe water supply and proper fluid waste disposal for structures — piping and venting for gases and liquids, gas appliance connections, water heating equipment (including solar), and safety devices like gas earthquake valves and backflow preventers (16 CCR §832.36).
What the exam actually tests: The California Plumbing Code (adapted from the Uniform Plumbing Code) applied to drain-waste-vent design, water supply sizing, gas piping and appliance venting, backflow prevention, and — a California-specific favorite — seismic gas shutoff valve requirements.
Study smart: Seismic gas shutoff valves are one of the most California-specific topics on this exam and rarely get the same attention as drain-waste-vent sizing, which most candidates over-prepare for. C-36 Plumbing Study Guide
C-39 — Roofing
What CSLB says it covers: Installing and repairing surfaces that seal, waterproof, and weatherproof structures, using materials from asphaltum and tar to metal roofing, shakes, shingles, tile, slate, and membrane systems (16 CCR §832.39).
What the exam actually tests: Roof system compatibility and flashing details, California wildfire-zone roofing material requirements (Chapter 7A of the building code), reroofing/tear-off requirements, and slope and drainage design.
Study smart: Wildland-urban interface (Chapter 7A) fire-rated roofing requirements are an increasingly large and increasingly tested part of this exam given California's fire code direction. C-39 Roofing Study Guide
C-46 — Solar
What CSLB says it covers: Installing, modifying, maintaining, and repairing thermal and photovoltaic solar energy systems. Notably, a C-46 licensee is not authorized to perform general building or construction trades except when required to install a solar system (16 CCR §832.46) — CSLB also separately authorizes A, B, C-4, C-10, C-36, and C-53 contractors to do solar work within their own scope.
What the exam actually tests: PV system design and interconnection, structural mounting and roof penetration/flashing, electrical code as it applies to solar (overlapping with C-10 content), and thermal solar system basics for water heating.
Study smart: Because C-46's own scope is narrow by design, expect the exam to test the boundary — what a C-46 licensee can and can't touch beyond the solar system itself — as much as the technical PV content. C-46 Solar Practice Examination
C-51 — Structural Steel
What CSLB says it covers: Fabricating and erecting structural steel shapes and plates used as structural members for buildings and structures, including the riveting, welding, rigging, and metal roofing systems necessary to do that work (16 CCR §832.51).
What the exam actually tests: Steel connection types (bolted vs. welded), erection sequencing and temporary bracing/rigging safety, welding inspection and certification standards, and load path fundamentals for structural steel framing.
Study smart: Rigging and erection safety is tested as seriously as the metallurgy and connections — don't treat it as a side topic. C-51 Structural Steel Study Guide
C-53 — Swimming Pool
What CSLB says it covers: Constructing swimming pools, spas, or hot tubs, including installation of solar heating equipment, using the trades and skills necessary for that construction (16 CCR §832.53).
What the exam actually tests: Pool structural design (gunite/shotcrete basics), hydraulics and circulation system sizing, pool safety barrier and anti-entrapment code (California has specific, frequently updated requirements here), and equipment pad electrical/gas basics.
Study smart: California's pool safety barrier and anti-entrapment requirements change often enough that older study material can be dangerously out of date on this exact topic. C-53 Swimming Pool Study Guide
C-54 — Ceramic and Mosaic Tile
What CSLB says it covers: Preparing surfaces and installing glazed wall, ceramic, mosaic, quarry, paver, faience, glass mosaic, and stone tile, plus thin tile and natural/simulated stone slabs for bathtubs, showers, and horizontal interior surfaces (16 CCR §832.54).
What the exam actually tests: Substrate preparation and waterproofing membranes (a frequent source of real-world tile failures and therefore a favorite exam topic), setting methods (thinset vs. mud-set), grout selection, and movement/expansion joint requirements.
Study smart: Waterproofing membrane requirements in wet areas are tested more heavily than tile-setting technique itself — know your membrane systems cold. C-54 Ceramic & Mosaic Tile Study Guide
Classification descriptions on this page are drawn from the CSLB's official Description of Classifications publication and Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations. Exam format and passing-score figures are widely reported by CSLB-approved prep providers; CSLB does not publish an official passing score.