What the General B contractor license covers
In California, the General B, General Building Contractor, license is required for any contractor whose work involves two or more unrelated building trades and uses framing or carpentry as a fundamental component. If you're building, remodeling, or framing residential or commercial structures, this is the classification the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) expects you to hold.
The exam is split into two parts: the Law and Business exam and the General Building (B) trade exam. Both are computer-based multiple-choice tests administered at PSI testing centers throughout California. You must pass both to be issued an active license.
Exam format at a glance
- Length: 115 questions per exam, 3.5 hours each.
- Format: Multiple choice, computer-based, taken at a PSI center.
- Passing score: Approximately 72% per exam (the exact cut score is not published; this is the long-running historical pass mark).
- Cost: Re-exam and license fees can change. Confirm current amounts with CSLB and see our cost breakdown.
- Retake policy: 21-day waiting period; up to 18 months from application approval to pass both exams.
Law and Business exam content
About one-third of test takers fail on the Law and Business exam first. The CSLB publishes the official content outline. Roughly:
- Business organization & licensing (~14%)
- Contracts and lien laws (~22%)
- Employment requirements (~14%)
- Public works (~6%)
- Safety (~13%)
- Insurance and bonds (~12%)
- Financial management (~19%)
If you've never run a business before, expect this to feel harder than the trade exam. Read our Business Law guide to start at the right foundation.
Trade exam (General B) content
The trade exam tests practical construction knowledge across the entire build envelope: planning & estimating, foundations, framing, exterior finishes, interior finishes, roofing, and basic MEP coordination. The single biggest reason people miss questions: rusty math. Square-footage takeoffs, board-foot calculations, slope and rise/run, and material conversions show up throughout.
Our construction estimating guide walks through the math problems that appear most often.
How long does it take to pass?
Many candidates plan for 7 to 10 weeks at 8 to 12 hours per week. Candidates with strong field experience but weak business backgrounds, or the reverse, may spend significantly more time on one exam than the other.
Timed practice helps you find weak topics before the real exam. The simplest way to start is to take a free practice test and use the topic breakdown to guide your study plan.
Ready to start studying?
License Contractor School's paid course includes a published classification-specific practice bank, lessons, flashcards and review tools for California contractor exam prep. Start with the free practice test, it takes about 10 minutes and points you toward topics to review.