NASCLA · Florida · California · Exam day · Episode 1
Open Book, Closed Clock
Chapters
- The clocks
- Per question
- The books
- Two passes
- Closed book
- Recap
In short
The NASCLA exam is 115 questions in 330 minutes and Florida Business & Finance is 120 in 390, both open book; California Law & Business is 115 in 210, closed book. That is about 2.9, 3.3 and 1.8 minutes a question. On an open-book exam, tab and highlight the references before test day, answer from memory first, and flag any lookup that runs past about three minutes for a second pass.
- NASCLA 2.9, Florida 3.3, California under 2 minutes a question.
- Florida and NASCLA allow highlighting and permanently attached tabs; check your candidate bulletin.
- Answer from memory first. A search past three minutes gets flagged.
- California is closed book: drill the deadlines and dollar limits.
Transcript
The clocks
Three contractor exams, three different clocks. Two let you bring the books. One does not. Here is how each one works. NASCLA: 115 questions in 330 minutes, open book. Florida Business and Finance: 120 questions in 390 minutes, also open book. California Law and Business: 115 questions in 210 minutes, and the book stays home.
Per question
Divide it out. NASCLA gives you about 2.9 minutes a question. Florida about 3.3. California, under two. Open book sounds generous, but one long search eats that time fast.
The books
So the work happens before test day: highlight and tab the books. Florida and NASCLA allow highlighting and permanently attached tabs. Check your candidate bulletin for the exact rule. Tab by chapter, then tab the pages you will use most: lien deadlines, OSHA heights, concrete cover.
Two passes
Pause. On an open-book exam, should you look up every answer? Answer from memory first. Look up only what you are unsure of. Work in two passes. First pass: everything you know, plus the quick lookups. If a search runs past three minutes, flag it and move on. Second pass: the flagged questions, with the time you saved.
Closed book
California is closed book, so the numbers have to be memorized. Drill the deadlines and dollar limits until they come without thinking.
Recap
Know your clock, tab your books, answer from memory first, and flag the long searches. Next: Florida lien deadlines on one timeline. Subscribe so you catch it.
Sources
- NASCLA, Florida CILB and CSLB candidate information bulletins
- EstatePass contractor exam line facts
Independent study material. EstatePass is not affiliated with NASCLA, PSI, Pearson VUE, the Florida CILB or the CSLB, and nothing here is legal advice. Any jobs and companies in our episodes are fictional.