
General Engineering (A) Contractor Exam Prep
PASS THE GEN-A TRADE EXAM. IT’S EASY AS ONE-TWO-THREE!
- Commit to passing your General-A Contractor exam. Prepare at HOME, on your schedule; “Read, Listen, Watch, Learn, & PASS!”
- Order Our Course and Apply to the CSLB. We help you correctly fill out your Contractor License Application at no additional cost. Call us for assistance. “Spend Less and Pass your Test.”
- Study. Our clients typically pass their exam on the 1st attempt!
All qualifying individuals must also pass the California Contractor Law & Business Exam (sold separately below)
$249.00

Pass your A General Engineering Contractor exam; it’s simple as 123!
ONE – Commit to passing your A General Engineering Contractor exam; Study at HOME and on your schedule.
- Read our best in the industry General-A exam preparation manual.
- Learn the art of dominating a four-answer multiple-choice exam.
- Watch industry experts review via Audio & Video General Engineering Knowledge, Construction Math, and Title 8 Health & Safety Rules.
- Access hundreds of researched exam questions and answers.
- Memorize key exam concepts with Virtual Flashcards
- Take non-graded Practice Quizzes
- Verify your knowledge with simulated Full-length, Timed Exams
- PASS your Gen-A Engineering Contractor exam the first time you test.
Study Online! Our multimedia building contractor course is your best & most affordable method to pass your Contractor License Exam!
The most effective General Engineering contractor exam course available in California at ANY price!
TWO: Apply to the CSLB. We will help! New online tools help fill out your application. Call us for assistance, and schedule a free line-by-line review of your application before submission to the CSLB!
With our help, submitting a proper Gen-A License application to the CSLB has never been easier!
THREE: Prepare for and pass your exam. Our students dramatically improve their test scores and pass their contractors’ license exams.
When ready to test, schedule your exam through PSI. Please read the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin for more information. PSI – A General Engineering
IT’s A FACT! when you read something – eTEXTBOOKS, watch something – VIDEO FILES, hear something – AUDIO FILES, and then put that information to use – ONLINE PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ONLINE EXAMS, your ability to retain our study materials increases exponentially!

CALIFORNIA – GENERAL ENGINEERING (A) CONTRACTOR (Trade Exam)
Choose your course format from either
eCourse – 100% Online! Trade eManual (not printable), Streaming Audio/Video, & Online Practice Tests
Or Printed Manual + Online Audio/Video & Online Practice Tests
Or Printed Manual + CDs, DVD’s & Online Testing
Our General A General Engineering Contractor License Trade Exam Course includes the following materials to maximize your study efforts.
- Trade Specific Textbooks
- Audio Lectures
- Video Lectures
- Online Practice Questions
- Simulated Online Exams
- Business Building Tools
CALIFORNIA (A) GENERAL ENGINEERING CONTRACTOR EXAM TRADE MANUAL
The California A General Engineering exam manual briefly covers essential topics of the California General A exam’s trade section. Topics include concrete, rough & finish carpentry, masonry, electrical, HVAC, excavation, grading & paving, general trade knowledge, summaries from the California Building Code, the National Electrical Code, and Cal/OSHA health & Safety Orders.
EXCAVATION & GRADING HANDBOOK, Revised. (REQUIRED TO PASS – Sold Separately)
The Excavation and Grading Handbook, Revised, is essential to the General A Engineering course. The Handbook and accompanying lecture contain vital information for passing your General A exam.
(THE HANDBOOK IS PROVIDED EXCLUSIVELY AS A TEXTBOOK & INTERACTIVE CD-R & SHIPPED VIA UPS)
AUDIO/VIDEO LECTURES:
- STREAMING ONLINE AUDIO & VIDEO FILES or CDs & DVDs. Expert instructors with decades of experience cover fundamental General A exam concepts in greater detail. Our A/V lectures include Math Formulas, Plans, Specifications and Explanations, General Engineering General Knowledge, Review Questions, and Title 8 Health & Safety Orders.
THE LATEST ONLINE GEN-A STUDY QUESTIONS AND SIMULATED FINAL EXAMS
- VIRTUAL FLASHCARDS: Randomized questions via online flashcards. Our program tracks your progress and allows you to exclude questions you have already learned.
- PRACTICE EXAMS: Seven final practice exams, each timed to simulate actual exam conditions. The course also includes two Cal/OSHA Health & Safety tests. (exams are approximately 115 questions each.) Our General Engineering & Health and Safety update list any new questions to reflect changing trends in exam focus. Be confident that you are ready to pass your General A exam!
ASSISTANCE FILLING OUT THE APPLICATION
- Get help filling out your contractor exam application or request a free review of your completed form before submission. All students in our General A Engineering course can call us at (866) 685 8564 for assistance.
ONE YEAR UNLIMITED ACCESS: To All Online eBooks, Audio/Video, Test Questions & Simulated Final Exams.
We provide complete access to all online course materials for an entire year. Other schools may offer only 90-day access to online tools to charge you extra $ for extended access to study materials.

THE GENERAL ENGINEERING (A) EXAM CONTAINS EIGHT MAJOR SECTIONS:
Section 1. Planning, Estimating -19% of Gen-A Exam
- Interpreting plans and specifications
- Code Compliance
- Evaluating job sites
- Coordinating projects
- Estimating costs for materials, equipment, and labor
Section 2. Structural Principles – 5% of Gen-A Exam
- Constructing structures
- Seismic requirements
- Basic engineering
Section 3. Earthwork and Surveying – 14% of Gen-A Exam
- Surveying job sites
- Preparing job sites
- Assessing soil conditions
- Assessing soil composition and expansion
Section 4. Subsurface Work – 20% of Gen-A Exam
- Shoring and sloping excavations
- Preventing erosion
- Tunneling, drilling, and boring
- Installing pipelines
- Connecting and testing systems
- Connecting dry utilities
Section 5. Foundation and Concrete Construction – 10% of Gen-A Exam
- Constructing forms and falsework
- Placing and finishing concrete
- Installing pilings and foundations
Section 6. Buildings/Structures and Related Work – 9% of Gen-A Exam
- Installing mechanical systems
- Installing plumbing pipes
- Installing electrical systems
- Demolition, disposal, and recycling
Section 7. Roadwork and Paving – 5% of the Gen-A Exam
- Base for highways, roads, and parking lots
Section 8. Safety – 18% of Gen-A Exam
- Personnel and job safety
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Hazardous material safety
*Percentages are approximate
A-GENERAL ENGINEERING EXAM SOURCE MATERIAL:
The CSLB utilizes the following publications to create the General (B) Building exam. California codebooks are online at https://www.dgs.ca.gov/bsc or purchased directly from the publishers.
2019 California Building Code. Title 24. International Code Council.
Phone: (800) 786-4452.
Free Access: https://www.dgs.ca.gov/BSC/Codes
Purchase: http://www.iccsafe.org
2019 California Electrical Code. California Code of Regulations, Title 24. BNI Publications, Inc.
Phone: (888) 264-2665
Free Access: https://www.dgs.ca.gov/BSC/Codes
Purchase: www.bnibooks.com
2019 California Fire Code California Code of Regulations, Title 24. International Code Council.
Phone: (800) 786-4452
Free Access: https://www.dgs.ca.gov/BSC/Codes
Purchase: www.iccsafe.org
2019 California Plumbing Code. Title 24. International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO).
Phone: (909) 472-4100
Free Access: https://www.dgs.ca.gov/BSC/Codes
Purchase: www.iapmo.org
California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways: Part 6. Temporary Traffic Control. State CA, Department of Transportation, Caltrans.
Phone: (916) 654-2852
Free Access: www.dot.ca.gov/manuals
Excavation and Grading Handbook. Craftsman Book Company.
Phone: (800) 829-8123
Purchase: www.craftsman-book.com
Formwork for Concrete (SP-4). American Concrete Institute.
Phone: (248) 848-3700
Purchase: www.concrete.org
Fundamentals of Building Construction: Methods and Materials. Edward Allen, Joseph Iano. Wiley.
Phone: (877) 762-2974
INTERNET: www.wiley.com
Moving the Earth: Excavation Equipment, Methods, Safety, and Cost. McGraw-Hill Professional.
Phone: (877) 833-5524
INTERNET: www.mhprofessional.com
Standard Plans and Standard Specifications, State of California Department of Transportation. Caltrans Publications Unit.
Phone: (916) 654-2852
Free Access: http://www.dot.ca.gov
State of California General Industry & Electrical Safety Orders (Cal/OSHA) and State of California Construction & Electrical Safety Orders (Cal/OSHA). 2021. California Code of Regulations, Title 8. Mancomm.
Phone: (877) 626-2666
Free Access: https://www.dir.ca.gov/Title8/sub7.html
Free Access: https://www.dir.ca.gov/Title8/sub5.html
Free Access: https://www.dir.ca.gov/Title8/sub4.html
Purchase: http://www.mancomm.com
*Publisher information is current as of 4/21
CSLB SCOPE FOR THE A-GENERAL ENGINEERING CONTRACTOR CLASSIFICATION
A general engineering contractor is a contractor whose principal contracting business is in connection with fixed works requiring specialized engineering knowledge and skill.
This includes the following divisions or subjects: irrigation ● drainage ● water power ● water supply ● flood control ● inland waterway ● harbors ● docks and wharves ● shipyards and ports ● dams and hydroelectric projects ● levees ● river control and reclamation works ● railroads ● highways ● streets and roads ● tunnels ● airports and airways ● sewers and sewage disposal plants and systems ● waste reduction plants ● bridges ● overpasses ● underpasses and other similar works ● pipelines and other systems for the transmission of petroleum and other liquid or gaseous substances ● parks ● playgrounds and other recreational works ● refineries ● chemical plants and similar industrial plants requiring specialized engineering knowledge and skill ● powerhouses ● power plants and other utility plants and installations ● mines and metallurgical plants ● land leveling & earth-moving projects ● excavating ● grading ● trenching ● paving and surfacing work ● and cement and concrete works in connection with the above mentioned fixed works. (BPC §7056)


Excavation & Grading Handbook Revised
$65.00


Pass the Law & Business Exam
To obtain your initial contractor’s license, you must successfully complete both the Law & Business Exam, which focuses on California Contractor Law and appropriate business practices, as well as the Trade Exam pertaining to the specific trade you plan to engage in as a contractor.
Pass both exams to qualify for your 1st contractor’s license. “Read, Listen, Watch, Learn, & PASS!”
$199.50

You are off to a strong start if you readily answer seven or more questions correctly without guessing.
However, if you miss three or more questions, you risk failing the TRADE portion of the Gen-A Exam.
We want to talk to you if you found these practice questions helpful!
Think about how useful it would be to access hundreds of researched General-A exam questions and answers, learn the theory and meaning behind each question, memorize key concepts with virtual flashcards, take non-graded practice quizzes, and verify your knowledge with full-length, timed practice exams.
Call us at 866-685-8562 for a free licensing consultation.