Who is PSI? PSI is the company that administers the Virginia Contractor License test. Here is a link to their website PSI.
Do I have to take the test? Everybody who wants to get a Virginia Contractor License must take the 8-hour Pre-License Course. Not everybody has to take the PSI test. And if you have to take the test, you may not have to take all 4 parts. It depends.
It depends on what? It depends on the type of work you want to do as a contractor and the amount of the contracts you want to sign: • If you want a Class C license to be able to do individual contracts up to $10,000 each, you may not need to take the test, unless you want to do new construction (see below). • If you want a Class B license to be able to do individual contracts up to $120,000 each, you have to take at least the first 2 parts of the test. • If you want a Class A license to be able to do an unlimited amount of work, you have to take at least the first 3 parts of the test. • If you want the Building (BLD) classification on your license so you can do new construction or major remodeling, you have to take the 4th part of the test, no matter which Class of license you want. Once you pass the BLD test, adding it to your existing license is easy. What is the test like? The test is a multiple-choice open-book test. You have to go to a PSI location and take it on a computer. The test is timed - you have about 2 minutes to answer each question.
Which books do I need? For the Class A or B license tests, you need the NASCLA book. All the other books PSI sells are for the BLD test: OSHA, IRC, Carpentry.
So how do I study for the test? The test isn't exactly straight-forward: you need to learn the material, you need to do math, and you need to know how to read tricky questions and answers. The best way to prepare is to take the Test Preparation courses we offer for the Class A/B tests and for the BLD test - where we focus specifically on the topics that the questions come from - and we include all the books, materials, permanent tabs, and practice test questions you need to study for the tests. Many people try to study on their own for months and give up. With our classes, in 8 hours you'll be completely prepared and know what to expect.
What if I already bought the books but want to take your test preparation courses? Call us and we can work out a discount/rebate on the tuition.
It's still a little confusing! All of this is explained in more detail during our 8-hour Pre-Licensing course. Sign up NOW!
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