- The trade exam covers 9 domains across 90 questions in 3 hours 50 minutes; 70% passes.
- General Code and Construction Knowledge is the largest domain, at 20 questions.
- A separate Business and Law exam (50 questions, 2 hours, 70% to pass) is required too.
- Both exams are open-book with approved, permanently-tabbed references and a silent nonprogrammable calculator.
How the GA-RLC Trade Exam Is Structured
The Georgia Residential-Light Commercial Contractor License Exam is actually two separate open-book exams that both need a passing score before a license is issued. The trade examination - the one built around the nine content domains covered in this guide - has 90 questions and a time limit of three hours and fifty minutes, with a required score of 70%. A second exam, Business and Law, tests 50 questions in two hours and also requires 70% to pass. Both are administered by PSI on behalf of the Georgia State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors.
Because the trade exam is open-book, the challenge isn't memorizing raw facts - it's knowing which of your approved references answers which question, and how quickly you can locate that answer under time pressure. That's a very different skill from a closed-book certification, and it's why domain-level familiarity matters more here than rote memorization. If you haven't yet mapped out a full prep plan, the GA-RLC Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt walks through how to build a reference system around these nine domains specifically.
The 9 Domains at a Glance
Every question on the trade exam falls into one of nine domains. They're not evenly weighted - some domains, like General Code and Construction Knowledge, carry far more questions than others, which should directly shape how you allocate study hours.
| Domain | Core Focus |
|---|---|
| 1. Sitework, Footings and Foundation | Site prep, excavation, footing design, foundation systems |
| 2. Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement | Mix design, placement, curing, rebar and reinforcement practices |
| 3. Metals | Structural and light-gauge metal framing, fasteners, connections |
| 4. Masonry | Block, brick, veneer, mortar, and masonry detailing |
| 5. Carpentry | Framing, rough carpentry, finish carpentry, structural wood |
| 6. Roofing | Roof systems, underlayment, flashing, ventilation |
| 7. General Code and Construction Knowledge | Largest domain - 20 questions on code application and general practice |
| 8. Associated Trades | Plumbing, electrical, and mechanical trade interfaces |
| 9. OSHA Safety | Jobsite safety standards and hazard prevention |
Key Takeaway
Because General Code and Construction Knowledge carries 20 of the 90 trade questions, it deserves proportionally more study time than any single trade-specific domain like Roofing or Metals.
Domain-by-Domain Breakdown
Below is what each domain actually demands from a candidate. Use this as a checklist against your own field experience - the domains where you have the least hands-on time are usually where reference familiarity matters most.
Domain 1: Sitework, Footings and Foundation
Covers everything that happens before a structure comes out of the ground.
- Site grading, drainage, and soil-bearing considerations
- Footing sizing and depth requirements
- Foundation wall types and waterproofing/damp-proofing basics
Domain 2: Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement
Focuses on how concrete is specified, placed, and reinforced correctly.
- Reinforcement placement and rebar sizing/spacing
- Curing methods and weather-related placement issues
- Slab and footing concrete requirements
Domain 3: Metals
Tests knowledge of metal components used in residential and light commercial structures.
- Structural steel and light-gauge framing basics
- Connectors, fasteners, and anchoring hardware
- Corrosion resistance and appropriate material selection
Domain 4: Masonry
Covers masonry systems used across residential and light commercial projects.
- Block and brick construction methods
- Mortar types and joint detailing
- Veneer attachment and flashing at masonry transitions
Domain 5: Carpentry
A heavily practical domain rooted in framing and finish work.
- Wall, floor, and roof framing systems
- Structural wood member sizing and spans
- Finish carpentry standards and installation practices
Domain 6: Roofing
Focuses on roof assemblies and the details that prevent water intrusion.
- Roofing material types and installation sequencing
- Flashing details at penetrations, valleys, and edges
- Ventilation and underlayment requirements
Domain 7: General Code and Construction Knowledge
The largest domain on the trade exam, with 20 questions - meaning it can single-handedly make or break a passing score.
- Broad code application across residential and light commercial scopes
- General construction sequencing and best practices
- Cross-domain code questions that touch multiple trades at once
Domain 8: Associated Trades
Tests how well a general contractor understands the trades they coordinate but don't directly perform.
- Plumbing rough-in and fixture basics as they affect scheduling
- Electrical rough-in coordination points
- Mechanical/HVAC interfaces with structural and framing work
Domain 9: OSHA Safety
Covers jobsite safety knowledge every licensed contractor is expected to apply daily.
- Fall protection and scaffolding safety basics
- Excavation and trench safety
- General hazard identification and prevention on active sites
For a deeper look at how these nine domains translate into actual question difficulty, see How Hard Is the GA-RLC Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026, which breaks down where candidates tend to lose the most points.
Where Business and Law Fits In
It's worth repeating: the nine domains above belong only to the trade exam. The separate Business and Law exam - 50 questions, two hours, 70% to pass - is not organized around these construction domains at all. It's a distinct exam covering contracting business operations, and it must be passed independently. Many candidates study the two exams in parallel but schedule them separately since the reference materials and reasoning style differ. If you're still confirming what score you need on either exam, GA-RLC Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass lays out the 70% requirement for both exams side by side.
Sequencing Your Study by Domain
Given that General Code and Construction Knowledge alone accounts for 20 of 90 trade questions, it should anchor your study calendar rather than being treated as "one of nine equal topics." A reasonable approach is to front-load the domains where you have the least field exposure, then spend your final review block on the highest-weighted domain and on cross-referencing between your approved materials.
Foundation Domains
- Sitework, Footings and Foundation
- Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement
- Build reference tabs for foundation-related code sections
Structural Domains
- Metals
- Masonry
- Carpentry
- Practice locating span tables and connector specs quickly
Envelope and Coordination Domains
- Roofing
- Associated Trades
- OSHA Safety
Heaviest Domain + Full Review
- General Code and Construction Knowledge (deep focus, 20-question weight)
- Timed practice sets mixing all nine domains
- Final tab review for both trade and Business and Law references
This kind of scheduling only works if you're pairing it with realistic practice under exam-day time constraints - for domain-mixed practice questions, our practice test platform is built specifically around these nine trade areas.
References, Calculators, and Exam-Day Rules
Since both the trade and Business and Law exams are open-book, what you bring matters almost as much as what you know. Approved references must have permanent tabs - loose sticky notes or handwritten inserts typically aren't allowed, so plan your tabbing system well before test day. A silent, nonprogrammable calculator is permitted for the math-heavy portions found across domains like Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement and Sitework, Footings and Foundation.
Beyond exam-day mechanics, licensure itself requires being at least 21, completing an approved education-and-experience pathway, documenting responsibility for two qualifying projects, and carrying financial responsibility and general liability insurance. For the full eligibility picture, see GA-RLC Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify. Once licensed, renewal falls on June 30 of even-numbered years, with six hours of continuing education required annually - and starting January 1, 2026, that CE must be recorded in CE Broker.
Who Actually Hires for This License
The nine domains aren't abstract exam categories - they mirror the actual scope of work a Residential-Light Commercial license authorizes. Contractors who hold this license typically take on residential remodels, light commercial buildouts, and projects spanning foundation work through roofing and finish carpentry, often subcontracting or coordinating the associated trades covered in Domain 8. Employers and clients alike expect a licensee to be conversant across all nine areas, not just their strongest trade, since the license itself doesn't narrow scope to a single specialty.
If you're weighing whether pursuing this license makes financial sense for your career path, Is the GA-RLC Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and GA-RLC Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown cover the cost side, while GA-RLC Jobs looks at the kinds of roles and projects licensees typically pursue after passing both exams.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are nine: Sitework, Footings and Foundation; Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement; Metals; Masonry; Carpentry; Roofing; General Code and Construction Knowledge; Associated Trades; and OSHA Safety.
General Code and Construction Knowledge is the largest official trade area, with 20 questions on the 90-question trade exam.
No. The nine domains belong to the trade exam only. Business and Law is a separate 50-question, two-hour exam with its own 70% passing requirement.
Approved references must have permanent tabs. Check current PSI and Georgia State Licensing Board guidance on what qualifies before test day, and build your tabbing system domain-by-domain while studying.
The trade exam doesn't allocate fixed time per domain - you get three hours and fifty minutes for all 90 questions across all nine domains, so pacing yourself against the heavier domains like General Code and Construction Knowledge matters.