- The trade exam has 115 questions, runs 5 hours 30 minutes, and requires a raw score of 81 to pass.
- It's a computer-administered, open-book exam that permits a silent, nonprinting, nonprogrammable calculator.
- Procurement and Contracting Requirements is the largest of the 12 domains and deserves extra study time.
- Eligibility lasts one year with unlimited attempts, but the $300 prime application fee and financial documentation must be in place first.
What Is the AL-GC Certification?
The AL-GC exam is the trade competency test that applicants for the Building Construction (Commercial) classification must pass in order to hold a general contractor license in Alabama. It's built on the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors, and it functions as the technical knowledge gate that stands between a qualifying party and an active prime license. If you're asking what is AL-GC in the first place, the short version is this: it's the state-recognized trade exam that verifies a contractor's working knowledge of commercial building systems, from sitework through electrical rough-in, before Alabama allows that person or firm to bid, contract for, and supervise commercial construction work at scale.
For a deeper breakdown of terminology and how the acronym is used across licensing conversations, see AL-GC Meaning and What Does AL-GC Stand For?. This article focuses on the practical side: what the exam covers, how it's structured, what it costs, and how the application process actually works.
Who Regulates and Administers the Exam
The Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors is the regulatory body overseeing the prime contractor license, including the Building Construction (Commercial) classification. Actual test delivery is handled by PSI, which administers the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors as the required trade exam for this classification.
This two-party structure - a state board that sets licensing policy and a testing vendor that delivers the exam - is standard for contractor licensing, but it means candidates need to track two separate processes: Board approval of the application, and PSI's exam scheduling and score reporting. Missing a step on either side can delay a license even after the exam itself is passed.
Eligibility and Application Mechanics
Before sitting for the trade exam, an applicant has to work through a documented approval process with the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors. The core requirements are:
- Obtain Board approval of the license application
- Pay the $300 prime application fee
- Designate a qualifying party for the license
- Register the business with the Alabama Secretary of State
- Carry liability insurance
- Submit a current CPA or approved-accountant financial statement showing at least $10,000 in both net worth and working capital, with no deficits
- Document at least three relevant projects
- Provide three qualified references
On top of the trade exam covered in this article, applicants must also pass a separate Alabama Business and Law exam. Once eligibility is established, candidates have one year to test, with unlimited attempts within that window - a meaningful cushion if a first attempt falls short of the required score. For the full breakdown of every prerequisite and how to sequence them, read AL-GC Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Key Takeaway
Line up your CPA financial statement, project documentation, and references before scheduling your exam. The one-year eligibility window starts once you're approved, so don't burn weeks of it on paperwork that could have been prepared in advance.
Exam Format, Timing, and Scoring
The trade exam is computer administered and open book, which changes how you should prepare compared to a closed-book test. Key format details:
- Cost: $106 for the trade exam
- Length: 115 questions
- Time limit: 5 hours 30 minutes
- Passing score: a raw score of 81
- Calculator policy: a silent, nonprinting, nonprogrammable calculator is allowed
- Experimental items: up to 1-10 unscored questions may appear and count against your time limit
Because the exam is open book, success depends less on memorizing raw numbers and more on knowing exactly where to find code sections, tables, and reference values quickly under time pressure. With 115 questions spread across 5.5 hours, the pace works out to roughly three minutes per question on average - comfortable if your reference materials are well-organized, tight if you're flipping through unfamiliar sections looking for answers. For a full accounting of exactly what "81" means and how raw scoring works on this exam, see AL-GC Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass. If you want a broader look at how tough the test actually is relative to its format and content, How Hard Is the AL-GC Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 walks through it in detail.
The 12 Content Domains
The trade exam is organized into twelve content domains covering the full scope of commercial building construction. Procurement and Contracting Requirements is the largest domain, meaning it carries more weight than any single trade-specific area, so it deserves proportionally more study time even though it can feel less "hands-on" than framing or masonry content.
Domain 1: General Requirements
Covers overarching project administration, codes, permitting concepts, and general jobsite responsibilities that apply across every other domain.
- Foundational vocabulary and administrative expectations
Domain 2: Site Construction
Focuses on earthwork, grading, excavation, and site preparation topics a commercial GC must coordinate before vertical construction begins.
- Sequencing of site-prep activities
Domain 3: Concrete
Addresses formwork, reinforcement, placement, and curing considerations for cast-in-place and related concrete work.
- Quality control checkpoints during placement
Domain 4: Masonry
Covers unit masonry systems, mortar types, and structural masonry coordination on commercial projects.
- Material and installation standards
Domain 5: Metals
Structural and miscellaneous metals, including connections and coordination with structural steel trades.
- Fastening and connection basics
Domain 6: Wood
Rough carpentry, framing systems, and wood-based assemblies used in commercial construction.
- Framing sequence and load paths
Domain 7: Thermal and Moisture Protection
Building envelope topics including insulation, waterproofing, and roofing systems.
- Envelope continuity and moisture control
Domain 8: Doors, Windows, and Glazing
Openings, hardware, and glazing systems as they relate to commercial building assemblies.
- Coordination with envelope and finish trades
Domain 9: Finishes
Interior and exterior finish systems, including sequencing finish work with other trades.
- Finish schedule coordination
Domain 10: Mechanical and Plumbing Systems
Coordination-level knowledge of mechanical and plumbing systems as a general contractor oversees subcontracted trade work.
- Systems coordination, not subcontractor-level design
Domain 11: Electrical Systems
Coordination-level electrical topics relevant to a commercial GC's oversight responsibilities.
- Interface points with other building systems
Domain 12: Procurement and Contracting Requirements
The largest domain on the exam. Covers bidding, contract documents, procurement methods, and administrative requirements that govern how commercial work is contracted and executed.
- Highest-weighted domain - study it thoroughly
- Contract document types and procurement procedures
Because domain weighting isn't evenly distributed, a study plan that treats all twelve areas equally will under-prepare you for Procurement and Contracting Requirements. For a full domain-by-domain study strategy with more detail on weighting and question style, see AL-GC Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 12 Content Areas.
Who Hires AL-GC Licensed Contractors
Because the license applies to commercial projects of $100,000 or more, holders of the Building Construction (Commercial) classification typically work with or for general contracting firms, commercial developers, construction management companies, and project owners who require a licensed prime contractor of record for projects above that threshold. Qualifying parties often serve firms that pursue institutional, retail, industrial, or multi-family commercial work where a licensed prime is a bidding requirement.
If you're evaluating whether pursuing this license fits your career path, it's worth reading both AL-GC Jobs for a sense of the roles this credential supports, and AL-GC Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis for a broader earnings context. For a structured ROI look at the license against its costs and requirements, Is the AL-GC Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 weighs the tradeoffs directly.
Building a Domain-Based Study Plan
Given the 5 hour 30 minute exam window and the fact that Procurement and Contracting Requirements is the largest domain, a study plan should front-load time on contracting and procurement topics while still building competency across all twelve trade domains. Below is one way to sequence preparation over several weeks, adjusted to the exam's actual structure rather than a generic template.
Procurement and Contracting Requirements + General Requirements
- Study the largest domain first since it carries the most weight
- Build familiarity with contract document types and general administrative rules
Structural Domains
- Site Construction, Concrete, Masonry, Metals, and Wood
- Focus on sequencing and quality-control checkpoints across each trade
Envelope and Systems Domains
- Thermal and Moisture Protection, Doors/Windows/Glazing, Finishes
- Mechanical and Plumbing Systems, Electrical Systems at a coordination level
Open-Book Practice Under Timed Conditions
- Run full-length practice sessions timed to 5 hours 30 minutes
- Practice locating reference material quickly rather than memorizing it
Running full practice sessions on our practice test platform before exam day is one of the most reliable ways to get comfortable with the open-book, timed format - pacing yourself across 115 questions is a different skill than knowing the content in isolation. For a more complete week-by-week strategy including how to handle the Alabama Business and Law exam alongside the trade exam, see AL-GC Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt.
Costs, Renewal, and License Scope
Between the trade exam fee, the prime application fee, and ongoing renewal, AL-GC candidates should budget for several distinct costs rather than a single flat fee.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Trade exam fee (PSI) | $106 |
| Prime application fee (Board) | $300 |
| Annual prime license renewal | $200 |
| Minimum net worth requirement | $10,000 |
| Minimum working capital requirement | $10,000 |
The prime license renews annually for $200, and it authorizes work on commercial projects of $100,000 or more once active. For a complete cost breakdown that accounts for every fee an applicant may encounter through the application and renewal cycle, see AL-GC Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown. If you want a single condensed reference to keep on hand while studying, the AL-GC Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts summarizes the key numbers from this article in one place.
For candidates trying to map out exact testing windows and how the one-year eligibility period interacts with scheduling, AL-GC Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling covers the logistics in more depth, and general background on the credential is available at AL-GC Certification and What Is AL-GC Certification?. Those researching how this credential shows up in training pipelines can also check AL-GC Training.
Frequently Asked Questions
The exam contains 115 questions and allows 5 hours 30 minutes, administered by PSI on computer.
You need a raw score of 81 to pass the trade exam.
Yes, it's open book and computer administered, and it allows a silent, nonprinting, nonprogrammable calculator. Up to 1-10 unscored experimental questions may also appear and count against your time limit.
Eligibility lasts one year from approval, and you get unlimited attempts within that window, so a failed attempt doesn't require restarting the entire application process.
Yes. Alabama also requires a separate Alabama Business and Law exam in addition to this trade exam and the full application package submitted to the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors.
Whether you're just starting to research this license or you're deep into application paperwork, working through the domain content methodically and testing your pacing on practice exams ahead of time gives you the clearest picture of where you stand before exam day.