- CGC candidates sit three separately scored exams: Business and Finance (120 questions, 6.5 hours), Contract Administration (60 questions, 4.5 hours), Project...
- Each exam requires a 70% score, unrounded - there's no partial credit rounding up.
- Project Management is dominated by one domain: Construction Methods, Materials, Tools, and Equipment at 63%.
- Only approved reference editions with permanent tabs are allowed; loose notes and handwritten annotations are prohibited.
What This Cheat Sheet Covers
This is a compressed, single-page reference for the Florida Certified General Contractor Exam (CGC) - the credential administered under the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) within the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). Professional Testing, Inc. handles registration, exam development, and scoring, while Pearson VUE runs the computer-based testing sessions at approved centers.
Treat this page as your final review before test day, not your primary study resource. For a full walkthrough of how to prepare, see the CGC Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. If you're still mapping out what each exam actually tests, the CGC Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 13 Content Areas goes deeper into each content area than space allows here.
The Three Exams at a Glance
The CGC credential is not one test - it's three independently scored, open-book, multiple-choice exams. You must pass all three, and each has its own 70% threshold. A strong score on one exam does not offset a weak score on another.
| Exam | Scored Questions | Time Allowed | Passing Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business and Finance | 120 | 6 hours 30 minutes | 70% |
| Contract Administration | 60 | 4 hours 30 minutes | 70% |
| Project Management | 60 | 4 hours 30 minutes | 70% |
Domain Breakdown, Exam by Exam
Domain weights are approximate and can shift by up to three percentage points under the current rule, but the relative emphasis is consistent: each exam has one or two domains that dominate the question count. Study time should mirror that imbalance.
Business and Finance Domains
Conducting Accounting Functions (32%)
The single largest domain across all three exams. Expect heavy coverage of job costing, financial statements, cash flow, and accounting controls specific to construction businesses.
- Know how to read and interpret balance sheets and income statements
- Understand retainage, overhead allocation, and markup calculations
Managing Administration Duties (26%)
Covers day-to-day business operations - recordkeeping, office procedures, and administrative compliance that keeps a contracting business running legally.
- Complying with Government Regulations - 15%
- Establishing the Contracting Business - 11%
- Managing Trade Operations - 10%
- Managing Human Resources (Staffing) - 6%
Contract Administration Domains
Project Contracts (40%)
The dominant domain on this exam. Master contract clauses, change orders, indemnification, scope definitions, and how disputes over contract language typically get resolved.
- Preconstruction Activities - 27%
- Obtaining Licenses, Permits and Approvals - 20%
- Construction Procedures and Operations - 13%
Project Management Domains
Construction Methods, Materials, Tools, and Equipment (63%)
By far the largest single domain on any CGC exam. Nearly two-thirds of this exam's scored questions come from this one content area - structural systems, materials selection, equipment use, and construction sequencing across the six structural work areas.
- Prioritize this domain above almost anything else if you're short on study time
- Expect scenario questions tied to real jobsite sequencing and materials selection
- Safety - 20%
- Reading Plans and Specifications - 17%
Key Takeaway
If you can only deep-review three domains before test day, choose Conducting Accounting Functions, Project Contracts, and Construction Methods, Materials, Tools, and Equipment - the largest domain in each respective exam.
Not sure whether your weak spots line up with the heaviest domains? Run through the full domains guide and cross-check against your practice test results on the main practice test platform.
Registration and Testing Mechanics
Registration for the CGC exams runs through Professional Testing, Inc., which also develops and scores each exam. Once registered, you schedule your actual testing appointment through Pearson VUE at an approved computer-based testing center.
- All three exams are open-book, multiple-choice format
- Each exam is scored separately - no combined or averaged score
- Scores are not rounded, so a 69.6% is still a fail
- You must pass all three parts within four years of your first attempt
Scheduling logistics, retake windows, and testing calendar specifics change year to year - check the CGC Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling page before locking in an appointment. If you're budgeting for registration, retakes, and reference materials, the CGC Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown article breaks down the full financial picture.
References, Tabs, and Calculators
Because all three CGC exams are open-book, what you're allowed to bring into the testing center matters as much as what you study. Reference lists took effect January 1, 2026, and only approved references in their original editions are permitted.
- Buy the current, correct edition - outdated editions may not be permitted at check-in
- Tab your references by domain topic, not by chapter number, so you can navigate under time pressure
- Practice using your actual reference books during timed practice sessions, not just reading them passively
Eligibility Snapshot
Before you can sit for any CGC exam, you need to clear DBPR/CILB eligibility requirements. This is not exhaustive - see the CGC Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify guide for full detail - but here's the fast version:
- Minimum age of 18
- Generally four years of documented experience, including at least one year in a supervisory role
- Qualifying college coursework or military credit can substitute for up to three of those four years
- General-contractor applicants must document experience in at least four of six structural work areas
- At least one year of that experience must be qualifying new-construction work on structures four stories or higher
- Financial responsibility review, fingerprinting, insurance, and workers' compensation compliance also apply
Passing Score Math
Each of the three exams requires a 70% score, and scores are not rounded up. On Business and Finance, that means correctly answering enough of the 120 scored questions to clear 70% outright - getting close isn't the same as passing. On Contract Administration and Project Management, the same 70% threshold applies to 60 scored questions each.
Because each exam is scored independently, there's no way to "carry" a strong score from one exam into a weaker one. For a full explanation of how the math works and what margin of error to build into your prep, read CGC Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
Key Takeaway
Don't study to "pass on average." Each exam needs its own 70%, so weak preparation on Project Management can't be offset by acing Business and Finance.
Priority Study Plan by Domain
Generic study techniques only matter if they're applied against the right content. Here's a compressed, domain-weighted schedule built around CGC's actual point distribution rather than a generic template.
Conducting Accounting Functions + Managing Administration Duties
- Drill job costing, financial statements, and markup math daily
- These two domains alone cover roughly 58% of Business and Finance
Remaining Business and Finance Domains
- Complying with Government Regulations, Establishing the Business, Trade Operations, and Staffing
- Take a full timed practice run of Business and Finance at week's end
Project Contracts + Preconstruction Activities
- Together these cover roughly two-thirds of Contract Administration
- Focus on contract clause interpretation and scope/change-order scenarios
Construction Methods, Materials, Tools, and Equipment
- This single domain is 63% of Project Management - give it the most hours of any single topic in your entire study plan
- Layer in Safety and Reading Plans and Specifications once this domain feels solid
Use spaced review sessions in the final days before each exam date rather than cramming new material - by then you should be reinforcing, not learning from scratch. For a more detailed week-by-week breakdown across all three exams, see the CGC Study Guide.
Renewal and After You Pass
Passing all three exams is the testing milestone, but licensure and renewal have their own ongoing requirements. Certified licenses renew every two years and generally require 14 hours of continuing education per biennium.
Once licensed, many CGC holders move into roles overseeing commercial or residential construction projects, permitting, and jobsite supervision - see CGC Jobs for the kinds of positions the credential opens up. If you're weighing whether the time and cost are worth it before you commit to studying, the Is the CGC Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 article and the CGC Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis lay out the bigger picture. For how tough the exams actually feel relative to other paths, check How Hard Is the CGC Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 and CGC Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows.
Whatever stage you're at, running timed practice questions on the practice test platform before test day is the fastest way to find out which domains still need work.
FAQ
No. You can take them separately, but you must pass all three within four years of your first attempt.
Construction Methods, Materials, Tools, and Equipment, since it accounts for roughly 63% of the Project Management exam - the largest single domain across all three tests.
No. Handwritten or typewritten notes inside your reference books are prohibited. Only highlighting, underlining, and permanently attached tabs with standard headings are allowed.
Yes, a compliant hand-held calculator is permitted for all three exams.
No. Each exam requires 70%, and scores are not rounded, so anything below the exact threshold is a fail on that exam.