- NV-B Cost Overview for 2026
- PSI Exam Fees: Trade Exam vs. Trade Exam + CMS
- Nevada State Contractors Board Licensing Fees
- Total First-Time Licensure Cost Breakdown
- What Actually Drives Your Total Cost
- Can the NASCLA Exam Save You Money?
- Retake Costs and How to Avoid Them
- Budgeting Your Prep Timeline by Domain
- Frequently Asked Questions
- PSI charges $95 for the trade exam alone, or $140 when bundled with the CMS.
- The Board's application fee is $300, plus a $600 biennial license fee once approved.
- You need 56 of 80 questions correct (70%) within 180 minutes to pass the Class B trade exam.
- Concrete, Metals, and General Code, Plan Reading, and Estimating are tied as the largest domains - study accordingly.
NV-B Cost Overview for 2026
Anyone researching the Nevada General Building Contractor (Class B) Trade Exam wants one number: "How much will this actually cost me?" The honest answer is that the exam fee itself is small compared to the total licensure package. PSI, which administers the trade examination for the Nevada State Contractors Board, charges $95 for a single exam sitting or $140 when you schedule the trade exam together with the Contractors Management Survey (CMS). Beyond the testing fee, the Board itself charges a $300 application fee and a $600 biennial license fee once you're approved.
If you're still deciding whether this credential is the right move for your career, it's worth reading Is the NV-B Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 alongside this breakdown so you're weighing cost against long-term value, not just sticker price.
PSI Exam Fees: Trade Exam vs. Trade Exam + CMS
PSI structures its pricing around two scheduling options, and choosing the right one matters for your budget:
- Trade exam only - $95: This covers the 80-question, multiple-choice Class B trade exam with a 180-minute time limit. You need 56 correct answers to pass, which is exactly 70%.
- Trade exam + CMS combined - $140: Scheduling both exams in the same session saves you the cost and hassle of a second appointment, since the CMS is a separate requirement the Board mandates regardless of your trade exam outcome.
Because the CMS is required for every applicant - not just Class B candidates - bundling it with your trade exam appointment is almost always the more efficient path, assuming you're prepared for both on the same day.
Nevada State Contractors Board Licensing Fees
Passing the trade exam is only one piece of the puzzle. Licensure in Nevada also requires:
- Board approval of your application
- A completed CMS
- A qualifying individual with four years of relevant experience earned within the prior 15 years (approved education can substitute for up to three of those years)
Once your application clears review, the Board charges a $300 application fee and a $600 biennial license fee. Because Nevada contractor licenses are biennial, that $600 fee recurs every two years for as long as you hold the license - it's not a one-time cost. Anyone budgeting long-term should factor this renewal cycle into their ongoing business overhead, not just the upfront push to get licensed.
Key Takeaway
Treat the $600 biennial license fee as a recurring cost of doing business, not a one-time expense - it renews every two years alongside your Class B license.
Total First-Time Licensure Cost Breakdown
Here's how the fees stack up for a first-time applicant pursuing the Class B trade exam:
| Fee Item | Amount | When It Applies |
|---|---|---|
| PSI Trade Exam Only | $95 | If scheduling trade exam separately from CMS |
| PSI Trade Exam + CMS (combined) | $140 | If scheduling both together |
| Board Application Fee | $300 | Submitted with your license application |
| Board Biennial License Fee | $600 | Upon approval, then every two years |
Adding the combined exam option to the Board fees puts total first-time costs at roughly $1,040 ($140 + $300 + $600), or about $995 if you schedule the trade exam alone and handle the CMS separately at a different time. These figures reflect only the fees named in this article; they don't include prep materials, code references, or any third-party services you might use along the way.
What Actually Drives Your Total Cost
The fixed fees above are the same for every applicant, but the variable that actually determines whether you spend $995 or several times that amount is how many attempts it takes you to pass. Each time you retest, you pay the PSI fee again. That's why understanding the exam's structure matters as much as understanding its price tag.
The Class B trade exam draws from 11 domains, and PSI's outline treats three of them as tied for the largest share of the exam: Concrete, Metals, and General Code, Plan Reading, and Estimating. If you under-prepare in these three areas, you're statistically exposing yourself to the biggest risk on the exam - and the biggest risk of paying $95 or $140 twice.
Concrete
Candidates must understand concrete placement, curing, reinforcement, and formwork as they apply to buildings requiring more than two unrelated trades - the core definition of Class B scope.
- Mix design fundamentals and slump considerations
- Reinforcement placement and rebar specifications
- Formwork sequencing and curing time requirements
Metals
This domain covers structural and miscellaneous metals used in general building construction.
- Structural steel connections and fastening methods
- Metal framing components and load paths
- Corrosion protection and material specifications
General Code, Plan Reading, and Estimating
Because this domain is tied for the largest weight on the exam, it deserves dedicated study time separate from the trade-specific domains.
- Reading construction drawings and specifications accurately
- Applying code references authorized for closed-book use
- Quantity takeoffs and cost estimating fundamentals
For a full walkthrough of all 11 areas - Site Work, Concrete, Masonry, Metals, Carpentry, Thermal and Moisture Protection, Doors and Windows, Drywall and Finishes, Safety, General Code Plan Reading and Estimating, and Nevada One Call - see NV-B Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 11 Content Areas. And if you want a realistic sense of how demanding the exam feels before you commit your budget, read How Hard Is the NV-B Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.
Can the NASCLA Exam Save You Money?
If you already hold a qualifying score on the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors, you may be able to substitute that score for the Class B trade exam. This can be a meaningful cost-saver if you've already invested in NASCLA credentialing for work in other states, since it lets you skip the $95 PSI trade exam fee entirely.
However, this substitution has a hard limit: a qualifying NASCLA score replaces the trade exam only - it does not replace the CMS. You'll still need to complete the CMS and pay the associated Board fees regardless of your NASCLA status. Anyone weighing this route should also confirm current eligibility requirements directly, since qualification details can shift; our NV-B Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify guide walks through the experience and education substitutions in more detail.
Retake Costs and How to Avoid Them
Because PSI charges its exam fee ($95 or $140 depending on how you schedule) per sitting, every failed attempt adds a direct, avoidable cost to your total licensure spend. The passing threshold - 56 of 80 questions, or 70% - is fixed, so there's no partial credit for "almost passing." Either you clear the bar or you pay to sit again.
The most cost-effective strategy is treating your first attempt as the only attempt. That means:
- Knowing exactly what the passing score requires before test day - see NV-B Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass for the specifics.
- Understanding which code references are authorized for closed-book use so you're not caught off guard by format on exam morning.
- Practicing under realistic time pressure, since 180 minutes for 80 questions leaves little room for second-guessing every item.
Running full-length timed sessions on our practice test platform before you schedule with PSI is one of the more direct ways to reduce the odds of paying the fee twice.
Budgeting Your Prep Timeline by Domain
Because Concrete, Metals, and General Code, Plan Reading, and Estimating carry the heaviest weight, it makes sense to front-load your study calendar around these three areas rather than spreading time evenly across all 11 domains.
Heaviest Domains First
- Concrete: mix design, reinforcement, formwork sequencing
- Metals: structural connections and framing load paths
- General Code, Plan Reading, and Estimating: authorized code references and takeoff practice
Structural and Envelope Domains
- Site Work and Masonry fundamentals
- Carpentry sequencing and framing methods
- Thermal and Moisture Protection assemblies
Remaining Domains and Timed Practice
- Doors and Windows, Drywall and Finishes, Safety
- Nevada One Call procedures
- Full 80-question timed practice runs at the 180-minute limit
For a structured week-by-week plan built specifically around passing on the first attempt, our NV-B Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt goes deeper than the timeline above. It's also worth reviewing NV-B Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows and NV-B Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts as quick reference tools once your core studying is done.
Frequently Asked Questions
PSI charges $95 for the trade exam alone or $140 when scheduled together with the CMS. Combined with the Board's $300 application fee and $600 biennial license fee, total first-time licensure costs run approximately $995 to $1,040 depending on how you schedule your exams.
No. Nevada contractor licenses are biennial, meaning the $600 license fee recurs every two years to keep your Class B license active, in addition to the one-time $300 application fee paid at initial licensure.
No. A qualifying NASCLA Accredited Examination score can replace the Class B trade exam itself, but it does not replace the CMS requirement. You'll still need to complete the CMS and pay its associated fee.
You'll need to pay the PSI exam fee again to retest, since fees are charged per sitting rather than covering unlimited attempts. Passing requires 56 of 80 questions correct, so thorough preparation in the highest-weighted domains reduces the chance of repeat costs.
The exam and licensing fees themselves are fixed regardless of experience level. However, the four-year relevant experience requirement (within the prior 15 years) is a qualification prerequisite, and approved education can substitute for up to three of those years, which may affect how quickly you can apply rather than how much you pay.