- You must score 75% or higher on GB-2 Part 1 and 75% or higher on GB-98 Part 2 separately - one combined score does not exist.
- Part 1 has 80 questions in 225 minutes; Part 2 has 100 questions in 310 minutes, both open book.
- A failed single part can be retaken alone for $134.53 instead of paying the full $269.06 combination fee again.
- Business and Law is a separate 75%-minimum, 50-question, 130-minute exam costing $68.88 unless satisfied by an approved course.
What "Passing Score" Actually Means for GB-98
When candidates search for the "passing score" on the New Mexico GB-98 General Building Contractor Exam, they're usually picturing a single number. That's not how this credential works. The GB-98 combination technical exam is actually two separate, independently scored parts, and each one requires its own 75% minimum. There is no averaging, no combined percentage, and no partial credit for doing well on one part while falling short on the other. You clear the technical requirement only when both parts individually hit 75% or higher.
This structure matters because it changes how you should think about "passing." A candidate who scores 90% on Part 1 but 70% on Part 2 has not passed the GB-98 combination exam - they've passed half of it. Understanding this before you schedule your session, rather than after a disappointing score report, is the single biggest mindset shift new applicants need. For a broader look at how difficult this bar actually is to clear, see How Hard Is the NM-GB98 Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.
The Two-Part Combination Exam Structure
The GB-98 combination technical exam pairs two distinct content areas under one registration:
- GB-2 Residential Building Contractor, Part 1: 80 questions, 225 minutes, 75% required
- GB-98 General Building Contractor, Part 2: 100 questions, 310 minutes, 75% required
Together the combination exam costs $269.06 when you sit for both parts. Testing is delivered as computer-based exams through PSI, with New Mexico's Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division, approving the exam content and eligibility. The current PSI contractor candidate bulletin, updated April 3, 2026, governs exactly what you can bring into the testing center, how references must be prepared, and how scores are reported - so it's worth reviewing the bulletin directly before your appointment rather than relying only on secondhand summaries.
Because the two parts are scored separately, PSI reports two results at the end of your session, and you'll know immediately whether each half cleared the 75% bar. If you want a full walkthrough of registration steps, prerequisite documentation, and the qualifying-party application process, NM-GB98 Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify covers that ground in detail.
Why Two Parts Instead of One
New Mexico structures the General Building license as a combination of residential and general commercial competency. Part 1 focuses on foundational residential-scale technical knowledge; Part 2 layers in heavier commercial-scale content - larger structures, more code and estimating weight, and more metals and masonry questions.
- Part 1 leans toward carpentry, roofing, and associated trades fundamentals
- Part 2 leans toward code interpretation, plan reading, and estimating at scale
The Business and Law Requirement
Passing the technical exam is not the whole story for a new contractor applicant. New Mexico also requires you to satisfy a Business and Law component, which you can meet in one of two ways: passing the PSI Business and Law examination, or completing an approved Business and Law course instead. If you go the exam route, expect 50 questions in 130 minutes, an open-book format, a $68.88 fee, and - consistent with the technical parts - a 75% minimum passing score.
Many applicants underestimate this piece because it isn't "trade" content, but it carries the same 75% threshold as the technical parts, and it's a separate transaction and separate score. Budget study time for it just as deliberately as you would for Part 2's code and estimating questions.
Key Takeaway
Treat Business and Law as a third exam, not an afterthought. It has its own fee, its own question count, and the same 75% bar as the technical parts - skipping preparation here is a common avoidable failure point.
Domain-by-Domain: Where the Points Live
Both parts are broken into content domains, and question counts are not evenly distributed. Knowing which domains carry the most weight tells you where accuracy matters most for hitting 75%.
Part 1 (GB-2) - 80 Questions Across 8 Domains
Domain 7 - General Code, Plan Reading, and Estimating (14 questions)
The single largest Part 1 domain. Expect code-reference lookups, plan-symbol interpretation, and quantity/estimating calculations.
- Practice reading footing and framing plans quickly
- Know how to navigate your bound 2021 code references under time pressure
Domain 4 - Carpentry (12 questions) & Domain 6 - Associated Trades (12 questions)
These two tie for second-largest weight. Carpentry covers framing sequencing and fastening; Associated Trades spans the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing coordination a general contractor must recognize without being a specialty licensee.
The remaining Part 1 domains are Sitework, Footings, and Foundations (9 questions), Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement (9), Roofing (10), Masonry (6), and OSHA Safety (8). None of these are safe to skip - a 6-question domain like Masonry can still be the difference between 74% and 76% on an 80-question exam.
Part 2 (GB-98) - 100 Questions Across 9 Domains
Domain 16 - General Code, Plan Reading, and Estimating (27 questions)
This is by far the heaviest domain on the entire combination exam - more than a quarter of all Part 2 questions. Commercial-scale plan reading, code cross-referencing, and estimating accuracy dominate this section.
- Prioritize this domain first in your study calendar
- Build speed with your 2021 IBC/IRC references, since time pressure compounds here
Domain 10 - Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement (15 questions)
The second-heaviest Part 2 domain, testing reinforcement placement, mix specification, and structural detailing at a commercial scale beyond what Part 1 covers.
Rounding out Part 2: Sitework, Footings, and Foundations (10), Masonry (10), Metals (10), Associated Trades (10), Carpentry (6), Roofing (6), and OSHA Safety (6). Notice how Carpentry and Roofing shrink dramatically compared to Part 1 - Part 2 shifts weight toward code, concrete, masonry, and metals instead. For a full breakdown of every domain with study implications, see NM-GB98 Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 17 Content Areas.
| Attribute | Part 1 (GB-2) | Part 2 (GB-98) |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 80 | 100 |
| Time Allowed | 225 minutes | 310 minutes |
| Passing Score | 75% | 75% |
| Heaviest Domain | General Code, Plan Reading & Estimating (14 Qs) | General Code, Plan Reading & Estimating (27 Qs) |
| Format | Open book, computer-based via PSI | Open book, computer-based via PSI |
Open Book Rules and What You Can Bring
Both technical parts, and the Business and Law exam, are open book - which changes your study strategy significantly. You're not memorizing every code section verbatim; you're learning to locate the right section fast and apply it correctly under real time pressure.
Approved references include the listed 2021 New Mexico building codes, the 2021 IRC or IBC as applicable to the question, and trade texts. There are firm handling rules:
- References must be bound - no loose sheets
- Highlighting, underlining, indexing, and permanent tabbing are allowed before testing
- No handwritten notes or inserted loose papers are permitted
- A silent, nonprinting, nonprogrammable calculator is allowed
Prepping your reference set in advance - tabbing by domain, not just by chapter - is one of the highest-leverage things you can do before test day. This is a place where generic study advice genuinely doesn't apply; the GB-98 exam rewards navigation speed through specific, permitted materials, not blind recall.
Fees, Retakes, and Time Limits
Money and deadlines are part of the "passing score" equation, because a failed attempt has real cost and time consequences. Here's the full financial and scheduling picture:
- Combination exam (both parts): $269.06
- Single-part retake: $134.53 - you only pay to retake the part you failed
- Business and Law exam: $68.88
- Qualifying-party application and work-affidavit fee: $36
Eligibility to sit for the exam lasts six months once approved, and once you pass, that passing score remains valid for one year. General Building license renewal carries no continuing education requirement, which is unusual and worth knowing when you're weighing the long-term value of the credential - a topic covered more fully in Is the NM-GB98 Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026. For a complete accounting of every fee involved from application through licensing, see NM-GB98 Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
Key Takeaway
If you fail only Part 2, you never need to retake Part 1 - schedule and pay for the $134.53 single-part retake and put all your remaining study time into the domain where you fell short.
Allocating Study Time to the Highest-Value Domains
Because question counts are so unevenly distributed, a flat "study everything equally" plan wastes time. Weight your calendar toward the domains carrying the most points, then circle back for the smaller ones.
Part 2 Code, Plan Reading & Estimating (27 Qs) and Part 1 Code, Plan Reading & Estimating (14 Qs)
- Tab your bound 2021 code references by these two domains first
- Practice timed plan-reading and takeoff problems
Part 2 Concrete (15 Qs), Part 1 Carpentry (12 Qs), Part 1 Associated Trades (12 Qs)
- Drill reinforcement specifications and framing sequencing
- Review MEP coordination points a general contractor is expected to recognize
Roofing, Masonry, Metals, and Sitework/Foundations across both parts
- Compare Part 1 vs. Part 2 masonry and sitework scope differences
- Practice metals questions, unique to Part 2
OSHA Safety, Business and Law, and full timed run-throughs
- Finish Business and Law prep with an eye on the 75% threshold and 130-minute limit
- Simulate full 225-minute and 310-minute sessions with your tabbed references
For a more detailed week-by-week method built specifically around passing on the first attempt, read NM-GB98 Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. And if you want a compact reference to keep nearby during final review, NM-GB98 Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts condenses the fee, format, and domain figures into one page.
Once you've internalized the domain weighting, it helps to test yourself under realistic timing conditions. Running practice questions on our practice test platform before your PSI appointment is one of the more reliable ways to confirm you're actually hitting 75% consistently, not just on your best day. You can also review how these scores tend to trend across candidates in NM-GB98 Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows.
FAQ
No. GB-2 Part 1 and GB-98 Part 2 are each scored independently, and each requires its own 75% minimum. You must clear both separately.
You retake only the failed part. A single-part retake costs $134.53, compared to the $269.06 full combination fee.
Yes. The PSI Business and Law exam also requires 75%, across 50 questions in 130 minutes, and can alternatively be satisfied by completing an approved course.
A passing score remains valid for one year. Note this is separate from your exam eligibility window, which lasts six months from approval.
No. References must be bound and may be highlighted, underlined, indexed, and permanently tabbed, but they cannot contain handwriting or loose inserted papers.