- What NM-GB98 Training Actually Needs to Cover
- Exam Structure You're Training For
- Part 1 Domains: GB-2 Residential Building Contractor
- Part 2 Domains: GB-98 General Building Contractor
- Training for the Business and Law Exam
- Reference Book Prep: What You Can Bring
- A Realistic Training Timeline
- Who Uses This Training and Why
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Training must split effort between GB-2 Part 1 (80 questions, 225 minutes) and GB-98 Part 2 (100 questions, 310 minutes).
- General Code, Plan Reading, and Estimating carries 27 questions on Part 2 - the single largest domain in the entire combination exam.
- Both technical parts are open book but demand 75% to pass, so training time should go into reference navigation speed, not memorization.
- Business and Law (50 questions, 130 minutes, 75% required) is a separate $68.88 exam that new qualifying parties must also pass or waive via approved...
What NM-GB98 Training Actually Needs to Cover
Training for the New Mexico GB-98 General Building Contractor Exam is not a single-exam sprint. The New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division, requires qualifying-party candidates to pass a combination technical exam made up of two separate parts, plus a Business and Law requirement, before a license application can move forward. Effective training plans treat these as three distinct study tracks rather than one generic "contractor exam."
Because the technical exam is administered through PSI as a computer-based test, your training should mirror that format closely: timed question blocks, open-book reference lookups, and code-based scenario questions rather than pure recall. If you haven't yet mapped out what each part actually tests, the NM-GB98 Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 17 Content Areas breaks down every domain in detail before you build a study plan around it.
Exam Structure You're Training For
Before building a study schedule, internalize the actual mechanics of the exam you're preparing for:
- GB-2 Residential Building Contractor Part 1: 80 questions, 225 minutes.
- GB-98 General Building Contractor Part 2: 100 questions, 310 minutes.
- Combination exam cost: $269.06 for both parts; a one-part retake costs $134.53.
- Passing standard: 75% on each technical part, open book.
- Reference format: bound references only - highlighted, underlined, indexed, and permanently tabbed is fine, but no loose papers or handwritten notes.
This structure changes how you train. Since both parts are open book, training time is better spent learning where information lives in your references than trying to memorize code text word-for-word. If you're still deciding how difficult this will feel relative to other trades exams, How Hard Is the NM-GB98 Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 walks through the practical challenges candidates report.
Key Takeaway
Tab your references by domain name before you ever sit for a practice session - training with an untabbed code book wastes minutes you don't have during the real 225- or 310-minute window.
Part 1 Domains: GB-2 Residential Building Contractor
Part 1 covers eight domains focused on residential-scale construction fundamentals. Training here should be weighted toward the domains with the most questions:
General Code, Plan Reading, and Estimating (14 questions)
The largest Part 1 domain. Candidates must read residential plans, apply the 2021 IRC or IBC as applicable, and perform basic quantity and cost estimating tasks.
- Practice reading plan sets under time pressure
- Know how to cross-reference code sections quickly in your tabbed book
Carpentry (12 questions) and Associated Trades (12 questions)
These two domains combine for nearly a third of Part 1. Carpentry covers framing sequences and materials; Associated Trades covers coordination with electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work that a general contractor must understand without being a specialty licensee.
Roofing (10 questions)
Residential roofing systems, materials, and installation sequencing show up consistently. Training should include roof plan interpretation, not just terminology.
Sitework, Footings, and Foundations (9 questions) and Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement (9 questions)
Together these make up nearly a quarter of Part 1. Expect questions on footing depth requirements, reinforcement placement, and soil-related sitework decisions.
Masonry (6 questions) and OSHA Safety (8 questions)
Smaller domains, but OSHA Safety questions are predictable and high-value for the time invested - jobsite safety standards translate almost directly to exam scenarios.
Part 2 Domains: GB-98 General Building Contractor
Part 2 is longer, broader, and heavier on estimating and structural work. This is where most training hours should concentrate.
General Code, Plan Reading, and Estimating (27 questions)
By far the single biggest domain across both parts of the entire combination exam. Training plans that don't dedicate real repetition to code lookups, plan interpretation, and estimating math are underprepared for Part 2.
- Build speed reading commercial-scale plan sets
- Practice locating specific 2021 code provisions without flipping randomly
Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement (15 questions)
The second-largest domain in Part 2. Structural concrete detailing, reinforcement schedules, and placement tolerances deserve dedicated practice sessions separate from the Part 1 concrete domain.
Sitework, Footings, and Foundations (10 questions), Masonry (10 questions), Metals (10 questions), Associated Trades (10 questions)
Four domains tied at 10 questions each, together accounting for nearly half of Part 2. Metals is unique to Part 2 and covers structural steel and metal building components not tested on Part 1.
Carpentry (6 questions), Roofing (6 questions), OSHA Safety (6 questions)
Smaller domains on Part 2 relative to Part 1 - a good reminder that the same subject area can carry different weight depending on which part you're sitting for.
For a domain-by-domain weighting reference you can print or pin to your study wall, the NM-GB98 Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts condenses both parts into a single scannable page.
Training for the Business and Law Exam
New contractor candidates must also satisfy the Business and Law requirement, either by passing the PSI Business and Law exam or by completing an approved course. The exam itself is shorter than either technical part: 50 questions, 130 minutes, open book, requiring 75% to pass, at a cost of $68.88.
Because this exam is separate from the technical combination exam, training for it should be scheduled independently - don't try to cram Business and Law review into the same week as heavy Part 2 domain study. It's a different reference set and a different question style focused on contracting business practices rather than construction methods.
Reference Book Prep: What You Can Bring
Since both technical parts and the Business and Law exam are open book, your "training" is partly physical preparation of your reference materials, not just knowledge review. Approved references include the listed 2021 New Mexico building codes, 2021 IRC or IBC as applicable, and trade texts.
- References must be bound - no loose papers.
- Highlighting, underlining, indexing, and permanent tabs are allowed.
- Handwritten notes or annotations beyond tabbing are not permitted.
- A silent, nonprinting, nonprogrammable calculator is allowed for estimating and quantity calculations.
Build your tabbing system around the exact domain names used in the exam blueprint (Sitework, Concrete, Masonry, Carpentry, Roofing, Associated Trades, General Code/Plan Reading/Estimating, Metals, OSHA Safety) so your fingers find the right section instinctively during timed testing.
Key Takeaway
Treat reference tabbing as a training task with its own dedicated session - not something you do the night before your test date.
A Realistic Training Timeline
A structured, domain-aware schedule beats open-ended review. The timeline below allocates more weeks to the heaviest domains - particularly Part 2's General Code, Plan Reading, and Estimating domain at 27 questions and Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement at 15 questions.
Reference Setup and Part 1 Foundations
- Tab all approved references by domain
- Review Sitework, Footings, and Foundations and Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement (Part 1)
Part 1 Carpentry, Roofing, Associated Trades
- These three domains total 34 of Part 1's 80 questions
- Practice timed plan-reading scenarios
Part 1 Code, Estimating, Masonry, OSHA
- Close out remaining Part 1 domains
- Take a full-length Part 1 practice run at 225 minutes
Part 2 Heavy Domains
- Concentrate on General Code, Plan Reading, and Estimating (27 questions) and Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement (15 questions)
Part 2 Ten-Question Domains
- Sitework, Masonry, Metals, and Associated Trades - all 10 questions each
Part 2 Remaining Domains and Business and Law
- Carpentry, Roofing, OSHA Safety (Part 2)
- Full Business and Law review, 130-minute timed practice
If you want a more detailed week-by-week breakdown with study techniques matched to each content area, the NM-GB98 Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt extends this timeline with specific resource recommendations.
Who Uses This Training and Why
Training for NM-GB98 is typically pursued by individuals working toward qualifying-party status on a New Mexico general building contractor license - the person whose experience and passing scores back the company's license. Eligibility requires four years and 8,000 hours of qualifying experience within the preceding 10 years, though approved education or training may receive half-time credit for up to one-half of that requirement.
Because the qualifying-party application and work-affidavit fee is $36, and examination eligibility lasts only six months once approved, training should ideally be well underway before you file the application - not started from scratch after the eligibility clock starts. For a full breakdown of experience documentation and half-time credit rules, see NM-GB98 Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
General building contractors licensed under GB-98 commonly work across residential and commercial construction projects that require code compliance across multiple trades - which explains why the exam blueprint spans sitework, concrete, masonry, carpentry, roofing, metals, and associated trades rather than a single specialty. If you're weighing whether the training investment translates into practical opportunity, NM-GB98 Jobs and Is the NM-GB98 Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 both look at this from different angles.
Once you've completed a full training cycle, running timed, full-length practice exams that mirror the real question counts and time limits on our practice test platform is the most direct way to confirm you're ready before scheduling with PSI. Comparing your practice scores against the actual fee structure and retake costs - covered in NM-GB98 Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown - also helps you decide when you're truly ready versus when you're guessing.
| Component | Questions | Time | Cost | Passing Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB-2 Part 1 | 80 | 225 minutes | Included in combination fee | 75% |
| GB-98 Part 2 | 100 | 310 minutes | Included in combination fee | 75% |
| Combination Exam (both parts) | 180 total | 535 minutes total | $269.06 | 75% each part |
| One-Part Retake | - | - | $134.53 | 75% |
| Business and Law Exam | 50 | 130 minutes | $68.88 | 75% |
Training smart also means understanding how likely first-attempt success is and what factors influence it - a topic examined more closely in NM-GB98 Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows and NM-GB98 Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling for candidates trying to line up their study finish date with an actual test appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both parts are administered as a combination technical exam at $269.06, but they test different question sets (80 questions/225 minutes for Part 1, 100 questions/310 minutes for Part 2). Training should cover both, though you can schedule study sessions separately by domain.
Part 2's General Code, Plan Reading, and Estimating domain has 27 questions - the largest single domain across the entire combination exam - followed by Part 2's Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement domain at 15 questions.
No. References must be bound and may be highlighted, underlined, indexed, and permanently tabbed, but they cannot contain handwritten notes or loose papers.
No. Business and Law is a separate exam (50 questions, 130 minutes, $68.88, 75% passing) or an approved course alternative, and should be trained for on its own schedule.
Passing scores remain valid for one year, and your examination eligibility window lasts six months from approval, so training completion timing matters for scheduling.