To become a certified roofing contractor in Florida you pass two exams: the 120-question Business and Finance exam and the 80-question roofing trade knowledge exam. The trade exam covers every major roof system, waterproofing below grade, drainage, and roofing equipment safety. It is open book, and the reference list is mostly National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) manuals plus the Florida Building Code.
Format
| Item | Roofing trade knowledge exam |
|---|---|
| Scored questions | 80, equally weighted |
| Time | 5 hours |
| Delivery | Computer-based at Pearson VUE test centers, offered daily |
| Question type | Multiple choice, 4 options |
| Passing score | 70%: 56 of 80, not rounded |
| Open book | Yes |
| Fee | $80 to Pearson VUE (plus $135 PTI registration) |
That works out to 3 minutes and 45 seconds per question. Unscored pilot questions may be included with extra time added.
Content outline
From the official Roofing Contractors ECI. Each area's share may vary by plus or minus 3%.
| Area | Topic | Weight | Approx. questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Built-up roofs | 15% | 12 |
| B | Shingles and shakes | 15% | 12 |
| C | Architectural metal roofs | 10% | 8 |
| D | Single ply systems | 15% | 12 |
| E | Modified roofing systems | 15% | 12 |
| F | Concrete and clay tile roofs | 10% | 8 |
| G | Membrane waterproofing | 5% | 4 |
| H | Drains and gutters | 5% | 4 |
| I | Equipment and safety | 10% | 8 |
Low-slope systems (built-up, single ply and modified) add up to 45% of the exam. Steep-slope systems (shingles, shakes, metal and tile) are 35%.
What the outline lists in each area
- A. Built-up roofs: metal gravel stops, test cuts, surfacings (coatings, SPF, aggregate, cap sheets), tie-ins, insulation (mechanically fastened, multi-layer, tapered, field-sloped and cricketed fill), ventilation, assemblies over steel, concrete, insulating concrete and wood decks (weights and dead loads, flute spans, underlayment, fastening), coal tar pitch roofs and ponding, felts, flashing and counter-flashing, maintenance.
- B. Shingles and shakes: shingle types and compatibility, bundles per square, exposure and coverage, straight-up and stair-step methods, bond lines, wood shake installation details, fastener types and lengths, slope calculations, composite shingles and recover requirements, valleys.
- C. Architectural metal: dissimilar materials, tie-ins, metal shingles, insulation and ventilation, flashing, maintenance.
- D. Single ply: adhered, heat-applied and mechanically fastened systems, seaming, tie-ins, insulation, membrane flashings, maintenance.
- E. Modified systems: modified, adhesive-applied and heat-applied installations, insulation, flashing.
- F. Tile: loads, layout and bond lines, adhesive, under-tile drainage, mortar, battens, fastening, hip and ridge, gables and perimeters, foam, underlayment, tie-ins.
- G. Membrane waterproofing: below-grade walls and floor slabs, membrane types and hydrostatic pressure.
- H. Drains and gutters: scupper overflow, gutter and downspout sizing and installation, leader and conductor heads.
- I. Equipment and safety: ladders, scaffolds, hoists, lift trucks, kettles, heat welders, roof jacks, spudding machines, compressors and pneumatic tools, fall protection and OSHA.
The ECI also expects you to read plans, specifications and codes and to do basic math: area and volume, fractions, decimals, percentages, right triangles, square roots, powers and simple algebra. Roof area, slope, squares and material quantities are natural question types.
Reference list
The 2026 roofing list (valid January through December 2026):
| Ref | Title | Edition |
|---|---|---|
| R38 | Walker's Building Estimator's Reference Book | 33rd Edition, 2024 |
| R46 | Code of Federal Regulations, OSHA 29 Part 1926 | July 1, 2025 |
| R95 | SMACNA Architectural Sheet Metal Manual | 7th Edition, 2012 |
| R116 | Roofing Construction and Estimating | 13th Printing, 2022 |
| R157 | The NRCA Roofing Manual: Membrane Roof System | 2023 |
| R158 | The NRCA Roofing Manual: Metal Panel and SPF Roof Systems | 2024 |
| R159 | The NRCA Roofing Manual: Steep-Slope Roof Systems | 2025 |
| R160 | The NRCA Roofing Manual: Architectural Metal Flashing and Condensation and Air Leakage Control | 2022 |
| R161 | The NRCA Waterproofing Manual | 2nd edition, 2020 |
| R200 | Florida Building Code, Building | 2023 |
| R201 | Florida Building Code, Test Protocols for High Velocity Hurricane Zones | 2023 |
Editions change; download the current list from DBPR before buying. Questions are based on the listed editions, and other editions are allowed "at your own risk."
Which book answers what
A rough map from outline to references:
| Outline area | Most likely references |
|---|---|
| A, D, E (low slope) | NRCA Membrane Roof System manual; FBC Building, roofing chapter |
| B, C, F (steep slope, metal, tile) | NRCA Steep-Slope and Metal Panel manuals; Roofing Construction and Estimating; FBC Building |
| Flashing details across all systems | NRCA Architectural Metal Flashing manual; SMACNA Architectural Sheet Metal Manual |
| G (waterproofing) | NRCA Waterproofing Manual |
| H (drains and gutters) | SMACNA Architectural Sheet Metal Manual; FBC |
| I (equipment and safety) | OSHA 29 CFR 1926 |
| Quantities and labor | Walker's; Roofing Construction and Estimating |
| High Velocity Hurricane Zone testing | FBC Test Protocols for HVHZ |
Tabbing and book rules
DBPR's rules for references in the testing room:
- Original editions only; any reference listed as a PDF must be bound with rings, brads, snap binders, spiral binding or screw posts (not staples).
- Highlighting and underlining are allowed. Handwritten or typed notes are not.
- Only permanently attached tabs with normal chapter or page headings. Post-it flags and removable tabs are not allowed and are removed at check-in.
- No marking in the books during the exam.
Practical tips:
- Tab each NRCA manual by section, and tab the FBC Building roofing chapter by section.
- In Walker's and Roofing Construction and Estimating, tab the roofing and sheet metal chapters and any coverage tables.
- In OSHA 1926, tab the subparts for scaffolds, fall protection, ladders and cranes or hoists.
- Highlight table titles you will look for under time pressure.
Common trouble areas
From the outline, not from score data:
- Breadth. Nine roof systems and trades, each with its own manual. Candidates who specialize (for example, shingle reroofs) often have gaps in single ply, modified or built-up.
- Insulation and decks. Thermal values, tapered systems and deck-specific fastening repeat across Areas A, C, D, E and F.
- Flashing. It appears in almost every area.
- Equipment safety. Area I is 10% and is answered from OSHA 1926, which many roofers have not read closely.
- Math. Squares, slope, coverage at a given exposure, and material quantities.
Scheduling and retakes
- Register with Professional Testing, Inc. online (floridaexam.com) and pay $135.
- Schedule with Pearson VUE within 72 hours after approval, online or at 1-888-204-6230.
- Bring two forms of signature ID (one government issued) and arrive 30 minutes early.
- Cancel or reschedule at least two full calendar days before your appointment.
- If you fail, review missed questions within 21 days ($35). To retake, reapply with PTI; wait 21 days.
- You must pass both exams within four years of your first scheduled exam.
Exam volume
Pearson VUE exam performance reports for the Florida DBPR construction exams list the roofing trade exam (36-FL-CR) with 961 graded attempts in 2024, 1,194 in 2025 and 745 in 2026 through October 6. The first-time pass rate was 57% in both 2024 and 2025, and 60% in 2026 through October 6.
FAQ
How many questions are on the Florida roofing exam?
80 scored questions, 5 hours. You also take the 120-question Business and Finance exam.
What score do I need to pass the roofing exam?
70%, which is 56 of 80. Scores are not rounded.
Is the Florida roofing exam open book?
Yes. Bring the listed references, bound, with only permanent tabs.
Do I need all the NRCA manuals?
The questions are based on the listed references and the outline spans every system, so most candidates bring all of them.
How long should I study for the roofing exam?
There is no official guidance. Plan time to read the outline, tab every book, and work timed practice until you can find a table in under a minute.
Related
See Florida roofing license requirements. Our roofing trade exam prep is in development; join the waitlist on this page. Business and Finance prep is available now: Florida Business and Finance Exam Prep, 90 days of original practice for $99.