How Many Questions Are on the CSLB Exam?
What CSLB says about exam length, why there is no official question count and how to pace yourself in three and a half hours.
Quick answer
CSLB does not publish an official question count in its study guides or exam FAQ, and the number can change between exam versions. What CSLB does state is that each exam is multiple choice and you get three and a half hours to complete it. Prep providers commonly cite roughly 115 questions per exam, so plan on a little under two minutes per question.
What CSLB Publishes
- Three and a half hours for each exam
- Multiple choice, four choices per question
- Topic weights for every section in the study guides
- Your number of correct answers on the score report if you do not pass
Use the Weights to Plan
Section percentages tell you roughly how many questions come from each topic. On the Law and Business exam, about one in five questions comes from Contract Requirements (21%) and another one in five from Employment Requirements (20%), while Public Works is about one in twenty (5%). See the Law and Business study guide.
Pacing Strategy
- Answer the questions you know first and mark hard ones to revisit.
- Do not spend more than a few minutes on any one question.
- Leave time at the end to review marked questions.
- Never leave a question blank, because there is no penalty for guessing.
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Content reviewed against CSLB sources: November 2026
- CSLB: Examinations frequently asked questions
- CSLB: Law and Business examination study guide (PDF)
- CSLB: General Building (B) examination study guide (PDF)
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How Many Questions Are on the CSLB Exam?: FAQs
How long is each CSLB exam?
Three and a half hours per exam. If you take both on the same day, plan for a long day.
Are both exams the same length?
Both have the same three and a half hour limit. CSLB does not publish question counts for either.
Do some questions not count?
CSLB does not publish details about scored versus unscored questions. Treat every question as if it counts.