Bring: your approved reference books (tabbed and highlighted), a valid government photo ID, and your scheduling/confirmation details.
Leave behind: phones and smart devices, your own scratch paper, and any loose/handwritten notes. Confirm the current rules in your Candidate Information Brochure.
Approved reference books
The Business & Finance exam is open book using an approved reference list. In practice the answers live across these sources — bring the editions on the official list:
- Florida Contractor's Manual
- Builder's Guide to Accounting
- AIA Documents (A201, A401, A701)
- Florida Statutes & Rules (Chapters 489, 455, 713, 440; 61G4 F.A.C.)
- IRS Circular E (Publication 15)
Note: the NASCLA guide is a reference for the trade exams — not Business & Finance. Don't waste a slot on it here. See the full open-book reference list.
Allowed vs not allowed
Rules are set by the DBPR / testing vendor and can change, so verify in your brochure — but generally:
- Allowed: the approved books, tabbed and highlighted ahead of time; a valid photo ID.
- Not allowed: writing new notes in the books during the exam, loose/handwritten notes inserted in the books, phones/smartwatches/other devices, and your own scratch paper (the center provides what's permitted).
Tab your books — this is the real prep
With about three minutes per question, the candidates who finish comfortably are the ones who can turn straight to the right page. Before exam day, tab and highlight the high-frequency topics — lien-law deadlines, payroll-tax rates, financial ratios, contract elements, insurance types. Then practice the skill that ties it together: knowing which of the five books to open. That's exactly what the Open-Book Finder drills, and its results tell you which books to tab the heaviest.
Walk in fast, not flustered
Drill reference speed and the real exam format before test day. First 5 questions free — no account needed.