Examination Information

Individuals desiring to become licensed as a North Carolina Irrigation Contractor must pass the North Carolina Irrigation Contractors’ Licensing Exam. This exam is prepared by the Irrigation Association (IA) and is also used for their Certified Irrigation Contractor (CIC) program.   The exam consists of approximately 150 questions. Three and a half hours are allowed to complete the exam.  Click on the link below for an outline of the content that is on the exam.

http://www.nciclb.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Exam-Content.pdf

While preparing for these general topics, pay attention to areas such as:

• Types of pipe and fittings
• How to successfully solvent weld pipe and fittings
• Gasketed pipe and fittings
• Fittings other than PVC
• Pipe and fittings repair
• Examples of fittings failure
• Electrical trouble shooting and devices used to accomplish electrical trouble shooting
• Types of contracts used in operating a business
• Types of insurance, bid bonds
• Types of business records needed to successfully operate a business
• OSHA rules and regulations
• Understanding, reading and developing plans, drawings and specifications

 

Scoring: A passing score is 70%.  Note that there is no requirement to receive 70% on each part of the exam. The score required by the Irrigation Association to obtain CIC designation is typically between 72% and 74%, so although 70% is passing in order to obtain your North Carolina Irrigation License you would have to retake the exam and meet the Irrigation Association requirements in order to receive the Irrigation Association CIC designation.   Results from the exam are normally received in four (4) to six (6) weeks.  Candidates who fail examinations are provided a sheet showing the numbers of correct and failed responses in each domain.

Examination Costs: Once a candidate is approved by the Board to sit for the exam, the candidate will receive an order form that must be returned with payment.  The cost of taking the exam is $290.00.  Candidates that fail the exam can be scheduled to retake the exam at a cost of $190.00.

Examination Dates: All examinations are offered in Raleigh, NC.  The upcoming 2011-2012 exam dates can be found on the Board website calendar.

Study Guides: Several resources have been identified to help prepare candidates for the exam.  Some of these resources must be purchased by the candidate, while others are free and available from the IA website.  These resources are listed below.  You need to study and understand what is in these resources before you attempt the exam.

There is also a preparatory class that is offered by the Carolinas Irrigation Association (CIA) that is normally offered prior to each Licensing Exam.  The Licensing Board does not schedule this class and is not involved in offering the class.

The Licensing Board does not require a candidate to purchase any study material, attend any preparatory classes or do any studying on their own prior to taking the exam, but each of these things will help to improve the chances of passing the exam.  Passing the Licensing Exam is the only way to become a Licensed North Carolina Irrigation Contractor

STUDY MATERIALS:   Following is a list of references to help you in your studies.  All of these items can be found on the Irrigation Association website at www.irrigation.org by following the directional paths listed below in bold:

education | education resources | books | turf/landscape

• *Irrigation Contractor Workbook, December 2002 (revised August 2008) – $60.00
• The Irrigation Contractor Exam Study Guide, Pine and Thompson – $70.00
• Principles of Irrigation, 2nd Edition, Feb., 2010 – $80.00
• Turf Irrigation Manual, 5th Edition – $95.00
  R. Choate, Weathermatic – Telsco
  Required chapters – 1, 2, 3 & 9
  Recommended – 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, & 15
• Irrigation, 6th Edition – $179.00
• Landscape Irrigation Auditor Manual, 2nd edition, Sept 2010 – $70.00
  (Devoted to irrigation scheduling and will further assist the candidate in preparation for
  the exam even if you do not take the Landscape Irrigation Course.)

education | education resources | books | turf/landscape | scroll almost to bottom | electricity for landscape irrigation systems package

• Electricity for Landscape Irrigation Systems Package – $27.00
  Basic Electricity for Irrigation Systems Student Workbook by Vince Nolletti
  Electrical Troubleshooting Student Workbook by Donald Franklin

Download Free From IA website

certification | certification programs | CIC | prepare for exam | prepare to ace exam

• National Backflow Prevention Code – Ch. 10
• National Plumbing Code – Ch. 10
• National Electrical Code
• Designing, Operating, and Maintaining Piping Systems Using PVC Fittings,
  Ron D. Bliesner – February 3, 1987
• Equation Sheet – provided by the NCICLB and also available on the IA website
  (a copy of the same equation sheet will be provided in your examination packet)
• Materials and Installation of Delivery Pipes for Irrigation Systems, Brian Boman (www.pdfbookdownload.com)

resources | best practices & standards | BMPs

• IA Best Management Practices

resources | tools & calculators | irrigation glossary

• IA Glossary of Terms

*Also available through the Board Office

Exam Aids and Tips: The enclosed equation sheet contains all the equations used on the exam and may also be downloaded from the IA website. The candidate must be familiar with all of the equations and know how to use them.  A clean copy of the equation sheet will also be provided to the candidate in the examination package the day of the exam.

The following items are required for taking the exam:

• A scientific calculator
• A protractor
• A straight edge
• An engineer’s scale
• No. 2 pencils.

Other materials that can be used are:

• A programmable calculator
• A measuring wheel to measure pipe length on a plan

Items that cannot be used on the exams include:

• Books
• Personal computers
• Notes
• Cellular telephones
• PDA’s or other electronic devices

When taking the examination if there is a question you do not understand or cannot quickly determine a solution, skip that question and move to the next question. On a 180 question exam, without any breaks, you have 1.33 minutes per question.  Some questions may take a couple of minutes to solve, while others will take 15 seconds.  Do not spend 5 minutes on a question until you have completed the exam and then go back and work on the questions you skipped.  When unsure of an answer, typically your first instinct will be the correct one.  There will be some questions that you do not know the answer or cannot solve.  On those questions take a guess at the answer.  You have a 25% chance of getting the right answer.  Remember you do not have to make 100 percent, only 70 percent.

Non-licensed Practice: Until the candidate passes the Board examination, the candidate cannot practice Irrigation Contracting where the cost of all components of the irrigation system to include installation, service, repair and maintenance of the irrigation system for the life of the irrigation system exceeds $2,500 (89G-3(5)).  The Board realizes that the irrigation installer may not install all components, but total system cost includes everything required to make the system operational.

The total cost of a landscape and turf irrigation system includes:

• all costs to make the irrigation system operational;
• all expenses for the life of the system (repairs, maintenance and service).
• the water meter where water is supplied by a municipality or community water supplier;
• a backflow assembly, with any electrical, sleeving and irrigation system components and installation costs, where required by local laws.
• if the water is supplied by a well that is constructed for irrigation, the total system cost including:
  -the well cost;
  -the backflow assembly, if required;
  -pump, electrical, sleeving and irrigation system components and installation.

• for a surface water supply, i.e. stream or pond constructed for irrigation, the total system cost includes:
  -pond construction costs;
  -pump(s);
  -electrical;
  -sleeving;
  -irrigation system components; and
  -installation;

• for roof runoff or storm water supplied irrigation, the total system cost includes:
  -the water collection and storage facility;
  -pump;
  -filter;
  -electrical components;
  -sleeving;
  -irrigation system components; and
  -installation

A substantiated complaint may result in the Board taking legal action that could include denial of the privilege of licensure.

Passing the Exam: Upon successful completion of the exam and prior to being licensed, the candidate must:

• Post a Surety Bond in the amount of $10,000.
• Pay the $100.00 license fee for the current year.
• Order a seal (the Board will provide the order form).
• Submit a corporate application to the Board along with a $100 application fee and $100 license fee. (For anyone other than a sole proprietor)

The Board will issue the license after receipt of all fees and receipt of the Original Bond and Bond Form.

Continuing Education: Yearly continuing education is required for license renewal.  During the calendar year that the candidate passes the NCICLB examination, the successful candidate will be considered to have met the criteria for Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for that calendar year.

On your second renewal you are required to have obtained ten (10) hours of continuing education.  Included in those 10 hours are a minimum of two (2) /maximum of four (4) business hours and six (6) to eight (8) hours of landscape and turf irrigation for a total of ten (10) hours.  All Board approved continuing education courses are listed on the website under Continuing Education.