FLORIDA BUSINESS & FINANCE EXAM FAQ – The Exam Pros

FLORIDA BUSINESS & FINANCE EXAM FAQ

Everyone who wants to be a licensed contractor in Florida must first pass a business and finance exam.  

The business and finance exam is offered six days a week at over 40 locations in Florida and more than 100 locations across the United States. This allows you to take the exam in the state that you are living. You can go to pearsonvue.com to view the nearest testing facility for your exam.

 

DBPR Required book list link

 

The Business and Financial Management Examination is composed of:

  • One hundred twenty questions plus five pilot questions for a total of 125 questions
  • (Service Pool candidates will have 60 questions plus five pilot questions for a total of 65 questions).
  • The test will be on a computer in the calm atmosphere of one of the testing centers at a time you have chosen.
  • You should be prepared to respond to examination questions on any of the content areas listed.
  • The percentage of questions shown for each content area may vary by as much as plus or minus three (3) percent.

Please, Rember YOU can bring these books with into the test:

  1. Builders Guide to Accounting
  2. AIA A201 - 2017
  3. AIA A401 - 2017
  4. AIA A701 - 2018
  5. 2017 Contractors Manual
  6. Current Edition of FS 455

 

What is the breakdown of questions on my Florida Business & Finance Exam ? 

Area A (11%): Establishing the Contracting Business
1. Determining the Business Organizational Structure: business structure laws and regulations, fiduciary responsibilities of officers and directors, open vs. closed corporations, organizational charts and chain of responsibilities, state and local licensure requirements, tax advantages and/or liabilities for various business structures
2. Develop the Business Plan: accounting practices, local marketplace, scope of contractor license
3. Establish Relationships with Other Professionals: accountant specialization, attorney specialization, insurance types and limitations, underwriting requirements for bonding
4. Acquire Fixed Assets: knowledge advantages/disadvantages of business location
5. Obtain Insurance : accounting practices, advantages/disadvantages of various types of insurance, coverages and limitations of insurance
Content Area B (26%): Managing Administrative Duties
1. Develop the Business: availability of staffing for business operation, income sources, markets and market share
2. Determine Outsourced Services
3. Determine Business Overhead: FICA, advertising costs (business cards, dues, printing, etc.), communication costs (cell phones, land lines, etc.), cost of sales (travel expenses), federal unemployment (FUTA), general liability rates, lease expenses, loan financing expenses (interest, etc.), Medicare rates, rent costs, state unemployment (SUTA), utility costs, worker’s compensation
4. Preparing Bids/Proposals: accounting principles, AIA documents, business projections/goals current status, company overhead, contract documents, contract law, cost of financing projects, costs associated with growth, general conditions costs of projects, how to review contracts, how to write offer, insurances associated with labor rates, labor productivity, statute of frauds, taxes associated with labor rates, components of valid contract
5. Purchase Materials/Supplies: depreciative costs, fundamentals of Uniform Commercial Code, inventory system operation (FIFO, etc.), invoice approval systems, negotiating skills, purchasing systems, receiving systems, state sales tax laws, statute of frauds, vendors in area
6. Prepare Invoices/Draw Requests: basic math skills, calculation of percentage of work completed, contract/subcontract documents, how to prepare invoices/draw requests, lien laws
7. Develop a Safety Program: drug testing regulations, MSDS sheets, OSHA regulations
8. Maintain Insurance: general terms and definitions used in policies, insurance policies, limits of insurance, various types of insurance, various types of risk
9. Managing Contracts: contract law, contract scope, job completion schedules, lien laws, mediation and arbitration processes, local building code requirements, tort law, risk management
Content Area C (10%): Managing Trade Operations
1. Schedule Trade Operations: critical path method (CPM), delivery times, manufacturing times, requests for information (RFI), sequencing trades, submittals/approval/fabrication process
2. Maintain OSHA/Safety Records: document/record retainage requirements, knowledge penalties for non-compliance with OSHA
3. Purchase/Order Materials & Supplies: accounting skills, basic math skills, job schedules, negotiation skills, organizational skills, plan reading skills, quality control, quantity take-offs, terms and abbreviations on invoices, types of building materials
4. Leasing/Purchasing Equipment: cost of operation of equipment, depreciation, equipment operation, forecasted use of purchased equipment, interest costs for financing, maintenance, salvage resale values, support equipment required for equipment, tax credits associated with purchases, training needs for equipment, transportation costs for equipment
5. Manage Material/Tool/Equipment Inventory: equipment maintenance procedures, inventory methods
Content Area (32%): Conducting Accounting Functions
1. Manage Accounts Receivable: accounting principles, basic math skills, computer skills, lien laws
2. Manage Accounts Payable: accounting principles, basic math skills, computer skills, how to calculate discounts, lien laws
3. Manage Cash Flow: accounting, banking, basic math skills, financial ratios
4. File Tax Forms & Returns: accounting principles, basic math, federal tax laws, property tax laws, record keeping requirements, sales tax laws, state tax laws
5. Track Job Costs: accounting principles, basic math
6. Calculate Employee Payroll: accounting, state & federal tax laws, basic math, employment laws, employment/labor laws, hierarchy of garnishments
Content Area E (6%): Managing Human Resources
1. Hire New Employees: employment laws, discrimination laws, interviewing skills, required forms for new hires, background checks
2. Develop Human Resource Policies & Procedures: employment/labor laws, OSHA, chain of custody (drug tests), insurance regulations
3. Evaluate Employees: employment/labor laws
Content Area F (15%): Complying with Government Regulations
1. Comply with Federal Laws & Regulations: FEMA (immigration components), OSHA, tax laws, National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), Environmental laws
2. Comply with State Laws& Regulations: Chapter 455 F.S. (Business & Professional Regulation), Chapter 713 F.S. (Liens), 61G4 F.A.C., Worker’s Compensation, Laws/DOR Sales/Use Tax, Chapter 489, Part 1 F.S (Construction Contracting), required continuing education, CEU credit records, license holder responsibilities.