NYC Home Improvement Contractor Exam verified with correct answers
plus rationales 2026/2027 version
1. Which agency issues the NYC Home Improvement Contractor License?
A. NYC Department of Buildings
B. NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP)
C. New York State Department of Labor
D. NYC Department of Finance
Answer: B. NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP)
Rationale: NYC Home Improvement Contractor licenses are issued by DCWP.
2. Which type of work generally requires an NYC Home Improvement
Contractor license?
A. Construction, repair, remodeling, or improvement of residential property
B. Only commercial office construction
C. Only electrical work
D. Only plumbing work
Answer: A. Construction, repair, remodeling, or improvement of residential property
Rationale: NYC requires an HIC license for construction, repair, remodeling, or other home-
improvement work involving residential property.
3. Which project is specifically within the scope of home improvement work?
A. Kitchen remodeling in a residential property
B. Airline runway construction
C. Hospital laboratory research
D. Commercial aircraft maintenance
Answer: A. Kitchen remodeling in a residential property
Rationale: Residential remodeling is included among activities covered by the HIC licensing
requirement.
,4. Who must pass the NYC Home Improvement Contractor exam for a business
applying for a license?
A. Every employee
B. Only one qualifying principal/owner or other qualifying individual
C. Every subcontractor
D. Every customer
Answer: B. Only one qualifying principal/owner or other qualifying individual
Rationale: Only one of the specified qualifying individuals—such as a sole proprietor, general
partner, corporate officer, principal, director, member, or shareholder owning at least 10%—
needs to pass the exam.
5. How many questions are on the current NYC Home Improvement Exam?
A. 20
B. 25
C. 30
D. 50
Answer: C. 30
Rationale: DCWP states that the Home Improvement Exam consists of 30 multiple-choice
questions.
6. How many questions must be answered correctly to pass?
A. 15
B. 18
C. 21
D. 25
Answer: C. 21
Rationale: A passing score requires at least 21 correct answers out of 30.
7. What is the current exam fee?
,A. $25
B. $40
C. $50
D. $100
Answer: C. $50
Rationale: The current DCWP information lists a $50 Home Improvement Contractor exam fee.
8. When can an applicant generally schedule the exam after DCWP processes the
completed application and required fees/documents?
A. Immediately at the same moment
B. About 24 hours after processing
C. After six months
D. Only after renewing the license
Answer: B. About 24 hours after processing
Rationale: DCWP states that once the application is processed, the information takes about 24
hours to appear in ExamBuilder's system.
9. How long does the applicant generally have to take and pass the exam after the
information appears in ExamBuilder?
A. 10 days
B. 30 days
C. 60 days
D. 120 days
Answer: C. 60 days
Rationale: DCWP currently gives applicants 60 days to take and pass the exam after their
information appears in ExamBuilder.
10. What is the approximate term of the NYC Home Improvement Contractor
license?
, A. 6 months
B. 1 year
C. 2 years
D. 5 years
Answer: C. 2 years
Rationale: NYC's business licensing information identifies the HIC license as a two-year
license.
11. Which agency should a contractor contact regarding an NYC Home
Improvement Contractor license?
A. DCWP
B. FAA
C. EPA only
D. NYC Department of Parks only
Answer: A. DCWP
Rationale: DCWP administers the HIC license program.
12. What is a subcontractor under the NYC Home Improvement Contractor
guidance?
A. A person or firm independently contracting to perform part of a home improvement contract
B. An employee paid wages under direct supervision
C. A homeowner performing work on their own home
D. A city inspector
Answer: A. A person or firm independently contracting to perform part of a home
improvement contract
Rationale: DCWP's exam guide distinguishes a subcontractor from an employee based on
independent business status and control.
13. Must a subcontractor performing home improvement work in NYC generally
have a DCWP license?
plus rationales 2026/2027 version
1. Which agency issues the NYC Home Improvement Contractor License?
A. NYC Department of Buildings
B. NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP)
C. New York State Department of Labor
D. NYC Department of Finance
Answer: B. NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP)
Rationale: NYC Home Improvement Contractor licenses are issued by DCWP.
2. Which type of work generally requires an NYC Home Improvement
Contractor license?
A. Construction, repair, remodeling, or improvement of residential property
B. Only commercial office construction
C. Only electrical work
D. Only plumbing work
Answer: A. Construction, repair, remodeling, or improvement of residential property
Rationale: NYC requires an HIC license for construction, repair, remodeling, or other home-
improvement work involving residential property.
3. Which project is specifically within the scope of home improvement work?
A. Kitchen remodeling in a residential property
B. Airline runway construction
C. Hospital laboratory research
D. Commercial aircraft maintenance
Answer: A. Kitchen remodeling in a residential property
Rationale: Residential remodeling is included among activities covered by the HIC licensing
requirement.
,4. Who must pass the NYC Home Improvement Contractor exam for a business
applying for a license?
A. Every employee
B. Only one qualifying principal/owner or other qualifying individual
C. Every subcontractor
D. Every customer
Answer: B. Only one qualifying principal/owner or other qualifying individual
Rationale: Only one of the specified qualifying individuals—such as a sole proprietor, general
partner, corporate officer, principal, director, member, or shareholder owning at least 10%—
needs to pass the exam.
5. How many questions are on the current NYC Home Improvement Exam?
A. 20
B. 25
C. 30
D. 50
Answer: C. 30
Rationale: DCWP states that the Home Improvement Exam consists of 30 multiple-choice
questions.
6. How many questions must be answered correctly to pass?
A. 15
B. 18
C. 21
D. 25
Answer: C. 21
Rationale: A passing score requires at least 21 correct answers out of 30.
7. What is the current exam fee?
,A. $25
B. $40
C. $50
D. $100
Answer: C. $50
Rationale: The current DCWP information lists a $50 Home Improvement Contractor exam fee.
8. When can an applicant generally schedule the exam after DCWP processes the
completed application and required fees/documents?
A. Immediately at the same moment
B. About 24 hours after processing
C. After six months
D. Only after renewing the license
Answer: B. About 24 hours after processing
Rationale: DCWP states that once the application is processed, the information takes about 24
hours to appear in ExamBuilder's system.
9. How long does the applicant generally have to take and pass the exam after the
information appears in ExamBuilder?
A. 10 days
B. 30 days
C. 60 days
D. 120 days
Answer: C. 60 days
Rationale: DCWP currently gives applicants 60 days to take and pass the exam after their
information appears in ExamBuilder.
10. What is the approximate term of the NYC Home Improvement Contractor
license?
, A. 6 months
B. 1 year
C. 2 years
D. 5 years
Answer: C. 2 years
Rationale: NYC's business licensing information identifies the HIC license as a two-year
license.
11. Which agency should a contractor contact regarding an NYC Home
Improvement Contractor license?
A. DCWP
B. FAA
C. EPA only
D. NYC Department of Parks only
Answer: A. DCWP
Rationale: DCWP administers the HIC license program.
12. What is a subcontractor under the NYC Home Improvement Contractor
guidance?
A. A person or firm independently contracting to perform part of a home improvement contract
B. An employee paid wages under direct supervision
C. A homeowner performing work on their own home
D. A city inspector
Answer: A. A person or firm independently contracting to perform part of a home
improvement contract
Rationale: DCWP's exam guide distinguishes a subcontractor from an employee based on
independent business status and control.
13. Must a subcontractor performing home improvement work in NYC generally
have a DCWP license?
