Craftsman Books You Can Use on Florida Contractor Exams
Florida lets you bring certain books into your contractor exam. Four Craftsman books are on the 2026 list. See which exam each book is for, which edition you need, and whether you can bring it into the test room.
Florida's licensing agency decides which books you can bring, not us. They can change the rules at any time, and a book's required year can change in the middle of a year. This page shows the rules for January through December 2026. Before you buy anything, look up your own exam on the state's book list and make sure it still matches.
Books you can bring
The four books
Florida has 33 different contractor exams, and each one has its own book list. Here is a list of approved Craftsman books.
For 2026 you can use either the 5th edition (2018) or the 6th edition (2023). Most books only have one version the state will take, so this one gives you a choice. It covers plumbing code, sizing pipes and vents, drains, water lines, and gas lines.
You need the 13th printing, 2022. It covers the different kinds of roofs, how to put them on, tearing off an old roof, safety, and how to price the work and materials.
This one book works for two different exams: Underground Utility and Gas Line. You need the 2011 revised edition. It covers digging trenches and holding them up safely, kinds of pipe and how they join, getting the depth and slope right, and pricing digging work.
You need the 2001 edition. It covers keeping the books, figuring what a job really costs, payroll, reading a financial statement, cash flow, and taxes for a construction business.
Read this before you pack your bag. This book is listed on two different exams, but you can only bring it into one of them. On the Business & Finance exam, you can bring it in. On the General, Building and Residential exam, you cannot — the state lists Builder's Guide to Accounting there as a book to study from at home only. Bring it to that exam and you will be turned away with it.
Bring it — Business & FinanceLeave it home — GC/BC/RC2001 edition
From the state's book lists for January through December 2026.
Rules for your books
Getting your books ready
Every book you bring has to follow these rules, no matter who published it. Being on your list isn't enough — if a book doesn't meet these, you may have to leave it outside.
Bring one of each
You can bring one copy of each book on your list. Not two.
The pages have to stay attached
The book has to be sewn or glued together, or held in its covers by something that goes through every page. Loose pages are not allowed.
Underlining is fine
You can underline and highlight as much as you want before the exam.
Writing notes is not
You cannot bring a book with notes written or typed in it. If your book already has notes, black them out or take those pages out before you go.
No sticky tabs
Post-it flags and anything else you can peel off are not allowed. Tabs that are stuck on for good are fine.
No writing during the exam
Once the exam starts, you cannot write anything in your books.
Bring the real book
You need the actual printed book, unless your list says a printed-out PDF is okay. You can bring a different year, but you are taking a chance, because the questions are written from the year the state lists.
No tablets
No iPads or other electronic tablets, and no paper writing tablets either.
These rules come from the state's own 2026 book lists.
Questions
Questions people ask
Which Craftsman books can I use on the 2026 Florida exams?
Can I bring Builder's Guide to Accounting into the General Contractor exam?
No. The state lists Builder's Guide to Accounting on that exam as a book to study at home, not one you can carry in. You can only bring it into the Business & Finance exam.
Which edition of Plumber's Handbook do I need?
Either one works for 2026. The state takes the 5th edition (2018) or the 6th edition (2023) of Plumber's Handbook Revised.
Can I highlight my books and add tabs?
Yes to highlighting and underlining. Yes to tabs that are stuck on for good. No to written notes, and no to Post-it flags or any tab you can peel off.
How long do the 2026 lists last?
January through December 2026. The state puts out new lists every year, and once in a while a book's required year changes in the middle of a year.
Where do I find the state's own list?
The state posts a separate list for each of the 33 exams at myfloridalicense.com. Only bring the books on the list for the exam you are taking that day.
Craftsman Book Company has published construction books and cost data since 1952. We do not work for the State of Florida and the state has not endorsed us. We do not run the exams, grade them, or pick which books are allowed. The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation decides all of that, and it can change at any time. Before you buy a book or take an exam, check the state's current list for your own exam and test date.
