The Certified Remodeler (CR) credential from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry is aimed at remodeling business owners and staff who meet its experience rules. This page explains the 200-question, 4-hour online exam, lists the official content areas, and links free practice sets for each topic, so you can find weak spots before test day.
The CR has 200 questions, takes about 4 hours and costs $600[1] (National Association of the Remodeling Industry, verified Oct 27, 2026).
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions | 200 multiple-choice questions[1] | National Association of the Remodeling Industry · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Time limit | 4 hours[1] | National Association of the Remodeling Industry · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Passing score | Pass/fail (numeric score not disclosed)[2] | National Association of the Remodeling Industry · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Exam fee | $600 NARI member / $850 non-member (includes first exam attempt)[1] | National Association of the Remodeling Industry · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Retake fee | $50 per retake[1] | National Association of the Remodeling Industry · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Validity | 1 year; must be renewed annually[1] | National Association of the Remodeling Industry · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Delivery | Online with a live remote proctor, any time during the two-week window[2] | National Association of the Remodeling Industry · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Eligibility | 5 years continuous remodeling experience; firm with ≥90% remodeling sales; 16 hours CE or CR prep course[1] | National Association of the Remodeling Industry · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Score release | Within 30 days of the end of the exam period; pass/fail only[2] | National Association of the Remodeling Industry · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Registration deadline | Confirm by replying to NARI email sent one month before exam period[2] | National Association of the Remodeling Industry · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Testing window | November 30 – December 13, 2026[2] | National Association of the Remodeling Industry · Oct 27, 2026 |
According to National Association of the Remodeling Industry, “After certification enrollment and preparation, you must pass a 200-question, 4-hour, multiple-choice, online exam proctored by a live online proctor to ensure examination integrity.”[1]
The Certified Remodeler credential is awarded by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). To apply you must be employed by or own a firm that derives at least 90% of its sales from remodeling, have 5 years of continuous remodeling experience, and have completed 16 hours of continuing education or the CR prep course.
The exam has 200 multiple-choice questions and a 4-hour time limit. It is taken online with a live remote proctor, who watches through your cell phone camera. You can test from home at any time during the exam period, which runs November 30 to December 13, 2026. About a month before the period opens, NARI staff email you, and you confirm you plan to test by replying to that email.
The certification fee is $600 for NARI members and $850 for non-members, and it includes your first exam attempt. Each retake costs $50. Results arrive within 30 days of the end of the exam period. You are told only pass or fail. No numeric score is given and exams are not returned for review. The credential is valid for 1 year and must be renewed annually.
Fees, dates and requirements can change. Check the NARI website before you apply, and treat it as the final word on anything on this page.
The content areas below are copied from the official CR content outline published by National Association of the Remodeling Industry. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Practice on this site |
|---|---|
| Building Codes and Construction Law[3] | CR Building Codes & Standards Practise how codes and standards apply to typical remodeling work, and how to keep up with changes in them. |
| Building Science Processes[3] | CR Design & Construction Techniques Review how design and construction choices affect the way a house performs, and why a method suits one situation but not another. |
| Business Operations[3] | CR Business Operations & Practices Work through everyday company management questions, from record keeping to how a remodeling firm is run. |
| Kitchen and Bath Remodeling[3] | CR Installation Techniques & Methods Practise installation methods and the order of work that kitchen and bath projects depend on. |
| Project Existing Conditions and Jobsite Evaluation[3] | CR Quality Control & Inspection Practise assessing what is already in place and checking work against the requirements before you build on it. |
| Remodeling Plans and Construction Specifications[3] | CR Project Costing & Contracts Practise reading scope and specifications, and tying them to costing and to what a contract must say. |
| Remodeling Tools and Jobsite Safety[3] | CR Safety Protocols & Compliance Review safe practice on site and the proper use of tools, and know which rules apply when. |
| Trade Contractors and Trade Related Building Systems[3] | CR Subcontractor Management & Coordination Practise coordinating subcontractors and sequencing trades so that each building system is handled in the right order. |
Prepare for the CR - Certified Remodeler exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: What is the MOST effective way to stay current with developments in building codes & standards for Certified Remodeler?
Answer: A. Participating in professional development, industry events, and peer collaboration
Explanation:
The correct answer is professional development, industry events and peer collaboration. Together they bring in formal teaching, news of recent changes, and the practical experience of other remodelers, so you see developments from several directions.
Reading only internal communications is wrong because it limits you to what your own company already knows. Relying on experience from early in your career is wrong because codes and standards are revised over time, and old habits can become out of date. Following a single expert's opinion is wrong because any one person can be mistaken or have a narrow view.
The rule to remember: when a question asks how to stay current, choose the answer that draws on several varied, ongoing sources rather than one source or past experience.
Question: In Certified Remodeler, which factor MOST influences the selection of appropriate maintenance & repair procedures?
Answer: A. The specific requirements and constraints of the situation
Explanation:
The correct answer is the specific requirements and constraints of the situation. A repair method has to fit the material, the condition of the existing work, the rules that apply and what the client needs, so the job itself should drive the choice.
Personal preference is wrong because what a practitioner likes does not make a method suitable. The most recently developed technique only is wrong because a newer method is not automatically a better fit, and it may not suit the conditions. Cost as the sole determining factor is wrong because price matters but cannot outweigh performance, safety and durability.
The rule to remember: answers with words like only, sole or personal usually fail, and the answer that starts from the conditions of the job is usually right.
Question: What information must appear on a home improvement contract in most US states?
Answer: B. Contractor's name, license number, address, project description, price, payment schedule, and estimated completion date
Explanation:
The correct answer lists the contractor's name, license number, address, project description, price, payment schedule and estimated completion date. A contract with these items protects both sides, because it shows who is responsible, what will be built, what it costs and when payments and completion are due.
Only the total price and start date is wrong because it leaves out the scope, payment terms and contractor identification. Only the homeowner's name and project address is wrong because it says nothing about the work or the money. A list of all subcontractors and their insurance policies is wrong because it is not what most states require to be written into the contract itself.
The rule to remember: a sound contract identifies the parties, defines the work, and fixes price, payment and timing. Exact requirements vary by state, so check your own.
Start with the official material. Read the NARI page for the credential and the list of content areas, then compare it with the table above. Work out which areas you handle every day and which you rarely touch.
Next, take one practice set for each content area, starting with the areas you know least. Read the explanation for every answer, including the ones you got right, because the wrong options often show you how the exam tries to mislead. Keep a short list of the topics you miss, and go back to the NARI course or your own reference material for those.
Repeat the sets that gave you trouble, and aim to explain each answer in your own words rather than recognise it. Then take mixed practice from the main practice test so you get used to switching between topics, as the real exam does.
Because the exam runs for 4 hours, practise sitting for long stretches without breaks, with a timer. Before the exam period, confirm you plan to test by replying to the NARI email, and check that your phone camera and internet connection will work for the live proctor. Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions, so use them to find gaps, not to predict the exam.
The exam has 200 multiple-choice questions and a 4-hour time limit. It is taken online with a live remote proctor who monitors you through your cell phone camera. You can take it from home at any time during the exam period, which runs November 30 to December 13, 2026.
NARI does not publish a numeric passing score. Results are pass or fail only. If you pass, you are notified that you have completed the credentialing process, but no numeric score is given and exams are not returned for review. Results arrive within 30 days of the end of the exam period.
You must be employed by or own a firm that gets at least 90% of its sales from remodeling work. You also need 5 years of continuous remodeling experience and 16 hours of continuing education or the CR prep course. Check the NARI website for the current wording before you apply.
The certification fee is $600 for NARI members and $850 for non-members, and it includes your first exam attempt. Each additional attempt costs $50. The credential must be renewed annually, so renewal fees apply each year. Confirm current amounts on the NARI website, since fees can change.
The Certified Remodeler credential is valid for 1 year and must be renewed annually before it expires. NARI describes certification as an ongoing commitment. See the official NARI page for renewal steps and the renewal fee for members and non-members.
No. The questions on this site are written by us, using AI tools, to practise the content areas in the NARI outline. They are not real exam questions and do not predict what you will see. Use them to find topics you need to review, then go back to the official NARI material.
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.