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Exam Review

Key Facts: NC Phase W Exam

100

Practice Questions

OpenExamPrep

70%

Passing Score

NCDA&CS

$28 + $53

Core + Phase W Exam Fees

NCDA&CS

5 years

Certification Period

NCDA&CS

WDIR-100

Official NC Report Form

NCDA&CS

2 years

Experience for License

NCDA&CS

North Carolina Structural Pest Control Phase W is the wood-destroying organism (WDO) category administered by the NCDA&CS Structural Pest Control and Pesticides Division. To earn a Certified Applicator card you must pass the Core exam ($28) and the Phase W exam ($53 per attempt), each requiring a score of 70% or more; a full Structural Pest Control License additionally requires two years of Phase W experience. Phase W covers controlling termites, powderpost beetles, old house borers, carpenter ants, and decay fungi by methods other than fumigation, plus completing the official Wood-Destroying Insect Information Report (Form WDIR-100). NCDA&CS administers the exams as multiple-choice but does not publish a fixed question count or time limit. This free prep includes 100 research-based practice questions with explanations and an AI tutor.

Sample NC Phase W Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the NC Phase W exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which caste of a subterranean termite colony is responsible for foraging, feeding nestmates, and constructing mud tubes?
A.Soldiers
B.Workers
C.Alates (swarmers)
D.The primary queen
Explanation: Workers are the most numerous caste in a subterranean termite colony. They are cream-colored, wingless, and sterile, and they do nearly all the colony labor: foraging for cellulose, feeding the soldiers and reproductives, caring for young, and building the mud (shelter) tubes that protect them above ground.
2Mud tubes (shelter tubes) running up a foundation wall are the classic sign of which wood-destroying organism?
A.Drywood termites
B.Subterranean termites
C.Old house borers
D.Carpenter bees
Explanation: Subterranean termites must maintain contact with soil moisture, so they build mud tubes of soil, saliva, and fecal material to bridge from the ground to wood above grade. These shelter tubes protect them from drying out and from predators, and finding them is a primary indicator of subterranean termite activity during a WDIR.
3How do drywood termites differ from subterranean termites in their moisture and soil requirements?
A.Drywood termites require constant soil contact and high moisture
B.Drywood termites live within the wood and need no soil contact or external moisture
C.Both require mud tubes to stay hydrated
D.Drywood termites build the largest mud tubes
Explanation: Drywood termites obtain enough moisture from the wood itself and from metabolic water, so they live entirely inside sound, dry wood without any soil connection. Because they do not need soil moisture they build no mud tubes; instead they push out distinctive six-sided fecal pellets through small 'kick-out' holes.
4A winged termite swarmer (alate) can be distinguished from a winged ant by which feature?
A.A pinched (narrow) waist and bent antennae
B.A broad waist, straight bead-like antennae, and four equal-length wings
C.Wings of clearly unequal length
D.A hardened, shiny exoskeleton with elbowed antennae
Explanation: Termite alates have a thick, straight-sided body with no pinched waist, straight bead-like (moniliform) antennae, and two pairs of wings that are equal in length. Winged ants, by contrast, have a constricted waist, elbowed antennae, and forewings longer than the hindwings. This distinction is essential during inspections.
5In North Carolina, the most economically important wood-destroying insect attacking structures is the:
A.Drywood termite
B.Eastern subterranean termite (Reticulitermes)
C.Carpenter bee
D.Formosan termite, which is the only termite present
Explanation: The eastern subterranean termite, genus Reticulitermes, is the dominant and most destructive wood-destroying insect across North Carolina. Subterranean termites cause the large majority of termite damage in the state, which is why the WDIR focuses heavily on conditions conducive to subterranean termites.
6Small piles of six-sided, sawdust-like fecal pellets near tiny holes in finished wood are characteristic evidence of:
A.Subterranean termites
B.Drywood termites
C.Wood-decay fungi
D.Carpenter ants
Explanation: Drywood termites push their hard, six-sided fecal pellets (frass) out of kick-out holes, producing small piles beneath infested wood. Because they live within dry wood and need no soil contact, these pellet piles, rather than mud tubes, are the key sign of drywood termite activity.
7Which insect is correctly described as tunneling in wood to nest but NOT actually eating the wood for food?
A.Subterranean termite
B.Carpenter ant
C.Powderpost beetle
D.Old house borer
Explanation: Carpenter ants excavate galleries in wood to create nesting space but do not consume wood as food; they feed on insects and sugary substances. Their smooth, clean galleries and the coarse sawdust-like frass they push out distinguish them from termites, which actually digest the cellulose in wood.
8Very fine, flour-like powder sifting from tiny round holes in seasoned hardwood flooring or trim is typical of:
A.Old house borers
B.Powderpost beetles (Lyctidae)
C.Subterranean termites
D.Carpenter bees
Explanation: Lyctid powderpost beetles attack the sapwood of seasoned hardwoods such as oak, ash, and hickory. Their larvae reduce the wood interior to a fine, talc-like powder (frass) that sifts out through small round exit holes, which is the classic diagnostic sign of a powderpost beetle infestation.
9The old house borer (Hylotrupes bajulus) primarily attacks which type of wood?
A.Seasoned hardwood like oak
B.Seasoned softwood such as pine and fir
C.Only wood in soil contact
D.Plywood adhesives only
Explanation: The old house borer attacks seasoned softwoods, especially pine and other conifers commonly used as structural framing. Larvae tunnel for years, producing oval exit holes about 1/4 inch wide and a gritty, sausage-shaped frass; a rasping or ticking sound from feeding larvae is sometimes audible.
10Carpenter bees are most often identified on a structure by:
A.Mud tubes on the foundation
B.Perfectly round entrance holes about 1/2 inch in diameter, often in eaves, fascia, and decking, with yellowish staining below
C.Fine flour-like powder from hardwood floors
D.Soft, crumbling, discolored wood
Explanation: Female carpenter bees excavate nearly perfectly round entrance holes roughly 1/2 inch in diameter in unfinished or weathered softwood such as eaves, fascia boards, railings, and decking. Coarse sawdust and yellowish fecal staining are often visible beneath the hole. They do not eat wood; they tunnel to nest.

About the NC Phase W Exam

North Carolina Phase W certifies applicators to control wood-destroying organisms (termites, powderpost beetles, old house borers, carpenter ants, and decay fungi) by methods other than fumigation. Candidates pass the NCDA&CS Core exam plus the Phase W exam, each requiring 70% to pass, and Phase W work includes completing the Wood-Destroying Insect Information Report (Form WDIR-100).

Exam sponsor: North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS), Structural Pest Control and Pesticides Division. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Closed-book multiple-choice Core exam plus the Phase W phase exam administered by NCDA&CS; 70% to pass each. This practice bank is 100 selected-response items covering Phase W and Core safety content.

Time Limit

Not published by NCDA&CS

Passing Score

70%

Exam / Certification Fees

$28 Core exam; $53 per attempt for the CA-level Phase W exam ($50 per attempt for the License-level Phase W exam)

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

30%

Termite & WDO Identification

Subterranean, drywood, and Formosan termites; powderpost beetles, old house borers, carpenter ants and bees; wood-decay fungi; castes, swarmers vs ants, mud tubes, frass, and damage patterns

20%

Soil & Bait Treatments

Liquid soil barriers, repellent vs non-repellent termiticides, label rates, trenching/rodding, pre/post-construction treatment, baiting systems, IGRs, and borates

20%

WDIR & Structural Inspection

Completing the WDIR-100, active vs previous evidence, conditions conducive to subterranean termites, accessible vs inaccessible areas, and the visual-only, non-warranty nature of the report

13%

NC Structural Pest Control Act

NCDA&CS licensing/certification, Phase W scope, 70% passing score, five-year certification, two-year experience for licensure, FIFRA/NC Pesticide Law, and recordkeeping

17%

Pesticide Safety

Signal words and LD50, exposure routes and PPE, label-as-law, first aid, storage/triple-rinse disposal, back-siphon and water protection, spill response, IPM, and hygiene

Preparing for the NC Phase W Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 70%
  • Assessment: Closed-book multiple-choice Core exam plus the Phase W phase exam administered by NCDA&CS; 70% to pass each. This practice bank is 100 selected-response items covering Phase W and Core safety content.
  • Time limit: Not published by NCDA&CS
  • Exam / certification fees: $28 Core exam; $53 per attempt for the CA-level Phase W exam ($50 per attempt for the License-level Phase W exam) Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

NC Phase W: Suggested Study Strategy

1Master the diagnostic signs: subterranean termites = mud tubes, drywood = six-sided pellets, powderpost beetles = fine powder, carpenter bees = round 1/2-inch holes
2Memorize the conditions conducive to subterranean termites that must be reported on the WDIR: wood-soil contact, cellulose debris, and 20% or greater wood moisture
3Know the soil barrier label rates: about 4 gallons per 10 linear feet per foot of depth (vertical) and roughly 1 gallon per 10 square feet (horizontal under-slab)
4Understand repellent vs non-repellent termiticides and how baits with insect growth regulators suppress the colony over time
5Remember that the WDIR-100 is a visual report of accessible areas at one point in time, not a warranty against future infestation
6Complete all 100 practice questions and review every miss with the AI tutor before sitting the exam

Frequently Asked Questions

What does North Carolina Phase W certification cover?

Phase W covers the control of wood-destroying organisms such as termites, powderpost beetles, old house borers, carpenter ants, and decay fungi by methods other than fumigation. It also covers completing the Wood-Destroying Insect Information Report (Form WDIR-100) for real-estate transactions.

What score do I need to pass the NC Phase W exam?

You need a score of 70% or more on both the Core exam and the Phase W exam to receive a Certified Applicator identification card in Phase W from NCDA&CS. Both tests are multiple-choice.

How much does the NC Phase W exam cost?

The Core exam fee is $28. Each attempt of the CA-level Phase W exam is $53, while each attempt of the License-level Phase W exam is $50. License candidates also document two years of Phase W experience.

How many questions are on the NC Phase W exam?

NCDA&CS administers the Core and Phase W exams as multiple-choice tests but does not publish a fixed question count or time limit. Our practice bank provides 100 research-based questions across all Phase W and Core safety topics.

What is the WDIR-100 and who can complete it?

The WDIR-100 is North Carolina's official Wood-Destroying Insect Information Report, used to report the visible presence or absence of wood-destroying insects in a structure for sale. It must be completed by individuals and companies licensed/certified by the NCDA&CS Structural Pest Control Division, and it is a visual inspection, not a warranty.

Is this free NC Phase W practice as good as paid prep?

Our 100 practice questions cover Phase W identification, treatments, the WDIR-100, NC law, and pesticide safety, each with a teaching explanation plus free daily AI tutor interactions. All content is free forever and updated for 2026.