What is the NORMI Certified Mold Remediator (CMR) exam?

It is a two-hour proctored knowledge exam administered by NORMI for professionals who perform mold remediation. It covers mold and building science, remediation techniques, containment, PPE, sampling, post-remediation verification, and licensing law, and is aligned to Florida's MRSR license under Chapter 468, Part XVI.

Do I have to take a course before sitting the exam?

Training is not strictly required to take the exam, which can be challenged on its own, but NORMI strongly recommends its course. The credential itself requires at least 24 hours of mold-remediation education covering assessment, mold, moisture, and respiratory protection, which also satisfies Florida's licensing education requirement.

What passing score and format should I expect?

The exam is a two-hour proctored test (available onsite or online) with a passing standard of approximately 70%. It uses multiple-choice and scenario-style knowledge questions covering the full remediation body of knowledge.

How does the NORMI CMR relate to Florida's mold license?

NORMI is DBPR-approved and its remediator training and exam align with Florida's Mold-Related Services Remediator (MRSR) license. Florida law (Chapter 468, Part XVI) regulates mold assessment and remediation exceeding 10 square feet and prohibits the same party from both assessing and remediating the same project within the restricted period.

What size thresholds drive PPE and containment decisions?

Following EPA guidance, areas under 10 square feet use minimum PPE (N-95, gloves, goggles); 10-100 square feet use limited containment with a half- or full-face P100 air-purifying respirator; and over 100 square feet require full containment with a decontamination chamber and a PAPR or full-face respirator.

Is killing the mold with a biocide enough to pass clearance?

No. Under the IICRC S520 standard, the objective is physical source removal because dead spores, fragments, and mycotoxins remain allergenic. EPA does not recommend routine biocide use; remediation must remove the contamination and correct the moisture source, then pass independent clearance.

How often must a Florida mold license be renewed?

Florida mold assessor and remediator licenses renew on a two-year (biennial) cycle and require continuing education to stay active. Maintaining the NORMI credential also involves active membership.

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NORMI Certified Mold Assessor (CMA)

Practice Questions100 questions

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: NORMI CMR Exam

2 hours

Proctored Exam Time

NORMI

~70%

Passing Score

NORMI

24 hours

Required Education

NORMI / Florida DBPR

10 sq ft

FL Regulated Threshold

Florida Statutes Ch. 468, Part XVI

99.97% at 0.3 micron

HEPA Filtration Standard

IICRC S520 / EPA

100/10 sq ft

EPA PPE & Containment Thresholds

US EPA Mold Guidance

The NORMI Certified Mold Remediator (CMR) is a trades credential for professionals who remove mold from buildings. The two-hour proctored exam (onsite or online, pass ~70%) covers mold and microbial science (growth requirements, water activity, indicator species like Stachybotrys, and allergenic/pathogenic/toxigenic effects), moisture and building science (psychrometrics, dew point, HVAC humidity control, structural drying), remediation techniques (NORMI 33-step process, limited vs. full containment, negative pressure and air changes, HEPA filtration at 99.97% of 0.3-micron particles, source removal under IICRC S520, antimicrobials), PPE and respiratory protection (EPA 10/100 sq ft thresholds for N-95, P100 APR, and PAPR; OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134 and 1910.1200), sampling and assessment (spore traps with outdoor controls, surface/bulk sampling, moisture mapping), post-remediation verification, and Florida Chapter 468 Part XVI licensing law including the s. 468.8419 conflict-of-interest rule and biennial renewal. The credential requires 24 hours of education and aligns with Florida's MRSR license.

Sample NORMI CMR Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your NORMI CMR exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1To inhibit indoor mold growth, EPA's guidance "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home" recommends keeping the indoor relative humidity below what level?

A.30%

B.50%

C.60%

D.80%

Explanation: EPA recommends keeping indoor relative humidity below 60% (ideally 30-50%) because most mold species cannot sustain growth on building surfaces when humidity stays under that threshold.

2Stachybotrys chartarum (so-called "black mold") is most significant to a remediator because it is primarily classified as which category of biological hazard?

A.Allergenic only

B.Toxigenic (mycotoxin-producing)

C.Pathogenic, causing systemic infection in healthy adults

D.Non-hazardous saprophyte

Explanation: Stachybotrys chartarum is a toxigenic mold that can produce mycotoxins (such as trichothecenes) under chronic wet conditions, which is why its presence on a spore trap or tape lift is treated as a marker of significant water damage.

3Mold organisms reproduce and spread through buildings primarily by means of which structure?

A.Spores

B.Roots (mycelial taproots)

C.Live larvae

D.Seeds

Explanation: Fungi reproduce by releasing microscopic spores that travel through the air and germinate when they land on a damp organic surface; controlling spore dispersal during demolition is a core reason for containment.

4On a non-viable spore-trap (e.g., Air-O-Cell) laboratory report, two common genera are routinely reported together as a single combined count. Which pair is this?

A.Stachybotrys/Chaetomium

B.Alternaria/Cladosporium

C.Aspergillus/Penicillium

D.Basidiospores/Ascospores

Explanation: Aspergillus and Penicillium spores are small, round, and morphologically indistinguishable under the light microscopy used for non-viable spore-trap analysis, so labs report them combined as "Aspergillus/Penicillium-like."

5A remediator notes that Stachybotrys is found only on chronically saturated materials while Penicillium/Aspergillus often colonize merely humid surfaces. This difference is explained by which property?

A.Spore color

B.Optimal growth temperature

C.Sensitivity to ultraviolet light

D.Required water activity (aw)

Explanation: Different fungi require different water activity (aw) to germinate. Stachybotrys is hydrophilic and needs high aw (sustained free water), whereas Aspergillus and Penicillium are more xerophilic and grow at lower water activity such as elevated humidity alone.

6Mold growth requires moisture, oxygen, a suitable temperature, and an organic food source. Which of these is the factor a remediator can most practically and permanently control to prevent regrowth?

A.Moisture

B.Oxygen

C.Temperature

D.Organic food source

Explanation: Because oxygen, normal indoor temperatures, and cellulose-based building materials are essentially always present, controlling the moisture source is the only practical, lasting way to prevent mold from returning after remediation.

7Under the IICRC S520 Standard, an area classified as Condition 2 contamination refers to:

A.A normal fungal ecology with no abnormal growth

B.Settled spores/fragments dispersed (cross-contamination) from a Condition 3 source, without actual growth

C.Actual active mold growth visible on surfaces

D.A structure that has been demolished to the studs

Explanation: IICRC S520 defines Condition 1 as normal fungal ecology, Condition 2 as an indirect/settled contamination (spores and fragments that have migrated from a Condition 3 source but without actual growth), and Condition 3 as actual mold growth.

8During an assessment a remediator suspects hidden mold. Which location is LEAST likely to harbor concealed growth that justifies invasive investigation?

A.Behind vinyl wallpaper on an exterior wall

B.Inside HVAC supply ductwork and drain pans

C.Under carpet padding over a slab

D.On the exposed exterior brick veneer in full sun

Explanation: Sun-exposed exterior brick dries quickly and is not an enclosed, chronically damp cavity. Concealed mold is far more likely behind vapor-impermeable finishes, inside ducts/drain pans, and beneath carpet padding where moisture is trapped.

9According to EPA mold remediation guidance, a contaminated area of LESS than 10 contiguous square feet (a "small" job) calls for what minimum level of respiratory protection?

A.No respirator is needed

B.A loose-fitting PAPR

C.An N-95 disposable respirator

D.A supplied-air (airline) respirator

Explanation: EPA guidance specifies that for small jobs (under 10 sq ft), minimum PPE includes an N-95 respirator along with gloves and eye protection; higher-level protection is reserved for larger areas.

10A HEPA filter used in air scrubbers and negative-air machines is defined by its ability to capture at least what percentage of particles at the most-penetrating 0.3-micron size?

A.99.97%

B.95.00%

C.85.00%

D.99.99999%

Explanation: True HEPA filtration removes a minimum of 99.97% of particles at 0.3 microns (the most-penetrating particle size), which captures mold spores and most fragments and is required for compliant air scrubbing and HEPA vacuuming.

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