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100+ Free NV A-7 Excavating and Grading Practice Questions

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: NV A-7 Excavating and Grading Exam

40 Q

Official Exam Questions

PSI Nevada Contractor CIB updated 3/25/2026

70%

Passing Score

PSI Nevada Contractor CIB updated 3/25/2026

1.5 hours

Time Allowed

PSI Nevada Contractor CIB updated 3/25/2026

USD 95

PSI Exam Fee (one portion)

PSI Nevada Contractor CIB updated 3/25/2026

Closed Book

Book Policy

PSI Nevada Contractor CIB updated 3/25/2026

Nevada A-7 Excavating and Grading Contractor Examination is the official NSCB/PSI closed book exam: 40 questions, 70% (28 of 40 points), 1.5 hours, USD 95 (bulletin 291, updated 3/25/2026). Official delivery: English.

Sample NV A-7 Excavating and Grading Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your NV A-7 Excavating and Grading exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In earthwork measurement, what is the difference among bank, loose, and compacted cubic yards?
A.Bank, loose, and compacted yards are always the same volume for any soil
B.Bank is in-place undisturbed soil, loose is after excavation or loading, and compacted is after the soil is densified in the fill
C.Loose yards are measured only on rock; bank yards apply only to asphalt
D.Compacted yards are always larger than bank yards because rollers add air
Explanation: Bank cubic yards (BCY) measure soil in its natural, in-place condition. Excavation breaks the soil structure so the same mass occupies more space as loose cubic yards (LCY) in the bucket or truck. After placement and rolling, the fill occupies compacted cubic yards (CCY), which are usually less than the original bank volume. Nevada A-7 takeoffs fail if those three states are mixed.
2How many cubic feet are in one cubic yard when converting an excavation volume to cubic yards?
A.9 cubic feet
B.12 cubic feet
C.27 cubic feet
D.36 cubic feet
Explanation: A cubic yard is 3 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet, which is 27 cubic feet. Divide a length-width-depth product in feet by 27 to obtain cubic yards. Using 9 or 36 is a common closed-book error that throws every cut, fill, and trench quantity off by a large factor.
3A rectangular cut is 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 4 feet deep. What is the bank volume in cubic yards?
A.300 cubic yards
B.333 cubic yards
C.400 cubic yards
D.1080 cubic yards
Explanation: Volume = 90 ft × 30 ft × 4 ft = 10800 cubic feet. Divide by 27 to convert to cubic yards: 10800 / 27 = 400 cubic yards. That 400 cy is bank measure of the hole; swell must still be applied before you size trucks.
4A utility trench is 270 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 5 feet deep with vertical sides. What is the excavated bank volume?
A.50 cubic yards
B.100 cubic yards
C.150 cubic yards
D.270 cubic yards
Explanation: Trench volume = 270 ft × 3 ft × 5 ft = 4050 cubic feet. 4050 / 27 = 150 cubic yards bank. If the trench is sloped, use the average of top and bottom widths instead of the 3-foot vertical width.
5A cut contains 800 bank cubic yards of common earth that swells 25 percent when excavated. How many loose cubic yards must be hauled?
A.600 loose cubic yards
B.800 loose cubic yards
C.1000 loose cubic yards
D.1200 loose cubic yards
Explanation: Loose volume = bank volume × (1 + swell). 800 BCY × 1.25 = 1000 LCY. The trucks must be sized for 1000 loose yards, not the 800-yard hole. Forgetting swell under-orders trucks and overstates production.
6A Nevada pad must contain 1000 compacted cubic yards. The borrow shrinks 15 percent from bank to compacted. How many bank cubic yards should be excavated?
A.850 bank cubic yards
B.1000 bank cubic yards
C.1150 bank cubic yards
D.1176 bank cubic yards
Explanation: Compacted volume = bank volume × (1 − shrink), so bank = compacted / (1 − shrink). 1000 / 0.85 = 1176 BCY. You must over-excavate relative to the finished fill because rolling reduces volume. Ordering only 1000 BCY leaves the pad short.
7A job will haul 1260 loose cubic yards. Each truck legally carries 14 loose cubic yards. How many truck loads are required?
A.80 loads
B.90 loads
C.100 loads
D.126 loads
Explanation: Loads = 1260 LCY / 14 LCY per truck = 90 loads. Always use loose capacity for trucking, not bank yards. Round any remainder up; a partial load still needs a truck.
8Load factor used in earthmoving production is defined as:
A.Loose volume divided by bank volume
B.Bank volume divided by loose volume, equal to 1 / (1 + swell)
C.Compacted volume divided by loose volume only
D.Truck empty weight divided by payload
Explanation: Load factor converts a truck or bucket's loose capacity back to bank yards: LF = BCY / LCY = 1 / (1 + swell). A 25 percent swell gives LF = 1 / 1.25 = 0.80. Multiply heaped loose capacity by the load factor to get bank production.
9A scraper is rated 18 loose cubic yards heaped. The material has a load factor of 0.80. How many bank cubic yards does one heaped load represent?
A.18.0 bank cubic yards
B.14.4 bank cubic yards
C.22.5 bank cubic yards
D.8.0 bank cubic yards
Explanation: Bank yards per load = loose capacity × load factor = 18 × 0.80 = 14.4 BCY. Production in bank yards per hour is then 14.4 times the number of cycles per hour. Using 18 BCY overstates output by 25 percent.
10Two adjacent cross sections of a roadway cut have end areas of 40 square feet and 60 square feet. The stations are 135 feet apart. Using the average-end-area method, what is the volume?
A.185 cubic yards
B.250 cubic yards
C.500 cubic yards
D.675 cubic yards
Explanation: Average end area = (40 + 60) / 2 = 50 square feet. Volume = 50 sf × 135 ft = 6750 cubic feet. 6750 / 27 = 250 cubic yards. Average-end-area is the standard earthwork method on Nevada roadway and pad jobs when sections are taken at regular stations.

About the NV A-7 Excavating and Grading Exam

The Nevada A-7 Excavating and Grading Contractor Examination is the official Nevada State Contractors Board trade or management examination administered by PSI Services LLC. The official exam has 40 scored questions. Passing is 70% (28 of 40 points) in 1.5 hours. The examination is closed book. PSI lists USD 95 for one examination portion and USD 140 if taken with CMS; otherwise USD 95 per trade exam (Candidate Information Bulletin updated 3/25/2026). NSCB requires a separate CMS examination for most new applicants, plus a USD 300 application fee and a USD 600 biennial license fee. This English-language MCQ bank is a study aid, not an official PSI form. It does not replace required trade experience, board approval, fingerprints, bonding, or the official examination.

Assessment

Closed Book computer-based multiple-choice. See the current PSI Nevada contractor bulletin for allowed and closed-book references.

Time Limit

1.5 hours

Passing Score

70% (28 of 40 points)

Exam Fee

USD 95 (PSI Services LLC (for the Nevada State Contractors Board))

NV A-7 Excavating and Grading Exam Content Outline

45%

Earthwork Construction

Excavation, grading, and compaction (18 items)

30%

Tools and Equipment

Earthmoving tools and equipment (12 items)

18%

Safety

OSHA excavation and equipment safety (7 items)

8%

Nevada One-Call

Nevada One-Call / 811 (3 items)

How to Pass the NV A-7 Excavating and Grading Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 70% (28 of 40 points)
  • Assessment: Closed Book computer-based multiple-choice. See the current PSI Nevada contractor bulletin for allowed and closed-book references.
  • Time limit: 1.5 hours
  • Exam fee: USD 95

Keys to Passing

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

NV A-7 Excavating and Grading Study Tips from Top Performers

1Distribute study time to the official bulletin 291 content outline (updated 3/25/2026)
2Use only the PSI-listed references; temporary tabs such as Post-it notes are prohibited
3Confirm NSCB experience documentation before scheduling with PSI
4This bank is an English-language MCQ study aid, not an official PSI form

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the Nevada A-7 Excavating and Grading Contractor Examination?

The official PSI examination has 40 scored questions. Passing is 70% (28 of 40 points) within 1.5 hours (Candidate Information Bulletin 291, updated 3/25/2026).

How much does the NV A-7 Excavating and Grading exam cost?

PSI lists USD 95 for one examination portion. Two portions cost USD 140 only if the second portion is CMS. NSCB charges a separate USD 300 application fee and USD 600 biennial license fee.

Is the NV A-7 Excavating and Grading exam open book?

No. PSI lists this examination as closed book. Study the bulletin reference list before the appointment; those books are not allowed in the center.

Do I still need the CMS examination?

CMS is the required Nevada business-and-law examination. Most new applicants must pass CMS and a trade examination for the requested classification. In most cases you will not retake an exam if you have actively served as a qualified employee in the same classification within the last four years.