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100+ Free VA DRY QI Practice Questions

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Key Facts: VA DRY QI Exam

USD 85

PSI QI Specialty Fee

DPOR Board for Contractors / PSI Specialty CIB

Open Book

Book Policy

PSI Specialty CIB

DRY

Official Specialty Abbreviation

18VAC50-22-30

QI exam required

Technical Examination

DPOR A501-27EXINFO 09/01/2025

Virginia Drywall Contracting Qualified Individual Examination is the official DPOR/PSI specialty exam for the DRY specialty (18VAC50-22-30). PSI fee is USD 85. Official item count is on the PSI specialty outline.

Sample VA DRY QI Practice Questions

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

1Under 18VAC50-22-30, Virginia Drywall Contracting (DRY) means the service that provides for which of the following?
A.Installation, taping, and finishing of drywall, gypsum wallboard panels and assemblies, sheathing, and cementitious board, plus sheet-metal studs for ceilings and nonstructural partitions
B.Installation of load-bearing wood studs, roof trusses, and structural headers, then hanging gypsum board
C.Painting, wallcovering, and application of exterior insulation finish systems over any substrate
D.Setting ceramic tile, marble, and terrazzo as the primary contracted trade
Explanation: 18VAC50-22-30 defines Drywall Contracting (DRY) as installation, taping, and finishing of drywall, panels and assemblies of gypsum wallboard, sheathing, and cementitious board, and the installation of sheet-metal studs for ceiling framing and nonstructural partitioning. The definition is the scope line the Qualified Individual exam tests. Work outside that sentence belongs to another Virginia classification or specialty.
2A Virginia DRY contractor may install sheet-metal studs only for which application?
A.Load-bearing exterior walls that support floor joists
B.Structural wood-framed bearing partitions
C.Framing of ceilings and nonstructural partitioning
D.Roof trusses and structural steel moment frames
Explanation: The DRY definition expressly limits metal-stud work to framing of ceilings and nonstructural partitioning. Nonstructural (nonload-bearing) partitions carry their own weight and attached finishes, not building gravity or lateral loads. Structural or wood bearing framing is outside DRY.
3Besides a DRY specialty license, which Virginia Board for Contractors classifications or specialties also provide the drywall function?
A.ESC, FAS, and SPR only
B.CBC, RBC, HIC, and CIC
C.PTC and TCT only
D.H/H and EMC only
Explanation: 18VAC50-22-30 states that the Commercial Building Contractor (CBC) and Residential Building Contractor (RBC) classifications and the Home Improvement Contracting (HIC) and Commercial Improvement Contracting (CIC) specialties also provide the drywall function. A firm holding one of those broader credentials may perform DRY work without a separate DRY specialty. A DRY-only firm may not claim the broader building or improvement scopes.
4Is installation of cementitious board (cement board) within the Virginia DRY specialty?
A.No. Cement board may be installed only by a tile, marble, ceramic, and terrazzo contractor
B.No. Cement board is classified as masonry
C.Yes, but only when the cement board is used as a structural floor diaphragm
D.Yes. The DRY definition includes installation of cementitious board
Explanation: The DRY definition lists cementitious board with gypsum wallboard and sheathing. A DRY contractor may hang cement board as a substrate. Setting the finish tile, marble, or terrazzo on that board is a different specialty.
5A customer asks a DRY-only firm to frame a load-bearing wood partition that will support a second-floor joist bearing line, then hang and finish gypsum board. What is the correct scope decision?
A.The firm may frame the wood bearing wall because gypsum will be applied to it
B.The firm may install the gypsum board and finish, but the load-bearing wood framing is outside DRY and must be done by a properly classified contractor
C.The firm may do the entire job if the studs are 2x4s at 16 inches on center
D.The firm may do the entire job if a licensed engineer stamps the wall
Explanation: DRY covers gypsum and cement-board work and sheet-metal studs for nonstructural partitions and ceilings. Load-bearing wood framing is structural carpentry, not DRY. The drywall firm can hang and finish after a properly licensed contractor frames the bearing wall.
6After a DRY crew finishes gypsum to a Level 4, the owner wants the same firm to prime, paint, and hang vinyl wallcovering. Under Virginia specialty definitions, that finish work is:
A.Automatically included because taping and finishing means painting
B.Included if the paint is flat and the wallcovering is fabric
C.Outside DRY; painting and wallcovering is a separate specialty
D.Included only on residential jobs under USD 10,000
Explanation: DRY finishing means joint treatment of gypsum and cementitious panels, not decorative painting or wallcovering. Virginia lists painting and wallcovering as its own specialty. A DRY firm should not bid prime-paint-wallcovering as DRY work.
7Which metal-framing task is outside the Virginia DRY specialty?
A.Installing 25-gauge 3-5/8 inch studs for an 8-foot office partition that carries no building load
B.Installing sheet-metal ceiling framing to receive screw-attached gypsum board
C.Installing structural (load-bearing) cold-formed steel studs that support floor or roof loads
D.Installing nonstructural metal furring to receive interior gypsum panels
Explanation: DRY metal-stud authority stops at ceilings and nonstructural partitioning. Structural or load-bearing cold-formed steel is specified and installed under structural-steel or building classifications, not DRY. Light-gauge nonstructural studs, ceiling framing, and furring that only support gypsum are the DRY metal-work set.
8A DRY contract includes hanging gypsum, embedding tape, applying joint compound, installing corner bead, and sanding to the specified level of finish. Is that taping and finishing work inside the DRY specialty?
A.Yes. Taping and finishing are named in the DRY definition
B.No. Joint treatment may be done only by a painting contractor
C.Only the hanging is DRY; tape and mud require a separate finish license
D.Only if the compound is setting-type
Explanation: 18VAC50-22-30 names installation, taping, and finishing. Beads, tape, compound, and sanding to the specified GA-214 level are the finishing half of DRY. Compound chemistry does not change who may do the work.
9On a tenant-improvement job, the architect shows a full-height metal-stud wall that supports a mezzanine beam at midspan. The wall is sheathed with gypsum. How should a DRY Qualified Individual treat that wall?
A.As a DRY wall, because it uses metal studs and gypsum
B.As a DRY wall if 20-gauge studs are used
C.As a structural (load-bearing) wall outside DRY metal-stud authority, even though gypsum will be hung on it
D.As a DRY wall if the beam reaction is less than 2,000 pounds
Explanation: Supporting a mezzanine beam makes the wall load-bearing. DRY allows sheet-metal studs only for ceilings and nonstructural partitioning. Gauge, gypsum sheathing, and an arbitrary load number do not convert a bearing wall into a DRY partition. A building or structural classification must frame it; DRY can still hang non-structural finishes if hired for that portion only.
10Which exterior-related task is inside DRY, and which is not?
A.Installing gypsum sheathing is inside DRY; designing and installing a complete EIFS cladding system is not
B.Installing gypsum sheathing and a complete EIFS system are both inside DRY
C.Neither gypsum sheathing nor cement board is inside DRY because they are exterior products
D.Installing structural plywood shear panels is inside DRY if gypsum is applied over them
Explanation: The DRY definition includes sheathing and cementitious board, so hanging exterior gypsum sheathing is in scope. A complete exterior insulation finish system is a cladding/finish system, not named in DRY. Structural wood shear panels are structural framing/sheathing, not DRY work.

About the VA DRY QI Exam

The Virginia Drywall Contracting Qualified Individual Examination is the official PSI technical examination for the DRY specialty. 18VAC50-22-30 defines the specialty as installation, taping, and finishing of drywall, gypsum assemblies, sheathing, and cementitious board, and installation of sheet-metal studs for ceilings and nonstructural partitioning. The PSI specialty examination fee is USD 85. The examination is open book. Official scored item count, time, and passing score appear on the PSI specialty content outline. This bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation. It does not replace required trade experience, pre-license education, board approval, or the official examination.

Assessment

Computer-based open-book multiple-choice Qualified Individual examination for the DRY specialty. Official 18VAC50-22-30 scope: installation, taping, and finishing of drywall, gypsum assemblies, sheathing, and cementitious board, and installation of sheet-metal studs for ceilings and nonstructural partitioning.

Time Limit

90 minutes

Passing Score

70% (28 of 40 correct)

Exam Fee

USD 85 (PSI Services (for the Virginia Board for Contractors / DPOR))

VA DRY QI Exam Content Outline

study

DRY Scope

DRY Scope within the official DRY specialty definition

study

Gypsum Assemblies

Gypsum Assemblies within the official DRY specialty definition

study

Metal Stud Framing

Metal Stud Framing within the official DRY specialty definition

study

Taping and Finish Levels

Taping and Finish Levels within the official DRY specialty definition

study

Jobsite Safety

Jobsite Safety within the official DRY specialty definition

How to Pass the VA DRY QI Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 70% (28 of 40 correct)
  • Assessment: Computer-based open-book multiple-choice Qualified Individual examination for the DRY specialty. Official 18VAC50-22-30 scope: installation, taping, and finishing of drywall, gypsum assemblies, sheathing, and cementitious board, and installation of sheet-metal studs for ceilings and nonstructural partitioning.
  • Time limit: 90 minutes
  • Exam fee: USD 85

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

VA DRY QI Study Tips from Top Performers

1Study the official 18VAC50-22-30 DRY specialty definition
2Use the PSI specialty content outline and listed references
3Permanent tabs are allowed in listed code books; study guides are not permitted in the PSI center
4This bank is an English-language MCQ study aid, not an official PSI form

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the Virginia DRY Qualified Individual exam?

The DPOR-approved PSI specialty content outline lists 40 scored questions, 90 minutes, and a minimum passing score of 70% (28 of 40 correct). PSI may also administer 5 to 10 unscored experimental items. Those numbers are published on the individual specialty content outline linked from the Contractor Specialty Examination CIB, not in the main bulletin.

How much does the Virginia DRY QI exam cost?

PSI charges USD 85 for a Qualified Individual specialty examination (DPOR Board for Contractors page and PSI Specialty CIB).

What work does a Virginia DRY specialty cover?

18VAC50-22-30 defines this specialty as installation, taping, and finishing of drywall, gypsum assemblies, sheathing, and cementitious board, and installation of sheet-metal studs for ceilings and nonstructural partitioning.

Is this practice bank the official PSI exam?

No. This is an English-language multiple-choice study adaptation. It is not an official translation, format simulation, or substitute for the PSI examination or required field experience.