Permanent book tabs and highlighting or underlining are allowed in books taken into Florida contractor examinations. Written notes are not. That is the rule, it is narrow, and it is worth reading twice, because some pages currently ranking on this exact question state the opposite.
Getting this wrong does not produce a warning. It produces a book you cannot use, on a morning you have paid for and waited for.
What the rule permits and forbids
| What you want to do | Allowed? |
|---|---|
| Permanent tabs marking sections | Yes |
| Highlighting passages | Yes |
| Underlining passages | Yes |
| Handwritten notes in margins | No |
| Formulas written on a blank page | No |
| Loose sheets tucked inside a book | No. Only approved references may enter the site |
| Printed material not on the approved list | No |
The line is between marking the reference and adding to it. Tabs and highlighting point at content that is already there. A note in a margin introduces content that is not. That is the distinction the rule is drawing, and it is a coherent one once you see it that way.
Why this rule is worth more than it looks
Given that the exams are open book and tightly timed, tabbing is not decoration. It is the mechanism that turns a pile of approved references into something usable at roughly three minutes a question.
A useful way to think about tabbing is that you are indexing by question type, not by chapter. The book’s own table of contents already organises by chapter, and that is not the axis you will be searching along under pressure. What you want is a tab that answers where do I go when the question is about this.
- Tab the tables you know you will need, not the chapters they sit in.
- Tab by the language the exam uses rather than the language the book uses, where those differ.
- Use fewer, better tabs. Forty tabs is a second index you also have to search.
- Highlight sparingly. A page that is entirely yellow contains no information about where to look.
What about pre-tabbed books?
Several prep companies sell professionally pre-tabbed and pre-highlighted versions of the approved references, and these are permitted, since tabs and highlighting are permitted regardless of who applied them.
Whether they are worth the premium is a genuine question rather than a rhetorical one. The case for is time saved and tabs designed by people who know the exam. The case against is that the act of tabbing is itself how many candidates learn where things are, and buying a finished product skips the part that does the learning.
If you buy pre-tabbed books, at minimum walk the tabs yourself before the exam so the map is in your head and not only on the page edges.
Confirm the current rules for your test date with Professional Testing, Inc. on 407-264-0562. Rules are set by the DBPR and can change, and a page written a year ago is not a reliable authority on what is permitted on your morning.
The mistake to avoid entirely
Do not write formulas anywhere in the book, however small, however much it feels like it should be fine because you could have highlighted the same formula on the previous page. Highlighting an existing formula is permitted. Writing one is not. Those two things feel equivalent and are not treated as equivalent.
For which books you are permitted to bring at all, see which books you can bring. For why the timing makes any of this matter, see how the open book format actually works.
Frequently asked questions
Can I highlight my Florida contractor exam books?
Yes. Highlighting and underlining are permitted in books taken into the examinations, as are permanent book tabs.
Can I write notes in my exam books?
No. Written notes are not allowed in books taken into Florida contractor examinations, even though tabs and highlighting are.
Are pre-tabbed books allowed?
Yes. Tabs and highlighting are permitted regardless of who applied them, and several prep companies sell professionally pre-tabbed and highlighted versions of approved references.
Can I bring loose notes or printed sheets?
No. Only approved reference materials may be brought to the examination site, and no other references are allowed.
Why are tabs allowed but notes are not?
The distinction is between marking content that is already in the approved reference and adding content that is not. Tabs and highlighting point at existing text. A written note introduces new material.
Who can confirm the current rules?
Professional Testing, Inc. administers the examinations and can be reached on 407-264-0562. Rules are set by the DBPR and can change, so confirm for your specific test date.
Exam rules, approved reference lists and fees are set by the Florida DBPR and change without notice. This page was verified in August 2026 and is rechecked regularly. Always confirm against the current DBPR reference list for your test date. We are independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by or approved by the Florida DBPR.
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