[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":94},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-question-maryland-contractor-simulator-final-exam-prep":3},{"site":4,"simulation":15,"topic":23,"question":26,"siblings":54,"prev":92,"next":93},{"name":5,"tagline":6,"title":7,"description":8,"guideTitle":9,"guideDescription":10,"ogImage":11,"disclaimer":12,"practicePitch":13,"citationsTitle":14},"Free MHIC Training","Maryland home improvement exam prep","Free MHIC Exam Prep: Maryland Home Improvement Contractor Practice","Free, narrated MHIC exam prep: 147 real Maryland contractor scenarios, every choice explained, with the law cited where it applies.","MHIC Exam Study Guide","Every scenario in the free Maryland Contractor Simulator, written out as a practice question: the situation, your options, how each choice plays out, and the Maryland law where it applies.","/og/free-mhic-training.png","Free MHIC Training is free study material for the Maryland home improvement contractor exam. It is not affiliated with the Maryland Home Improvement Commission and is not legal advice.","The free Maryland Contractor Simulator puts you in situations like these across a 40-day contracting career, narrated, with your license on the line. No account needed.","Law and codes cited",{"slug":16,"title":17,"subtitle":18,"description":19,"maxTurns":20,"characterCount":21,"scenarioCount":22},"maryland-contractor-simulator","Maryland Contractor Simulator","Learn the law by living it.","You just got your MHIC license application approved and you're starting your home improvement business in Maryland. Navigate real contractor scenarios — contracts, permits, clients, subcontractors, and inspectors. Every choice teaches you the law through consequence, not memorization. Master all five exam areas to pass.",40,20,147,{"slug":24,"title":25},"running-your-business","Running a Compliant Business",{"slug":27,"title":28,"description":29,"takeaway":30,"situation":31,"speaker":34,"speakerDescription":34,"speakerAvatar":34,"audioUrl":35,"choices":36,"citations":51},"final-exam-prep","What is the most important thing to know for the MHIC exam?","Understanding how the law applies, not memorizing it. Most of the exam is Maryland home improvement law: contract requirements, contractor duties…","Understanding how the law applies, not memorizing it. Most of the exam is Maryland home improvement law: contract requirements, contractor duties, advertising, door-to-door cancellation rights, paying subcontractors, and the Guaranty Fund.",[32,33],"Your contractor friend is studying for the MHIC exam and asks for your advice. \"What's the most important thing to know?\"","You think back on everything you've learned running your business.",null,"/media/voices/final_exam_prep.mp3",[37,42,47],{"text":38,"verdict":39,"label":40,"explanation":41},"Know the contract requirements inside and out — 75% of the exam is Home Improvement Law, and almost every scenario comes back to proper contracts, licensing, and consumer protection","best","Key insight","41 of 55 questions (75%) are Home Improvement Law. The exam is open book — you can bring the NASCLA guide. So the key isn't memorization, it's understanding how the law applies in real situations. Know: contract requirements (§8-501), contractor duties (COMAR 09.08.01.08), advertising rules (.09), door-to-door sales (cancellation rights), subcontractor payment (.12), and the Guaranty Fund (.20). If you understand WHY these rules exist, the right answer becomes obvious.",{"text":43,"verdict":44,"label":45,"explanation":46},"Focus on memorizing building codes — that's the technical stuff that trips people up","partial","Not the best advice","Building codes matter, but they're a small portion of the exam. Home Improvement Law is 75% of the test. Also, the exam is open book — you can reference codes. What you can't look up easily is how to APPLY the law to scenarios. A contractor who knows every IRC section number but doesn't understand when a contract is required will still fail.",{"text":48,"verdict":44,"label":49,"explanation":50},"Don't overthink it — it's open book, so just bring the guide and look everything up","Overconfident","The exam is 55 questions in 2 hours. That's about 2 minutes per question. If you're looking up every answer from scratch, you'll run out of time. The open book is a safety net, not a substitute for understanding. You need to know WHERE to find answers quickly, which means you need to understand the structure of the law. Tab your reference materials and practice with scenarios — exactly what this simulator teaches.",[52,53],"COMAR 09.08.01.08","Business Regulation §8-501",[55,58,61,64,67,70,73,76,79,82,85,86,89],{"slug":56,"title":57,"topic":24},"record-keeping","What records should a Maryland contractor keep?",{"slug":59,"title":60,"topic":24},"concurrent-projects-limit","How many projects can you take on before quality suffers?",{"slug":62,"title":63,"topic":24},"flipper-fast-and-cheap","How do you estimate honestly for a flipper on a tight budget?",{"slug":65,"title":66,"topic":24},"flipper-negotiation","Should you match a lowball bid to win a job?",{"slug":68,"title":69,"topic":24},"flipper-corner-cutting","Who is liable when a client tells your crew to cut corners?",{"slug":71,"title":72,"topic":24},"diy-sticker-shock","How do you handle a client's sticker shock?",{"slug":74,"title":75,"topic":24},"diy-comes-back","How should you structure a payment plan for a returning client?",{"slug":77,"title":78,"topic":24},"attorney-project-management","Are weekly progress reports worth the effort?",{"slug":80,"title":81,"topic":24},"veteran-accessibility","What grants help disabled veterans pay for home modifications?",{"slug":83,"title":84,"topic":24},"contractor-mental-health","How does contractor burnout lead to MHIC complaints?",{"slug":27,"title":28,"topic":24},{"slug":87,"title":88,"topic":24},"the-right-way-summary","What one habit keeps contractors out of trouble with the MHIC?",{"slug":90,"title":91,"topic":24},"graduation-scenario","What advice would you give a newly licensed Maryland contractor?",{"slug":83,"title":84,"topic":24},{"slug":87,"title":88,"topic":24},1792184485557]