Free CSLB C-33 Painting Full Practice Exam: 115 Questions, 3.5 Hours
Sit the whole exam the way you will at the test center: 115 multiple-choice questions, weighted like the official outline, on a visible 3½-hour clock. No sign-up and no limits. Close the tab and your answers and your clock are kept. When you submit, you get your score, a score for each of the 4 sections and every explanation.
- 115 questions, one best answer each
- 3½ hours on a visible clock
- No sign-up, free to retake
- Progress saved in this browser
- Calculator allowed, like at the test center
The clock starts when you press the button.
What is in this full practice exam
115 multiple-choice questions with four choices and one best answer, in one sitting, against a 3½-hour countdown. The questions are spread over the exam's 4 sections in the proportions CSLB publishes in its study guide; the table shows how many come from each section.
CSLB gives 3½ hours for every exam (CSLB Examination FAQ). It does not publish the number of questions, so 115 is the length of our practice exam, the same length as the timed mock exam in our course, not an official figure.
| Section | Share of the exam | Questions in this exam |
|---|---|---|
| Substrate Repair and Surface Preparation | 30% | 35 |
| Planning and Estimating | 28% | 32 |
| Application of Paint, Wallcoverings, and Finishes | 21% | 24 |
| Safety | 21% | 24 |
| Total | 100% | 115 |
CSLB License Examination Study Guide, Painting and Decorating (C-33), form 13E-33 (03-2026). CSLB notes that the percentages are approximate.
The questions are our own. CSLB does not release its exam questions, so nobody can sell or show you the real ones. Each of ours is written from a public source and names it.
How it is scored
- Like at the test center, you do not see whether an answer is right while you take the exam. Pick an answer, flag a question to come back to it, and move around freely with the question list.
- An unanswered question scores zero. Every question counts the same.
- When you submit, or when the clock reaches zero, you get an overall percentage and a score for each of the 4 sections (CSLB also gives candidates who fail a breakdown by section).
- Then you can review every question: your answer, the right answer, a short explanation and the source it comes from. Wrong, unanswered and flagged questions can be filtered.
- There is no pass or fail. CSLB does not publish a fixed passing percentage, so we do not invent one. As a working target we treat 80% or more as a strong result.
- Your answers, flags and the clock are saved in this browser. If you close the tab the clock keeps running, as it would at the test center; the Pause button stops it. There is no sign-up and we do not ask for an email.
Short on time, or want more practice?
Short on time? The 25-question quick check takes about 20 minutes and also gives a score for every section.
Not sure what the exam covers? What is on the C-33 exam lists every section with its share of the exam.
This free exam is one fixed set of 115 questions taken from our 1,045-question course. The course has all the others, flashcards, and a new timed mock exam each time, in English and Spanish.
Common questions about the full practice exam
Is the full C-33 Painting practice exam really free?
Yes. All 115 questions, the timer, your score by section and every explanation are free, with no sign-up, no email and no card, and you can take it as often as you like. The paid course is separate.
How many questions and how much time does the real CSLB C-33 exam have?
CSLB gives candidates 3½ hours for each exam. It does not publish the number of questions or a fixed passing percentage. Our practice exam has 115 questions, chosen to fit that time, split across the sections by the weights in the CSLB study guide.
Can I stop and continue later?
Yes. Your answers, flags and the clock are saved in this browser. The clock keeps running while the page is closed, as it would at the test center; press Pause to stop it. If the time runs out while the page is closed, the exam is scored with the answers you had given.
Do I see the answers while I take the exam?
No, as at the test center. The explanations and sources appear after you submit. For feedback after every question, use the quick check.
Are these the real CSLB exam questions?
No. CSLB does not release its questions or answer keys. Ours are original, written from public sources, and each names its source so you can check it.
Is it the same 115 questions every time?
Yes, this is one fixed practice exam. The paid course has the other questions of its 1,045-question bank and builds a different timed mock exam each time.
Can I take this practice exam in Spanish?
Yes. Every question and explanation is also in Spanish: examen de práctica completo gratis.