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NWSA ARC Specialty Study Guide
ARC is the newest and longest NWSA written exam — 95 questions in 150 minutes — and 43% of it is executing the rigging plan. This guide works the math longhand: load angle factors, centre of gravity, block forces, gin pole loads, so the numbers on the exam are numbers you have already produced yourself.
ARC Specialty Pro — 60-day access
What is on the ARC written exam
From the NWSA Candidate Handbook (CH REV 10/25): 95 questions, 150 minutes, online remote proctoring, $274 per sitting. Prerequisite: An active TTT-2 certification. NWSA sets the passing score through a standard-setting process and does not publish it.
| Domain | Share of exam |
|---|---|
| Pre-job planning and drafting the rigging plan | ~15% |
| Verifying onsite conditions | ~27% |
| Condition assessments | ~15% |
| Executing the rigging plan | ~43% |
Nearly three-quarters of the exam — verifying onsite conditions (27%) plus executing the plan (43%) — is about the job in front of you, not the paperwork. The guide has a module for each of the four domains plus a Rigging Math Lab that works the load-angle, centre-of-gravity and block-force problems longhand.
What is in the guide
- 7 modules, 22 lessons — sized to each domain’s share of the exam, written by tower technicians in plain language and cited to the standards the questions are drawn from: ARC strategy; Pre-job planning (15%); Verify onsite conditions (27%); Condition assessments (15%); Execute the plan (43%); Rigging math lab; Final exam prep.
- Module quizzes after every module, with an explanation for every wrong answer — not just the right one.
- 71 flashcards — the definitions, numbers and thresholds the exam actually asks for, in a format that works on a phone.
- 60-question timed practice exam covering every domain of the real exam, so a score here tells you something about a score there.
- Weak-area report that names the domain to go back to, and a completion record you can show an employer (a training milestone — not a credential).
- English, with the interface in Spanish and Russian.
Who it is for
Riggers and crew leads with an active TTT-2 who run or supervise Class III and IV rigging. Tower owners and carriers increasingly ask for ARC on lifts above a certain class; if your crew does gin pole or heavy-lift work, this is the one.
How it works
- Pay by card at checkout. Your licence key appears on screen and in your email immediately.
- Open the course, enter the key and your email once. Access runs 60 days from that moment, on any device.
- Work the modules in order, drill the flashcards, then sit the timed practice exam. Book the real exam with NWSA when the weak-area report comes back clean.
Questions people ask
Is this the official NWSA ARC exam or study material?
No. NWSA Study Guide is an independent preparation course built from the domains and weightings NWSA publishes in its Candidate Handbook. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by NWSA, and finishing it does not grant a credential — you still register for and pass the official ARC exam through NWSA’s remote proctoring.
How many questions are on the NWSA ARC exam and how long is it?
95 multiple-choice questions in 150 minutes, delivered by online remote proctoring. The fee is $274 per sitting, including retests (Candidate Handbook, REV 10/25).
What do I get for the price?
7 modules (22 lessons) covering every domain above, module quizzes, 71 flashcards, a 60-question timed practice exam, a weak-area report and a completion record. 60-day access from the day you activate, on any device. English, with the interface in Spanish and Russian.
How fast can I start?
Immediately. Pay by card, your licence key is on screen and in your email within seconds, and the course opens in the browser — nothing to download.
What if it isn’t what I need?
Every course carries a 7-day money-back guarantee. Email support@nwsastudyguide.com and it is refunded.
Related
Exam facts on this page are from the NWSA Candidate Handbook, CH REV 10/25. Fees, formats and rules change — the handbook is the authority. NWSA Study Guide is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or recognized by the National Wireless Safety Alliance.