How to use the free NASCLA tabbing guide

What is in the PDF

• The rules. You may highlight, underline and index. No writing in the books, no extra papers, permanent tabs only, and temporary tabs such as Post-it notes must come out before the exam begins. The bulletin does not say whether handwriting on a permanent tab counts as writing in the book, so the guide suggests preprinted tabs or asking PSI.
• The method. Indexes and contents first, one color per group of subject areas, tab where you will land, grow tabs from your misses.
• A row per book. Title, edition, color, subject areas and topics. The topics are subjects, not page numbers. They come from the titles and our course lessons, not from the books, so you find each one through your own copy's index.
• A note on the packet. The diagram and blueprint packet is handed out at the test center, so you cannot tab it.

The how to tab your NASCLA books guide explains the reasoning behind each step. The PDF is the version you print and work from.

Before you tab: check editions

Lay the books out and compare each spine with the edition on its row. For code books, the exam uses only the listed editions. For the others, an earlier or later edition is at your own risk. Tabbing the wrong edition wastes an evening. The reference books guide lists them all.

Session 1: sort and tab the front of every book

Sort the books into piles by the color on their rows. Then, for every book, put one tab on the index and one on the table of contents. Nothing else yet. This is the session that saves the most time on test day, because most lookups start at the index.

Sessions 2 to 4: tab the topics

Work one color pile per sitting. For each book:

1. Read the suggested topics on its row.
2. Find each topic through the index, not by flipping.
3. Put the tab where you would want to land, such as the start of a table or the first page of a procedure, not the chapter opening.
4. Highlight the one term or number you would look for on that page.
5. Tick the row on the printout.

If a topic does not lead anywhere useful in your copy, skip it. The list is a starting point.

How long it takes. If a book averages 20 minutes, the whole stack is 24 x 20 = 480 minutes, or 8 hours. Check: 8 x 60 = 480. Four sittings of about two hours each covers it, so plan a long weekend or four weeknights. Thick books like the code and the OSHA standards take longer; thin single-topic books take less.

Session 5: test the tabs

Tabs only matter if they are fast. Use the free NASCLA reference finder: it gives you a job situation and asks which of the listed references to open first. For each one, also reach for the tab in your stack and time yourself.

Apply the guide's five-second test. If you cannot put your hand on a tab within about five seconds of deciding you need it, it is in the wrong place, its label is unclear, or there are too many tabs around it. Move it, merge it or pull it now, while you can still adjust.

Keep growing it from practice

From here on, every practice set adds to the tabs. After each set, note any question where the lookup took more than about two minutes. A topic you looked up twice earns a tab. If the index sent you to the wrong place, highlight the index term that would have worked. The exam averages about 2.6 minutes a question, counting the unscored ones, so a slow lookup costs time on the questions after it too; time management on the NASCLA exam shows how to pace it.

The night before

The PDF's last step: pull every sticky note and temporary flag, check inside covers and blank pages for anything written, shake out loose papers and pack the books so you can carry them in one trip.

Where this sits for the exam

Tabbing is not a subject area. It is how you reach every area faster. The largest areas, Procurement and Contracting Requirements and General Requirements, lean on a few books heavily, so those books usually earn the most tabs.

Start with your weakest area

Take the free check to find your weakest subject area, so you know which color pile to tab first. It needs no signup and explains every answer. For a lesson on each area that names which listed reference to open and how to apply it, see the plans.

Sources

• PSI Candidate Information Bulletin 1458, reference list and rules for references, updated 7 Jul 2026. Retrieved 5 Nov 2026.
• Session times are an invented planning example.

FAQ

Is the NASCLA tabbing guide free?

Yes. It is a PDF you can download and print, with no email needed.

Does the tabbing guide give page numbers?

No. It suggests topics for each book. You find each topic through your own copy's index.

Can I use Post-it notes while I study?

Yes, while you study. Temporary tabs must be removed before the exam begins, so replace the useful ones with permanent tabs well before test day.