These Terms of Use ("Terms") govern your purchase and use of Plumbline, a study product sold by Clark Counsel Group, LLC d/b/a SmartestDesk ("SmartestDesk," "we," "us"). By purchasing or accessing Plumbline, you agree to these Terms. Please read them in full.
1 · What Plumbline Is
Plumbline is an independent exam-preparation product for the NASCLA Accredited Commercial General Building Contractor examination. It consists of a digital Mastery Manual and a digital Practice Exam, offered individually or together as the Bundle. All content is original study material created by SmartestDesk. Plumbline is not the examination itself, is not affiliated with any testing or code-publishing body, and does not provide legal, financial, or professional licensing advice.
2 · Access Terms & Duration
Plumbline is sold as time-limited digital access, not as a permanent download. Each purchase grants a single individual a personal, non-transferable right to access the purchased product for a fixed term beginning on the date your access code is issued:
- The Manual — 60 days of access.
- The Practice Exam — 60 days of access.
- The Bundle (Manual + Exam) — 90 days of access.
One student, one computer. Your access code opens your Plumbline room in a web browser. When you first enter it you set a password, and your access binds to that computer. You may move it to another computer with your password once in any 30 days; the earlier computer then stops working. Each room (the Manual, the Practice Exam) has its own end date, shown in your room. Content is read on screen only: it cannot be printed, downloaded or copied, and each page carries a watermark tied to your access code.
Access is term-limited for a substantive reason: the NASCLA examination and its approved reference editions (such as the IBC, ACI 318, ICC/ANSI A117.1, OSHA standards, and the NASCLA Contractor's Guide) are revised over time, and Plumbline is continuously updated to remain accurate to the current exam. A defined access window ensures every candidate studies the version that matches today's examination rather than an outdated copy. During your access window you will always have the current edition of the materials you purchased.
You are buying current, maintained access for a set number of days — not a file you keep forever. When your term ends, access closes. You may purchase again or, if eligible, renew under Section 3.
3 · Renewal After an Unsuccessful Attempt
If you sit the NASCLA Accredited Commercial General Building Contractor examination during or after your access window and do not pass, you may renew your access at a reduced rate by submitting documentation of your examination result (such as your official score notice). Upon verification, the following renewals are available:
- $59 — an additional 60 days of access to the Practice Exam.
- $79 — an additional 60 days of access to both the Manual and the Practice Exam.
Renewed access provides the then-current version of the materials. Renewal pricing is offered solely to candidates who provide genuine proof of an unsuccessful examination attempt and is subject to verification. SmartestDesk may decline or limit renewals where documentation cannot be confirmed. To request a renewal, contact us using the details in Section 11. Once your result is verified we send a renewal link, valid for 14 days, that renews your existing access code; renewal days are counted from the later of the day you pay and the day your current window for that room ends.
4 · License & Acceptable Use
Subject to these Terms and your active access term, SmartestDesk grants you a limited, personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use Plumbline for your own exam preparation. You may not:
- Share, resell, sublicense, lend, or transfer your access code or materials to any other person;
- Copy, download, scrape, record, screenshot for distribution, republish, or create derivative works from the materials;
- Use the materials to build, train, or populate any competing product, question bank, or dataset;
- Circumvent the access gating, watermarking, or any technical protection;
- Use the materials in any unlawful manner or in violation of examination security rules.
Plumbline materials are watermarked and access is reader-only. Violation of this Section terminates your license immediately without refund and may result in further action.
5 · Intellectual Property
All Plumbline content — text, questions, rationales, worked examples, design, and brand elements — is original and is the exclusive property of SmartestDesk, protected by copyright and other laws. Plumbline references third-party codes and standards (for example, the IBC®, ACI 318, ICC/ANSI A117.1, the NEC®, OSHA standards, and the NASCLA Contractor's Guide) by paraphrasing and citing them for educational purposes; Plumbline does not reproduce the text of those copyrighted works. All third-party marks and standards remain the property of their respective owners.
6 · Payment, Delivery & Refunds
Payments are processed securely by our third-party payment processor (Stripe). SmartestDesk does not receive or store your full card details. Your access code is shown on the confirmation page the moment your payment completes; please write it down or save it. If you lose it, the room's "Lost your code?" link shows it again when you enter the email address and the last four digits of the card you paid with, so please give a correct email address at checkout. The charge appears on your statement as SMARTESTDESK. Prices are fixed by us and are the same whether or not you enter an agent code: if an independent SmartestDesk agent referred you, you may enter their agent code at checkout so that they are credited.
Because Plumbline is a digital product delivered immediately and access is granted upon purchase, all sales are final and purchases are non-refundable, except where a refund is required by applicable law or where access was never delivered due to our error. If you experience a delivery or access problem, contact us promptly and we will make it right. The reduced-rate renewal program in Section 3 exists so that an unsuccessful attempt is met with affordable continued access rather than a repurchase.
7 · Disclaimers & No Affiliation
Plumbline is an independent study aid and a SmartestDesk brand. It is not affiliated with, authorized by, sponsored by, or endorsed by the National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies (NASCLA), PSI Services LLC, the International Code Council (ICC), the American Concrete Institute (ACI), the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), the American Wood Council, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), or any other governing, testing, or code-publishing body. All referenced examinations, codes, standards, and marks are the property of their respective owners.
Plumbline is provided "as is" for educational purposes. It does not guarantee that you will pass any examination, obtain any license, or achieve any particular result. It is not legal, financial, engineering, or professional advice. Where licensing rules, codes, or deadlines vary by jurisdiction, you are responsible for confirming the current requirements that apply to you with the appropriate authority.
8 · Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Clark Counsel Group, LLC d/b/a SmartestDesk, and Richard Glenn Clark, shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or special damages, or for any examination outcome, licensing decision, lost opportunity, or business loss arising from your use of or inability to use Plumbline. Our total liability for any claim relating to Plumbline shall not exceed the amount you paid for the product giving rise to the claim.
9 · Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time. The "Effective" date above reflects the most recent revision. Material changes will apply to purchases made after the revised date; continued use of Plumbline after an update constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
10 · Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Tennessee, United States, without regard to its conflict-of-law principles. Any dispute arising from these Terms or your use of Plumbline shall be resolved in the state or federal courts located in Tennessee, and you consent to that jurisdiction and venue.
11 · Contact
Questions about these Terms, access, or renewals can be directed to support@plumblinegc.com or through our Contact page.