Maybe your a contractor seeking to know what those building inspectors know, or maybe you already do home inspections and are looking to get certified as a building inspector.
Whatever the reason may be, your first step is to know a little bit about the exam itself and what areas you should be studying for.
The B1 Residential Building Inspector Certification Exam administered by the International Code Council (ICC) tests an individuals knowledge of the International Residential Code (IRC®).
As a Certified Residential Building Inspector you will be responsible for performing inspections of structures to determine compliance with the International Residential Code and Standards.
This level of certification gives the inspector the ability to inspect one-and-two family dwellings, townhomes not more than three stories in height, and accessory structures.
The exam consists of 60 multiple-choice questions. You have a time limit of 2 hours to complete the exam and it is open book meaning you can only use the code book referenced. For this exam it is the International Residential Code (IRC®).
The code edition of the reference used should reflect the code edition of the exam you are taking. For example if you plan to take the 2021 version of the exam, you should use the 2021 International Residential Code. No work experience is required to take the exam and you must be at least 18 years of age.
The International Code Council (ICC) requires you to take the exam through the PRONTO system.
PRONTO is a new way of taking your testing exam from the comfort of your home or office. PRONTO stands for Proctored Remote Online Testing Option. For more information about the PRONTO online testing option, click here.
The following exam content outline can act as a study guide to help you study for the exam and to gain a better understanding of what the 7 main areas of the exam will cover.
Code Administration | 4% |
Project Administration | 2% |
Public Information and Legal | 2% |
Building Planning | 8% |
Unit Separation | 3% |
Building Location | 3% |
Room and Opening Dimensions | 2% |
Footings and Foundations | 16% |
Footings | 5% |
Stepped Footings and Special Foundations | 3% |
Columns and Piers | 3% |
Site Preparations, Foundation, and Basem*nt Walls Verify that the area within the foundation walls is properly prepared. Verify that foundation stem walls are correctly sized and have sufficient height above grade. Verify that foundation wall materials, reinforcement, anchor bolts, and fasteners are correct type, size, and grade and are placed in accordance with building code requirements. Verify that foundation dampproofing and waterproofing is installed where required. Verify maximum unbalanced fill height. Verify that foundation and basem*nt walls are properly braced prior to backfill. | 5% |
Floor Construction | 14% |
Lumber Quality - Floors | 3% |
Floor Joist Framing | 3% |
Concrete Slab Inspection | 2% |
Subflooring and Decking Verify that subflooring and decking has required thickness, span, and grade and meets installation specifications. Verify compliance of floor design and fasteners. | 2% |
Crawl Spaces | 2% |
Draftstops | 2% |
Wall Construction and Coverings | 27% |
Lumber Quality - Walls | 4% |
Wood Framing - Walls | 4% |
Header Spans | 2% |
Steel Framing | 2% |
Fireblocking | 2% |
Masonry Materials and Placement | 2% |
Concrete Wall Inspection | 2% |
Braced Wall Panels | 2% |
Interior Coverings | 2% |
Exterior Sheathing, Veneers, and Weather-Resistant Coverings | 3% |
Exterior Plaster, Stucco, and Lath | 2% |
Roof/Ceiling Construction | 14% |
Roof/Ceiling Insulation and Vapor Barriers | 2% |
Attics/Ceiling | 2% |
Roof Framing | 4% |
Roof Sheathing | 2% |
Roofs and Roof Coverings and Reroofing | 2% |
Fireplaces and Chimneys | 2% |
Public Safety and Special Construction | 17% |
Means of Egress | 4% |
Exit Stairways and Ramps | 3% |
Exterior Construction | 3% |
Smoke Detectors | 2% |
Flamespread of Insulation and Finishes | 2% |
Safety Glazing | 3% |
Bragging rights! Well actually you will receive a pass letter the same day right after your exam. You will have a certification number assigned to you so that if someone were tosearch for a certified professionalwithin the ICC website, your name will come up!
In addition to being a Certified Residential Building Inspector (Yayyy!) you will receive a wall certification that looks like this…
Want to test your knowledge of how well you know the code? Or maybe just get a feel for the exam?
Try out our Practice Exam for the B1 Residential Building Inspector Certification Exam!
This practice exam is designed for those who are looking to take the 2021 or 2018 version of the B1 Residential Building Inspector Certification Examthrough the International Code Council (ICC). These practice exams are intended to help you prepare for the actual exam by helping you navigate through the code book to familiarize yourself with the specific code sections. They will test your knowledge on the exam content areas covered to improve your chances of passing the certification exam.
This is a great way to prepare yourself for the actual exam administered by ICC. Every building code professional knows that the key to passing the ICC exams is to do practice problems. Don’t just take the exam purely on experience alone. Let this resource get you focused on realistic problems built around the exam content being covered.