Exam B1
Residential Building Inspector
Inspecting one- and two-family dwellings, townhomes not more than three stories in height, and accessory structures for compliance with adopted building codes.
- Questions
- 60
- Time limit
- 120 min
- Per question
- 120 sec
- Book
- Open
Where the marks sit
Wall Construction and Coverings carries 27 percent on its own. Study time should follow this, not the order of the chapters.
Transcribed from ICC's published B1 content outline. Areas sum to 100 percent.
Full topic breakdown
Where candidates lose the clock on B1
Each of these is a term the exam words one way and the code files another way.
| You are looking for | The code calls it |
|---|---|
| basement bedroom window | Means of egress, emergency escape and rescue openings |
| stair step height and handrail | Exit stairways and ramps |
| blocking in a stud cavity | Fireblocking |
| blocking in a floor cavity | Draftstops |
| tempered glass near a door | Safety glazing |
| how deep does the footing go | Footings |
| shear walls / wall bracing | Braced wall panels |
| attic venting | Attics and ceilings, under roof and ceiling construction |
| how small can a room be | Room and opening dimensions, under building planning |
| house wrap | Exterior sheathing, veneers, and weather-resistant coverings |
Common questions
How many questions are on the ICC B1 exam?
The B1 Residential Building Inspector exam has 60 multiple-choice questions with a 120-minute limit, which works out to about 120 seconds per question.
Is the ICC B1 exam open book?
Yes. The B1 is an open-book exam. The constraint is time rather than recall: you have roughly 120 seconds per question including the lookup.
How long is the ICC B1 exam?
120 minutes, or 2 hours, for 60 questions.
What is on the ICC B1 exam?
7 topic areas. The heaviest is Wall Construction and Coverings at 27 percent, followed by Public Safety and Special Construction at 17 percent. The full weighting is published by ICC and reproduced on this page.
Which code book do I need for the B1 exam?
The International Residential Code is the primary reference. Confirm the edition your jurisdiction has adopted, because adopted editions vary by state and the exam is written to a specific one.
The kit that goes on the table
2024 IRCThe book itself
2021 IRCIf you register on 2021
2024 Fast-TabsPlace them yourself
Construction Master ProFeet-inch math, no errorsMatch the book and tabs to the edition you register for.Confirm which, first.