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ICC F46 Framing Contractor Exam (2015 IBC/IRC)

National  ·  Pearson Vue

Verified, not estimated. Every figure below is drawn from the official exam structure we maintain — question counts, passing standard and topic weighting. Practice questions are grounded in the source law with statute citations. We omit any figure we can't verify rather than guess at it.
Total questions
50
Passing score
70%
Exam time
150 min
Administered by
Pearson Vue
Format
Reference materials allowed

National State Portion 50 questions

General Requirements, Code Definitions and Terms 13 Q · 26%
Scope and applicability of IRC vs. IBC (dwelling types, story limits, accessory structures)Key code definitions for structural and framing terms (dead load, live load, braced wall line, diaphragm, light-frame construction)Building official authority, duties, and permit administrationClimatic and geographic design criteria (wind speed, seismic design category, snow load, flood hazard area)Minimum live and dead load requirements for floors, roofs, and structural membersStructural design methods and load combinations (ASD, LRFD, strength design)Risk category classification and its effect on design requirementsAlternative materials, engineered design, and referenced standards applicabilityScope and AdministrationDefinitions
Foundations, Floor Framing and Floor Load Design 11 Q · 22%
Footing size, depth, and frost protection requirements (IRC/IBC)Foundation wall types and prescriptive design (concrete and masonry)Foundation anchorage and sill plate attachmentFloor joist span tables, species, grades, and spacingGirder and header spans for floor framingFloor sheathing (lumber and wood structural panel) allowable spans and installationJoist notching, boring, and hole limitationsSoil classification and presumptive load-bearing valuesWoodFoundationsSoils and Foundations
Wall Framing, Load Bearing, General Framing 16 Q · 32%
Stud size, height, and spacing requirements for bearing and nonbearing wallsHeader and girder spans for exterior and interior bearing wallsTop plate and bottom plate requirements, including double top plate splicingDrilling and notching limitations for studs and top platesWall bracing methods, braced wall panel construction, and required bracing lengthsFastening schedules for wall framing connectionsCripple wall framing and bracing requirementsCold-formed steel wall framing member sizes, fastening, and web hole limitationsWall ConstructionWood
Roof Framing and Roof Load Design 10 Q · 20%
Rafter span tables and slope requirements (IBC/IRC conventional light-frame)Ceiling joist span tables and attic live load conditionsRoof framing member connections and nailing requirements (ridge, hip, valley, collar tie, rafter ties)Wood truss design requirements, truss design drawings, and truss member restraint/bracingRoof sheathing materials, allowable spans, and installation (lumber and wood structural panels)Roof load types and combinations (dead, live, snow, wind, rain/ponding) per IBC Chapter 16Rafter and truss uplift connection forces and wind tie-down requirementsMinimum slope requirements and framing details for ridge board, hip, valley, and purlin bracingWoodStructural DesignRoof-Ceiling Construction

Key Distinctions

Joist end bearing on wood or metal (1 1/2 in.)vsJoist end bearing on masonry (3 in.)

Under IBC 2015 conventional light-frame rules, each joist end needs not less than 1 1/2 inches of bearing on wood or metal, but not less than 3 inches of bearing on masonry.

IBC 2015 Chapter 23 — Section 2308.4.2.2
Lapping opposing joists over a girder (3 in. minimum)vsTying opposing joists together

Joists framing from opposite sides of a beam, girder or partition must either be lapped at least 3 inches or the opposing joists tied together in an approved manner.

IBC 2015 Chapter 23 Wood — Section 2308.4.2.3 (Framing Details)
Wood joists/structural floors in a crawl space (18 in.)vsWood girders in a crawl space (12 in.)

Joists or structural floors closer than 18 inches to exposed ground, and girders closer than 12 inches to exposed ground, must be naturally durable or preservative-treated wood.

IBC 2015 Section 2304.12.1.1 (Chapter 23)
Fire-retardant-treated lumber (19% or less)vsFire-retardant-treated wood structural panels (15%)

Before use, fire-retardant-treated wood must be dried to a moisture content of 19 percent or less for lumber and 15 percent or less for wood structural panels.

IBC 2015 Section 2303.2
Exterior type wood structural panelvsExposure 1 wood structural panel

Panels permanently exposed in outdoor applications must be Exterior type, except that wood structural panel roof sheathing exposed to the outdoors on the underside is permitted to be Exposure 1.

IBC 2015 Section 2303.1.5
Permit application extension (105.3.2)vsIssued permit extension (105.5)

An abandoned permit application may receive one or more written extensions not exceeding 90 days each, while an issued permit may receive written extensions of not more than 180 days each.

IBC 2015 Chapter 1 — Section 105.3.2 Time Limitation of Application
MarkvsLabel

A mark is the manufacturer's identification giving the manufacturer's name and the product's function, while a label additionally carries performance characteristics and the identification of an approved agency.

IBC 2015 Chapter 2 — Definitions of 'Mark,' 'Label' and 'Manufacturer's Designation'
Approved sourcevsApproved agency

An approved source is an independent person, firm or corporation approved by the building official and experienced in applying engineering principles to materials, methods or systems analyses, whereas an approved agency is regularly engaged in conducting tests or furnishing inspection services.

IBC 2015 Chapter 2 — Definitions of 'Approved Source' and 'Approved Agency'
Lr (roof live load)vsL (live load)

Lr designates a roof live load of 20 psf or less, while L designates roof live load greater than 20 psf and floor live load.

IBC 2015 Chapter 16 — Section 1602.1 Notations
Rafter span tables, ceiling attached to rafters (L/240)vsRafter span tables, ceiling not attached (L/180)

IBC rafter span tables are based on a deflection limit of L/Δ = 240 where the ceiling is attached to the rafters and L/Δ = 180 where it is not; floor joist span tables use L/Δ = 360.

IBC 2015 Chapter 23 — Section 2308.7.2 and Tables 2308.7.2(1) through 2308.7.2(6)
Cripple wall bracing factor 1.15vsInterior cripple wall factor 1.5

Cripple walls braced with the method and tabulated length of the wall above use a 1.15 multiplier (IRC R602.10.11), while the 1.5 factor applies only to interior cripple walls under unsupported braced wall lines in R602.10.11.1.

IRC 2015 Section R602.10.11
Hollow masonry pier, ungrouted (4 × thickness)vsHollow masonry pier, cells solidly grouted (10 × thickness)

Hollow masonry piers are limited to a nominal height of four times the nominal thickness, but where the hollow units are solidly filled with concrete or grout the permitted nominal height is ten times the nominal thickness.

IRC 2015 Section R404.1.9
Combustible framing clearance to flues/chimneys/fireplaces (2 in.)vsCombustible framing clearance to flue openings (6 in.)

Combustible framing must be not less than 2 inches from flues, chimneys and fireplaces, but 6 inches away from flue openings specifically.

IBC 2015 Section 2304.5 (Chapter 23)
Crawl space ventilation without ground cover (1 sq ft per 150 sq ft)vsCrawl space ventilation with Class 1 vapor retarder (1 sq ft per 1,500 sq ft)

Vented under-floor space requires not less than 1 square foot of net ventilation opening per 150 square feet of under-floor area, reduced to 1 square foot per 1,500 square feet where the ground surface is covered with a Class 1 vapor retarder material.

IRC 2015 Sections R408.1 and R408.2

Key Terms

Townhouse (IRC R202) IRC 2015 Section R202 — definition of 'Townhouse'
A single-family dwelling unit constructed in a group of three or more attached units, each extending from foundation to roof, with a yard or public way on not less than two sides.
Accessory structure (IRC R202) IRC 2015 Section R202 (Accessory Structure)
A structure accessory to and incidental to the dwelling(s) and located on the same lot; the 200-square-foot and one-story conditions belong to the permit exemptions of R105.2, not the definition.
Record drawings (IBC Ch. 2) IBC 2015 Chapter 2 — Definition of 'Record Drawings'
Drawings ('as builts') documenting the location of all devices, appliances, wiring sequences, wiring methods and connections of the components of a fire alarm system as installed.
Mark (IBC Ch. 2) IBC 2015 Chapter 2 — Definitions of 'Mark,' 'Label' and 'Manufacturer's Designation'
An identification applied on a product by the manufacturer indicating the name of the manufacturer and the function of the product or material.
Approved source (IBC Ch. 2) IBC 2015 Chapter 2 — Definitions of 'Approved Source' and 'Approved Agency'
An independent person, firm or corporation approved by the building official who is competent and experienced in the application of engineering principles to materials, methods or systems analyses.
Structural composite lumber (SCL) (IBC 2302.1) IBC 2015 Sections 2302.1 and 2303.1.10
Wood products comprising four subtypes — laminated strand lumber (LSL), laminated veneer lumber (LVL), oriented strand lumber (OSL) and parallel strand lumber (PSL) — whose structural capacities are established and monitored per ASTM D5456 (2303.1.10).
End-jointed lumber (IBC 2303.1.1.2) IBC 2015 Section 2303.1.1.2
Approved end-jointed lumber is permitted to be used interchangeably with solid-sawn members of the same species and grade, and in a fire-resistance-rated assembly must bear the 'Heat Resistant Adhesive' or 'HRA' designation.
Expansive soil (IBC 1803.5.3 / IRC R403.1.8.1) IBC 2015 Chapter 18 Soils and Foundations — Section 1803.5.3 (Expansive Soil)
Soil meeting all four listed provisions, including a plasticity index of 15 or greater (ASTM D4318); the tests for Items 1, 2 and 3 are not required if Item 4 is conducted — an expansion index greater than 20 per ASTM D4829.
Substantial improvement review value (IRC R105.3.1.1) IRC 2015 Section R105.3.1.1
For buildings in flood hazard areas that have sustained damage of any origin, the value of the proposed work must include the cost to repair the building to its predamaged condition.
Temporary certificate of occupancy (IBC 111.3) IBC 2015 Chapter 1 — Section 111.3 Temporary Occupancy
A certificate the building official is authorized to issue before completion of the entire permitted work where the portion can be occupied safely, with a set time period during which it is valid.
Complete load path (IBC 1604.4) IBC 2015 Section 1604.4
A system resulting from the structural analysis that is capable of transferring loads from their point of origin to the load-resisting elements.
E (load notation, IBC 1602.1) IBC 2015 Section 1602.1
The combined effect of horizontal and vertical earthquake-induced forces as defined in ASCE 7; F is fluids, H is lateral earth pressure, S is snow.
Appendices (IBC 101.2.1) IBC 2015 Chapter 1 — Section 101.2.1 Appendices
Provisions contained in the code appendices do not apply unless specifically adopted by the adopting jurisdiction.
DOC PS 20 (IBC 2303.1.1) IBC 2015 Section 2303.1.1
The standard governing grading practices and identification of sawn lumber used for load-supporting purposes; such lumber must bear the grade mark of an agency approved by an accreditation body complying with DOC PS 20 or equivalent.
Quality mark on preservative-treated wood (IBC 2303.1.9.1) IBC 2015 Section 2303.1.9.1
The mark must include, among other items, the type of preservative used and the minimum preservative retention in pcf.
ICC 400 (IBC 2302.1) IBC 2015 Section 2302.1
The standard specifically permitted for the design and construction of log structures.
'Reviewed for Code Compliance' (IBC 107.3.1) IBC 2015 Chapter 1 — Section 107.3.1 Approval of Construction Documents
The written or stamped notation of approval placed on construction documents when a permit is issued; one reviewed set is retained by the building official and the other kept at the job site open to inspection.
Net (actual) dimensions (IBC 2304.2) IBC 2015 Section 2304.2 (Chapter 23)
Structural computations for required member sizes must be based on net (actual) lumber dimensions, not nominal dimensions.

Formulas to Know

Value of proposed work for substantial improvement review in a flood hazard areaValue = cost to repair to predamaged condition + cost of other proposed work; compare to more than 50% of predamage market value. Worked example: $70,000 repair + $60,000 addition = $130,000 vs. $240,000 market value → substantial improvement.
Minimum net ventilation opening area for vented under-floor (crawl) spaceArea ÷ 150 (no ground cover), or Area ÷ 1,500 where ground is covered with a Class 1 vapor retarder. Worked example: 1,800 sq ft ÷ 1,500 = 1.2 sq ft (vs. 1,800 ÷ 150 = 12 sq ft without the retarder).
Maximum nominal height of an isolated hollow masonry pierHeight = 4 × nominal thickness (hollow/ungrouted); Height = 10 × nominal thickness where cells are solidly filled with concrete or grout. Worked example: 8-in. nominal grouted pier → 10 × 8 = 80 in. (ungrouted would be 4 × 8 = 32 in.).
Required cripple wall bracing length (IRC R602.10.11)Required length = tabulated length for the wall above × 1.15; any adjustment for omitting gypsum wall board on the inside face is taken in addition to the 1.15 increase.
Wall bracing length with stone/masonry veneer, first two stories, SDC B (IBC 2308.6.10.1 Exc. 1)Length of wood structural panel bracing provided = 1.5 × length required by Table 2308.6.1.
Bored holes in wood studs (IBC 2308.5.10)Hole diameter permitted up to 40 percent of the stud width; edge of bored hole shall be not nearer than 5/8 inch to the edge of the stud, and holes shall not be at the same section as a cut or notch.
Anchorage of foundation plates/sills with 1/2-in. steel bolts (IBC 2308.3.1)Embed bolts not less than 7 inches into concrete or masonry; space not more than 6 feet on center; at least two bolts per piece, located not more than 12 inches and not less than 4 inches from each end.
Conventional light-frame construction load limits (IBC 2308.2.3)Average dead load 15 psf; floor live load 40 psf; ground snow load shall not exceed 50 psf — exceeding these requires engineered design.
Purlin/strut limits in conventionally framed roofs (IBC 2308.7.7)Struts not less than 2x4; unbraced strut length shall not exceed 8 feet; strut slope not less than 45 degrees from horizontal; 2x4 purlins span a maximum of 4 feet and 2x6 purlins a maximum of 6 feet.
Ceiling joist/rafter bearing on masonry or concrete with a sill plate (IRC R802.6)Bearing shall be direct, or provide a sill plate of 2-inch minimum nominal thickness with a minimum nominal bearing area of 48 square inches.
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