Exam Cheat Sheet · Quick Reference

ICC G11 General Building Contractor (A) Exam (2018 IBC)

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
90
Passing score
70%
Exam time
240 min
Administered by
Pearson Vue
Format
Reference materials allowed

National State Portion 90 questions

Permits and General Regulations 17 Q · 19%
Regulations and Job PlanningCode Definitions and TermsPermit application requirements and proceduresWork exempt from permit requirementsPermit validity, expiration, and revocationRequired inspections and inspection sequenceCertificate of occupancy requirements and issuanceBuilding official authority, duties, and powersViolations, stop work orders, and unsafe structuresBoard of appeals process and limitations
Building Planning and Life Safety 28 Q · 31%
Use & Occupancy & Types of ConstructionFire & Smoke Alarms & Fire Protection SystemsOccupancy Needs & Interior EnvironmentExiting & Means of EgressAccessibilityBuilding height and area limitations by occupancy and construction typeAllowable area increases for sprinkler systems and building frontageMezzanine area limits and openness requirementsOccupant load calculation and posting requirementsNumber and separation of exits and exit access doorwaysStairway design requirements including treads, risers, handrails, and guardsEmergency egress illumination and exit signs +1 more
Structural Systems 38 Q · 42%
Footings and FoundationsConcreteFloorsWall Framing and StairsRoof Ceiling Construction Roof AssemblyMasonryStructural loads and load combinations (dead, live, wind, seismic, snow)Lateral force-resisting systems and seismic design categoriesWood structural design methods (ASD, LRFD, conventional light-frame)Wood materials standards, grading, and preservative treatmentConcrete mix design, water-cement ratio, and durability requirementsConcrete reinforcement (rebar types, grades, placement, welded wire) +5 more
Building Envelope 7 Q · 8%
Interior FinishesGlass and GlazingExterior Finishes and Roof CoveringsExterior wall weather-resistive barriers and flashing requirementsFire classification of roof assemblies (Class A, B, C) and minimum requirements by construction typeRoof drainage systems, secondary overflow drains, and scuppersRoof covering installation requirements by material type (asphalt shingles, clay/concrete tile, metal panels, wood shakes/shingles, single-ply membranes)Combustible exterior wall coverings — area, height, and fire separation distance limitationsRooftop structures (penthouses, cooling towers, mechanical equipment screens)Gypsum board and plaster as exterior wall and interior finish substrate materialsSafety glazing hazardous locations and impact test requirements

Key Distinctions

Dwelling unitvsSleeping unit

A dwelling unit has complete independent living facilities with permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation, while a sleeping unit may have living, eating and either sanitation or kitchen facilities but not both.

IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Dwelling Unit' and 'Sleeping Unit'
BuildingvsStructure

A structure is simply that which is built or constructed, while a building is any structure utilized or intended for supporting or sheltering any occupancy.

IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Building' and 'Structure'
Approved agencyvsApproved source

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

IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), Section 202 — 'Approved Agency' (Book )
LabelvsMark

A label carries the manufacturer's name, the function and performance characteristics of the product, and the name/identification of an approved agency indicating a representative sample was tested and evaluated; a mark shows only the manufacturer's name and the product's function.

IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), Section 202 — 'Label'
LabeledvsListed

"Labeled" means an identifying label, seal, symbol or mark of a nationally recognized testing laboratory or approved agency has been affixed and that organization maintains periodic inspection of production, while "listed" refers only to inclusion in a published list (and "approved" means acceptable to the building official).

IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Labeled'
AdditionvsAlteration

An addition is an extension or increase in floor area, number of stories or height of a building (raising a roof to increase height is an addition even with no added floor area), while an alteration is any construction or renovation to an existing structure other than a repair or addition.

IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Addition'
Egress capacity factor for stairways (0.3 inch/occupant)vsEgress capacity factor for other components (0.2 inch/occupant)

Stairway capacity is the occupant load served × 0.3 inch per occupant (without sprinkler/voice-alarm reductions), while components other than stairways use 0.2 inch per occupant.

IBC 2018 Section 1005.3.1
Assembly without fixed seating, unconcentrated (tables and chairs) — 15 net sfvsConcentrated (chairs only) — 7 net sf; standing space — 5 net sf

Table 1004.5 assigns 15 net square feet per occupant to unconcentrated assembly arrangements versus 7 net for concentrated chairs-only and 5 net for standing space.

IBC 2018 Table 1004.5
Fixed seating without dividing arms — 18 inches per personvsSeating booths — 24 inches per person

Occupant load for fixed seating without dividing arms is not less than one person per 18 inches of seating length, while booths are computed at one person per 24 inches of booth seat length measured at the backrest.

IBC 2018 Page 259
NFPA 13 sprinkler system (allowable area Sa limit)vsNFPA 13R sprinkler system

For buildings sprinklered throughout with NFPA 13, the actual number of stories above grade plane (Sa) used in the area equation shall not exceed three, while the limit is four for buildings sprinklered per Section 903.3.1.2 (NFPA 13R), which is permitted in Group R up to four stories and not exceeding 60 feet above grade plane.

IBC 2018 Section 506.2.3
Natural ventilation openings — 4 percentvsNatural light glazing — 8 percent

Openable area for natural ventilation shall be not less than 4 percent of the floor area ventilated (Section 1202.5.1), while 8 percent applies to natural light glazing (Section 1204.2) and to openings between an interior room and an adjoining room.

IBC 2018 Section 1202.5.1
Crane runway lateral force — 20 percentvsCrane runway longitudinal force — 10 percent

Lateral force on crane runway beams with electrically powered trolleys is 20 percent of the sum of the rated crane capacity plus hoist and trolley weight, while longitudinal force (except bridge cranes with hand-geared bridges) is 10 percent of maximum wheel loads; 25 percent is a vertical impact value.

IBC 2018 Section 1607.14.3

Key Terms

Agricultural building IBC 2018 Section 202
A structure designed and constructed to house farm implements, hay, grain, poultry, livestock or other horticultural products, which is not a place of human habitation, a place of employment where agricultural products are processed, treated or packaged, nor a place used by the public.
Area, building IBC 2018 Section 202
The area included within surrounding exterior walls, or exterior walls and fire walls, exclusive of vent shafts and courts.
Height, building IBC 2018 Section 202
The vertical distance from grade plane to the average height of the highest roof surface.
High-rise building IBC 2018 Section 202
A building with an occupied floor located more than 75 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access.
Approved agency IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), Section 202 — 'Approved Agency' (Book )
An established and recognized agency regularly engaged in conducting tests, furnishing inspection services or furnishing product certification, where the agency has been approved by the building official.
Approved source IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Approved Source'
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.
Approved fabricator IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), Section 202 — 'Approved Fabricator' (Book )
An established and qualified person, firm or corporation approved by the building official pursuant to Chapter 17 (Special Inspections and Tests).
Label IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), Section 202 — 'Label'
An identification applied on a product by the manufacturer containing the manufacturer's name, the function and performance characteristics of the product, and the name and identification of an approved agency indicating a representative sample was tested and evaluated by that agency.
Mark IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Mark'
An identification applied on a product by the manufacturer that indicates the name of the manufacturer and the function of the product or material.
Labeled IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Labeled'
Equipment, materials or products to which a label, seal, symbol or other identifying mark of a nationally recognized testing laboratory or approved agency has been affixed, where that organization maintains periodic inspection of production of such items.
Existing building IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Existing Building'
A building erected prior to the date of adoption of the appropriate code, or one for which a legal building permit has been issued.
Change of occupancy IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Change of Occupancy'
A change of occupancy classification, a change from one group to another within an occupancy classification, or any change in use within a group for which there is a change in application of the requirements of the code.
Townhouse IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Townhouse'
A single-family dwelling unit constructed in a group of three or more attached units in which each unit extends from the foundation to the roof and with open space on at least two sides.
Addition IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Addition'
An extension or increase in floor area, number of stories or height of a building or structure.
Alteration IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Alteration'
Any construction or renovation to an existing structure other than a repair or an addition.
Type III construction IBC 2018 Section 602.3
Construction in which the exterior walls are of noncombustible materials and the interior building elements are of any material permitted by the code.

Formulas to Know

Required capacity of means of egress stairwaysStairway capacity = occupant load served × 0.3 inch per occupant (standard factor, without sprinkler/emergency voice alarm reductions)
Required capacity of egress components other than stairwaysCapacity = occupant load served × 0.2 inch (5.1 mm) per occupant
Occupant load by function/useOccupant load = floor area ÷ occupant load factor (business areas: 150 gross sf/occupant; assembly without fixed seating, unconcentrated tables and chairs: 15 net sf/occupant). Where an area contains multiple functions with different factors, compute the floor area of each function independently.
Allowable area of a single-occupancy building, one story above grade plane, with frontage increaseAa = At + (NS × If), where NS is the tabular allowable area factor from Table 506.2 for a nonsprinklered building (used regardless of whether the building is sprinklered) and the sprinklered factor S1 is used only as the At value
Frontage increase factorIf = [F/P – 0.25] W/30; qualifying requires not less than 25 percent of the building perimeter on a public way or open space
Stories factor in multistory allowable area equation (Equation 5-2)Sa = actual number of stories above grade plane, not to exceed three for buildings sprinklered throughout with NFPA 13 (limit of four applies only to NFPA 13R per Section 903.3.1.2); no individual story may exceed the area determined using Sa = 1
Allowable stress design wind speed conversionVasd = V × √0.6 (Equation 16-33); example from Table 1609.3.1: V = 130 mph yields Vasd = 101 mph
Design spectral response accelerationsSDS = 2/3 × SMS (Eq. 16-38) and SD1 = 2/3 × SM1 (Eq. 16-39)
Minimum living room area of an efficiency living unitNot less than 220 sf, plus 100 sf for each occupant in excess of two; worked example: 3 occupants = 220 + 100 = 320 sf
Converting water-cement ratio to gallons of water per 94-lb bag of cementGallons/bag = (W/C × 94 lb) ÷ 8.33 lb/gal; manual's example: 0.44 × 94 = 41.4 lb ÷ 8.33 ≈ 5.0 gallons per bag
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