ICC F12 General Building Contractor (B) Exam (2015 IBC/IRC)

ICC F12 General Building Contractor (B) (2015 IBC/IRC) Exam: Step-by-Step Study Guide

Preparing for the ICC F12 General Building Contractor (B) (2015 IBC/IRC) exam is easier one step at a time. This guide starts with the key facts from the official bulletin, then covers the topics on the exam, the reference books, sample questions with answers, and a simple way to prepare. Pearson VUE gives the exam.

ICC F12 General Building Contractor (B) (2015 IBC/IRC) Exam Overview

Start with the facts. Here's what the official bulletin says:

On exam day

• The exam uses multiple-choice questions.
• NOTE : You do not need to buy all editions associated with the Concrete Manual references. Since all answers associated with those references can be found in any of the listed editions, you will need only one of the reference editions to study for your exam.
  You may bring copyrighted, bound books to the test administration, including those specifically listed as approved references. However, training materials such as presentations, study guides, or practice questions are not permitted. All exam questions are based solely on the approved reference list, and only those references may be used as the basis for appealing exam questions.

References you may bring

• International Building Code® (2015)
• International Residential Code (2015)
• Concrete Manual: Based on the 2021 IBC and ACI 318-19
• Concrete Manual: Based on the 2015 IBC and ACI 318-14

Scheduling, changes and retakes

• Exams are scheduled through PearsonVUE at www.pearsonvue.com/ICC, where candidates can create an account, schedule an exam, locate a test center, purchase vouchers and request accommodations.
• Results for examinations taken electronically are available immediately after the examination is completed.
• You must wait 10 days before retaking a failed exam.
• After passing, contact the jurisdiction in which you wish to be licensed for any other requirements, because ICC is not a licensing agency.

Source: National Contractor/Trades Examination Information Bulletin, PUBLISHED June 30, 2026; ICC Exam Catalog, checked October 2, 2026. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.

Topics on the ICC F12 General Building Contractor (B) (2015 IBC/IRC) Exam

Next, the content. The official content outline has 4 topics:

A Simple Plan to Prepare for the ICC F12 General Building Contractor (B) (2015 IBC/IRC) Exam

Step one is the books. This is an open-book exam, so the references on the bulletin's list are what you'll work from, while you study and in the exam room. Get the editions the bulletin names.

Step two is learning your way around them. Go through each book's table of contents and index until you know where the major subjects are. You don't need to memorize the books. You need to find things in them.

Step three is marking them up. Highlight the sections you use most. The exam facts above list the bulletin's rules on tabs and markings, so follow them exactly.

Step four is timed practice. Our practice exams run on a clock, so you get used to the real exam's pace: about 3 minutes per question.

Along the way, give the most time to the biggest topics. Structural Systems and Building Planning and Life Safety make up 71% of the exam.

The last step is consistency. Keep practicing until you pass several practice exams in a row. That's the signal you're ready.

Reference Books for the ICC F12 General Building Contractor (B) (2015 IBC/IRC) Exam

The listed references are the 2015 International Building Code, the 2015 International Residential Code, and either the Concrete Manual: Based on the 2021 IBC and ACI 318-19 or the Concrete Manual: Based on the 2015 IBC and ACI 318-14.

Where to get them:

• IBC 2015
• IRC 2015
• Concrete Manual 2015

On Test Day

Go through the exam at a steady pace. On your first pass, answer the questions you know and bookmark the ones you don't. Every exam lets you come back to bookmarked questions.

On your second pass, return to your bookmarks one at a time. You have 4 hours for 80 questions, which is about 3 minutes per question, so keep moving and don't let one question hold you up. Before you finish, answer anything you skipped. A blank can't earn a point.

Sample ICC F12 General Building Contractor (B) (2015 IBC/IRC) Practice Questions

Here are a few questions from our practice question bank, each with its answer and reference.

Sample 1 — Building Envelope

Question: Your crew is applying three-coat interior cement plaster over metal lath. The second coat has just been completed. The finish coat shall not be applied sooner than how long after the second coat?

• A. 24 hours
• B. 48 hours
• C. 7 days
• D. 72 hours

Correct Answer: B

IRC Section R702.2.2.2 states that for three-coat interior cement plaster the second coat shall not be applied sooner than 24 hours after the first coat, and the finish coat shall not be applied sooner than 48 hours after the second coat. The 7-day interval applies to exterior cement plaster under Section R703.7.5.

Reference: IRC 2015 Section R702.2.2.2

Sample 2 — Structural Systems

Question: On a light-frame commercial building, an electrician is boring holes through load-bearing wall studs. In addition to the limit on hole diameter relative to stud width, what minimum distance must be maintained between the edge of a bored hole and the edge of the stud?

• A. 5/8 inch
• B. 3/4 inch
• C. 1 inch
• D. 1/2 inch

Correct Answer: A

IBC 2015 Section 2308.5.10 permits bored holes up to 40 percent of the stud width in any wood stud, but in no case shall the edge of a bored hole be nearer than 5/8 inch to the edge of the stud, and holes shall not be located at the same section as a cut or notch.

Reference: IBC 2015 Chapter 23 — Section 2308.5.10

Sample 3 — Building Planning and Life Safety

Question: You are supervising smoke alarm installation in a split-level dwelling where there is no intervening door between adjacent levels. Under what condition does a smoke alarm installed on the upper level satisfy the requirement for the adjacent lower level?

• A. The lower level contains no sleeping room
• B. The lower level is less than one full story below
• C. Both alarms are of the photoelectric type
• D. The levels are separated by fewer than eight risers

Correct Answer: B

Per 2015 IRC Section R314.3, Item 3, in dwellings with split levels and without an intervening door between adjacent levels, a smoke alarm installed on the upper level suffices for the adjacent lower level provided the lower level is less than one full story below the upper level. Sleeping rooms still require their own alarms regardless.

Reference: IRC 2015 Section R314.3

Sample 4 — Permits and General Regulations

Question: You are assembling the submittal package for a commercial permit application, consisting of construction documents, the statement of special inspections, the geotechnical report and other required data. Unless otherwise directed, how many sets must be submitted with the application?

• A. One set
• B. Three or more sets
• C. Four or more sets
• D. Two or more sets

Correct Answer: D

Per 2015 IBC Section 107.1, submittal documents consisting of construction documents, statement of special inspections, geotechnical report and other data shall be submitted in two or more sets with each permit application.

Reference: IBC 2015 Chapter 1 — Section 107.1 General (Submittal Documents)

Practicing Online vs. With a PDF

A PDF lets you read questions at your own pace. The real exam runs on a clock. Our practice exams are timed and on a screen, so you practice finding answers with the clock running. Each attempt draws a new set of questions from our bank, and your results show your score by topic, so you always know what to study next.

Your Next Step

Take the free ICC F12 General Building Contractor (B) (2015 IBC/IRC) practice exam to see where you stand. Then study the topics that need the most attention, one at a time. For the official rules, read the exam bulletin, and see the licensing board's website.