ICC F31 Journeyman Mechanical Exam (2015 IMC/IFGC)

ICC F31 Journeyman Mechanical (2015 IMC/IFGC) Exam Study Guide

This guide covers what you need for the ICC F31 Journeyman Mechanical (2015 IMC/IFGC) exam: the key facts from the official bulletin, the topics it tests, the reference books, sample questions with answers, and a plan to prepare. Pearson VUE gives the exam.

ICC F31 Journeyman Mechanical (2015 IMC/IFGC) Exam at a Glance

Here are the exam's key facts from the official bulletin:

On exam day

• The exam consists of multiple-choice questions.
• 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

• 2015 International Mechanical Code
• 2015 International Fuel Gas Code

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 6, 2026. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.

What the ICC F31 Journeyman Mechanical (2015 IMC/IFGC) Exam Covers

The official content outline has 9 topics:

How to Prepare for the ICC F31 Journeyman Mechanical (2015 IMC/IFGC) Exam

Start with the books. This is an open-book exam, so the references on the bulletin's list are your main study tool. Get the editions the bulletin names.

Learn where things are. Read the table of contents and the index of each book until you know where every major subject lives. On test day, finding an answer fast matters more than memorizing it.

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

Take timed practice exams. The clock trains you to find answers at the pace the real exam needs: about 3 minutes 36 seconds per question.

Aim to pass more than once. One passing score can be luck. Several in a row means you're ready.

Reference Books for the ICC F31 Journeyman Mechanical (2015 IMC/IFGC) Exam

The listed references for this exam are the 2015 International Mechanical Code and the 2015 International Fuel Gas Code.

Where to get them:

• IMC 2015
• IFGC 2015

On Test Day

• Go through the whole exam first. Answer every question you know and bookmark the ones you don't. Every exam lets you come back to bookmarked questions.
• Then go back to your bookmarks and work them out.
• Don't let one question eat your time. You have 3 hours for 50 questions, which is about 3 minutes 36 seconds per question.
• Before you finish, answer anything you skipped. A blank can't earn a point.

Study Tips

Know your way around each book's index and table of contents. Open-book exams reward speed: you need to find specific items quickly.

On an open-book exam, work through every question once: answer the ones you know and skip the ones you don't. Then go back to the ones you flagged. You can bookmark questions for later review, just like on our exams — and don't sink too much time into any single question. The clock is still running.

Practicing against a ticking clock is the best way to beat exam-clock anxiety. Use these timed tests to build your pacing, so you learn to move steadily and never burn too long on a single question. By test day, the format feels routine.

Our practice exam is specifically designed to mimic the testing conditions at all exam centers. While untimed PDF study guides might help with studying, they don’t prepare you for the challenge of managing your time during an actual test.

A little anxiety before an exam is completely normal — acknowledge it instead of fighting it. If you feel yourself spiraling on a question, pause and take a few slow breaths to reset. If your test center allows a short break, use it; just remember the clock usually keeps running.

Sample ICC F31 Journeyman Mechanical (2015 IMC/IFGC) Practice Questions

These questions come from our practice question bank, each with its answer and reference.

Sample 1 — Combustion Air

Question: A journeyman is installing a duct that supplies combustion air to an oil-fired boiler room. Which type of damper is prohibited from being installed in that combustion air duct?

• A. Smoke dampers
• B. Manual volume dampers
• C. Fire dampers
• D. Motorized volume dampers

Correct Answer: B

Per IMC 2015, Section 701.2, volume, smoke and fire dampers are permitted in combustion air openings provided they are interlocked with the firing cycle of the appliances served, but manual dampers shall not be installed in combustion air ducts.

Reference: IMC 2015 Section 701.2

Sample 2 — Chimneys and Vents

Question: A single-wall metal pipe vent passes through a roof constructed of combustible material. The noncombustible, nonventilating thimble used at the point of passage must extend what distance above and below the roof?

• A. 12 inches above and 6 inches below
• B. 6 inches above and 18 inches below
• C. 18 inches above and 6 inches below
• D. 24 inches above and 12 inches below

Correct Answer: C

IFGC 2015, Section 503.7.5 requires the thimble to extend not less than 18 inches (457 mm) above and 6 inches (152 mm) below the roof, with the annular space open at the bottom and closed only at the top.

Reference: IFGC 2015 Section 503.7.5

Sample 3 — Special Requirements

Question: A journeyman has completed a chilled water hydronic piping system with a maximum system design pressure of 50 psi. What hydrostatic test pressure and minimum test duration are required for this system?

• A. 75 psi for 30 minutes
• B. 100 psi for 15 minutes
• C. 150 psi for 10 minutes
• D. 75 psi for 15 minutes

Correct Answer: B

IMC 2015, Section 1208.1 requires hydronic piping systems to be tested hydrostatically at one and one-half times the maximum system design pressure, but not less than 100 psi, for not less than 15 minutes. One and one-half times 50 psi equals 75 psi, which is below the 100 psi floor, so 100 psi for 15 minutes governs.

Reference: IMC 2015 Section 1208.1

Sample 4 — Electrical

Question: You are servicing two units for the same owner: one condensing unit mounted on an elevated exterior structure and one air handler in an attic reached by a passageway. Which electrical provision is required for the attic appliance but not required by the mechanical code for the unit on the elevated structure?

• A. A receptacle outlet at the equipment
• B. A disconnecting means at the access
• C. A luminaire controlled by a switch
• D. A receptacle outlet at the access

Correct Answer: C

IMC Section 306.3.1 requires both a switch-controlled luminaire and a receptacle outlet for an attic appliance, while Section 306.5.2 requires only a receptacle outlet at or near equipment on roofs and elevated structures. The receptacle is common to both; the luminaire and its switch are not required for the elevated-structure unit.

Reference: IMC 2015 Sections 306.3.1 and 306.5.2

Why Practice Online Instead of With a PDF

A PDF shows you questions. It doesn't show you the clock. Our practice exams are timed and on a screen, so you practice finding answers under time pressure, not just reading them. Each attempt draws a new set of questions from our bank, and your results break the score down by outline topic so you know what to study next.

Start Practicing

Take the free ICC F31 Journeyman Mechanical (2015 IMC/IFGC) practice exam to see where you stand, then work through the topics that need attention. For the official rules, read the exam bulletin, and see the licensing board's website.