How to Pass the ICC G27 Master Plumber with Gas (2018 IPC/IFGC) Exam
You don't have to guess how to prepare for the ICC G27 Master Plumber with Gas (2018 IPC/IFGC) exam. This guide lays it out: the key facts from the official bulletin, the topics on the test, the books you need, sample questions with answers, and a study plan you can follow. Pearson VUE gives the exam.
ICC G27 Master Plumber with Gas (2018 IPC/IFGC) Exam Basics
Here's what the official bulletin says about the exam:
| Questions | 100 questions |
| Time limit | 4 hours |
| Passing score | 70% correct |
| Books in the exam room | Open book |
| Exam fee | $120 |
On exam day
- Test questions are in four-option, multiple-choice format with one scored correct answer.
- 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
- 2018 International Plumbing Code
- 2018 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's on the ICC G27 Master Plumber with Gas (2018 IPC/IFGC) Exam
The official content outline splits the exam into 8 topics:
| Topic | Questions | Share of the exam |
|---|---|---|
| Administration General Regulations | 36 | 36% |
| Plumbing Fixtures | 13 | 13% |
| Water Supply and Distribution | 9 | 9% |
| Sanitary Drainage | 8 | 8% |
| Plumbing Vent Requirements | 6 | 6% |
| Traps, Interceptors, and Separators | 5 | 5% |
| Storm Drainage | 2 | 2% |
| Gas Piping | 21 | 21% |
Your ICC G27 Master Plumber with Gas (2018 IPC/IFGC) Study Plan
Your books are your best friend on this exam. It's open book, so the references on the bulletin's list are what you'll use on test day. Get your own copies in the editions the bulletin names.
Get to know them early. Spend time with each book's table of contents and index until you can find any major subject quickly. On an open-book exam, finding answers fast is the skill that counts.
Make the books yours. Highlight the sections you keep coming back to. The exam facts above list the bulletin's rules on tabs and markings, so follow them exactly.
Put your energy where the points are. Administration General Regulations and Gas Piping make up 57% of the exam, so start there.
Practice with the clock running. Our timed practice exams help you build the pace the real exam needs: about 2 minutes 24 seconds per question. Every attempt is another rep.
Keep going until you pass practice exams consistently. One good score is a great start. A few passing scores in a row is how you know you're ready.
Books You'll Need for the ICC G27 Master Plumber with Gas (2018 IPC/IFGC) Exam
The listed references are the 2018 International Plumbing Code and the 2018 International Fuel Gas Code.
Where to get them:
Test Day Tips
Start with a quick pass through the whole exam. Answer every question you're sure about and bookmark the rest. Every exam lets you return to bookmarked questions, so nothing is lost by moving on.
Then come back to your bookmarks and work through them one at a time. Keep an eye on the clock: you have 4 hours for 100 questions, which is about 2 minutes 24 seconds per question. Before you finish, make sure every question has an answer. A blank can't earn a point.
Study Tips
On an open-book exam, the winners aren't the smartest people in the room — they're the fastest at finding answers. Buy the required book, practice with it open, and tab and highlight each section the first time a question sends you there. Learn the index and table of contents until you can land on any topic in seconds. That speed is what separates a pass from a fail.
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.
On technical questions, don't get bogged down in unfamiliar terminology. If you don't recognize a term, you're unlikely to figure it out on the spot—acknowledge it quickly and move on. Use the surrounding context, answer choices, and familiar terms to guide your reasoning, but don't linger on any single difficult question.
On tough multiple-choice questions, rule out the options you know are wrong before choosing. Narrowing to two choices sharply improves your odds even when you're unsure.
Try These ICC G27 Master Plumber with Gas (2018 IPC/IFGC) Practice Questions
Give these a try. They come from our practice question bank, each with its answer and reference.
Sample 1 — Water Supply and Distribution
Question: A lawn irrigation system is being connected to the potable water supply. The designer has placed the electric zone control valves downstream of the backflow protection device, and no chemicals are injected into the system. Which backflow protection method is NOT acceptable for this arrangement?
- A. Reduced pressure principle assembly
- B. Pressure vacuum breaker assembly
- C. Spill-resistant vacuum breaker assembly
- D. Atmospheric vacuum breaker
Correct Answer: D
IPC 608.17.5 permits an atmospheric vacuum breaker, a pressure vacuum breaker assembly or a reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly for lawn irrigation, but expressly prohibits valves downstream from an atmospheric vacuum breaker. With zone valves downstream, the atmospheric vacuum breaker cannot be used.
Reference: IPC 2018 Section 608.17.5 (Chapter 6 Water Supply and Distribution)
Sample 2 — Sanitary Drainage
Question: A basement restroom is served by a grinder pump that receives the discharge of a water closet. The discharge opening of that grinder pump shall be not less than:
- A. 3 inches
- B. 1 1/2 inches
- C. 1 1/4 inches
- D. 2 inches
Correct Answer: C
IPC 2018 Section 712.4.2, Exception 1, permits grinder pumps or grinder ejectors receiving the discharge of water closets to have a discharge opening of not less than 1 1/4 inches, in lieu of the general requirement that such pumps pass 2-inch spherical solids. Macerating toilet assemblies serving a single water closet are permitted a 3/4-inch discharge opening.
Reference: IPC 2018 Chapter 7 — Section 712.4.2 Capacity
Sample 3 — Plumbing Vent Requirements
Question: A vent shall not be installed within what minimum distance of a trap weir?
- A. One pipe diameter
- B. Three pipe diameters
- C. Two pipe diameters
- D. Four pipe diameters
Correct Answer: C
Per IPC Section 909.3, a vent shall not be installed within two pipe diameters of the trap weir. This is known as the crown vent restriction.
Reference: IPC 2018 Section 909.3
Sample 4 — Traps, Interceptors, and Separators
Question: A service station where vehicles are repaired and washed and where gasoline is dispensed has 500 square feet of floor area draining to an oil separator. What is the minimum required capacity of the separator?
- A. 6 cubic feet
- B. 9 cubic feet
- C. 10 cubic feet
- D. 11 cubic feet
Correct Answer: C
Per IPC 1003.4.2.2, oil separators serving such areas shall have a capacity of not less than 6 cubic feet for the first 100 square feet of area drained, plus 1 cubic foot for each additional 100 square feet. For 500 square feet: 6 + (4 x 1) = 10 cubic feet.
Reference: IPC 2018 Section 1003.4.2.2, Chapter 10 ()
Why Practice Online?
Reading questions in a PDF is a start, but it doesn't prepare you for the clock. Our practice exams are timed and on a screen, so you build speed along with knowledge. Each attempt draws a new set of questions from our bank, and your results show your score by topic so you know where to focus next.
Ready to Start?
Take the free ICC G27 Master Plumber with Gas (2018 IPC/IFGC) practice exam and see where you stand today. Then focus on the topics that need the most work. For the official rules, read the exam bulletin, and see the licensing board's website.