How to Pass the Kansas General Building Contractor (A) (ICC 550, 2015 IBC) Exam
You don't have to guess how to prepare for the Kansas General Building Contractor (A) (ICC 550, 2015 IBC) 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.
Kansas General Building Contractor (A) (ICC 550, 2015 IBC) Exam Basics
Here's what the official bulletin says about the exam:
| Questions | 90 questions |
| Time limit | 4 hours |
| Passing score | a minimum score of 75 |
| Books in the exam room | Open book |
| Exam fee | $115 |
On exam day
- The exam uses multiple-choice questions, which the bulletin describes as four-option with one correct answer.
References you may bring
- 2015 International Building Code®
- 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 https://www.pearsonvue.com/icc.
- Results for examinations taken electronically are available immediately after completion of the examination.
- You must wait 10 days before retaking a failed exam.
- After passing, contact the jurisdiction for any other requirements needed to become licensed.
Source: State of Kansas Contractor/Trades Examination Information Bulletin, PUBLISHED August 20, 2026 (page headers read "December 9, 2025"). Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.
What's on the Kansas General Building Contractor (A) (ICC 550, 2015 IBC) Exam
The official content outline splits the exam into 4 topics:
| Topic | Questions | Share of the exam |
|---|---|---|
| Administration General Regulations | 14 | 15% |
| Building, Planning and Life Safety | 23 | 25% |
| Structural Systems | 40 | 45% |
| Building Envelope | 13 | 15% |
Your Kansas General Building Contractor (A) (ICC 550, 2015 IBC) 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. Check the bulletin's rules on tabs and markings before you add any.
Put your energy where the points are. Structural Systems and Building, Planning and Life Safety make up 70% 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 40 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 Kansas General Building Contractor (A) (ICC 550, 2015 IBC) Exam
The listed references are the 2015 International Building 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:
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. One catch: some exams lock the questions you've already seen once you take a break, so clear your bookmarks before any break.
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 90 questions, which is about 2 minutes 40 seconds per question. Before you finish, make sure every question has an answer. A blank can't earn a point.
Study Tips
Be alert to hedging words like likely, may, can, sometimes, usually, generally, and rarely—question writers use them to account for exceptions. An answer choice is often wrong simply because it allows no exceptions. Similarly, avoid choices containing absolute terms like exactly and always.
You're given plenty of time, so use as much of it as you need. Don't get rattled when other people finish early — finishing first isn't a prize. Work at your own steady pace and review your answers before you submit.
After each practice test, note the topics you miss most and spend your next session there. Re-testing weak areas yields far more score gain than re-reading what you already know.
Several 25–30 minute sessions across the week beat one long cram. Spaced repetition moves facts into long-term memory so they stick through exam day.
Try These Kansas General Building Contractor (A) (ICC 550, 2015 IBC) Practice Questions
Give these a try. They come from our practice question bank, each with its answer and reference.
Sample 1 — Building Envelope
Question: A Group A auditorium is equipped throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system and the decorative materials are installed as required for application to rated construction. Curtains, draperies, fabric hangings and similar combustible decorative materials suspended from the walls or ceilings shall not exceed what percentage of the aggregate wall area?
- A. 25 percent
- B. 10 percent
- C. 75 percent
- D. 50 percent
Correct Answer: C
IBC 806.3 limits combustible decorative materials to 10 percent of the wall or ceiling area, but Exception 1 permits up to 75 percent of the aggregate wall area in Group A auditoriums that are sprinklered throughout per 903.3.1.1 and installed per Section 803.13. The 50 percent figure applies to Group R-2 dormitory sleeping/dwelling units.
Reference: IBC 2015 Chapter 8 — Section 806.3
Sample 2 — Structural Systems
Question: Concrete is being placed through a funnel hopper at the top of a deep foundation element. The mix must be designed and proportioned as a cohesive, workable mix having a slump within what range?
- A. 3 inches to 6 inches
- B. 5 inches to 10 inches
- C. 2 inches to 5 inches
- D. 4 inches to 8 inches
Correct Answer: D
Per IBC 1808.8.1, where concrete is placed through a funnel hopper at the top of a deep foundation element, the mix shall produce a cohesive workable mix having a slump of not less than 4 inches (102 mm) and not more than 8 inches (204 mm). Where concrete is pumped, the mix design including slump must be adjusted to produce a pumpable mixture.
Reference: IBC 2015 Chapter 18 — Section 1808.8.1 Concrete or Grout Strength and Mix Proportioning
Sample 3 — Building, Planning and Life Safety
Question: A decorative steeple built of combustible materials is proposed for a building that is already at its maximum allowable building height. The steeple is not used for habitation or storage. How far above the allowable building height may it extend?
- A. 15 feet
- B. 20 feet
- C. 6 feet
- D. 10 feet
Correct Answer: B
The exception to IBC Section 504.3 permits towers, spires, steeples and other roof structures to be unlimited in height where of noncombustible materials, but where constructed of combustible materials they shall not extend more than 20 feet above the allowable building height.
Reference: IBC 2015 Chapter 5 — Section 504.3 Height in Feet
Sample 4 — Administration General Regulations
Question: A tenant asks to move into a completed floor of your commercial project before the entire permitted work is finished, and the building official agrees that portion can be safely used. What is the building official authorized to issue?
- A. A conditional permit amendment
- B. A temporary certificate of occupancy
- C. A notice of substantial completion
- D. A phased construction approval
Correct Answer: B
Per IBC 111.3, the building official is authorized to issue a temporary certificate of occupancy before completion of the entire work covered by the permit, provided the portion can be occupied safely, and shall set a time period during which it is valid.
Reference: IBC 2015 Chapter 1 — Section 111.3 Temporary Occupancy
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 Kansas General Building Contractor (A) (ICC 550, 2015 IBC) 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.