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Idaho HVAC Specialty Journeyman Exam — Practice Exam Guide

What This Practice Exam Covers

The Idaho HVAC Specialty Journeyman licensing exam consists of 50 questions answered in 120 minutes. The passing score is 70%, meaning you need at least 35 correct answers. All questions are drawn from the 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) as adopted in Idaho, covering seven chapters with weighted topic areas ranging from 6 to 9 questions each.

This practice exam is available in two formats:

• Free practice exam: 10 questions per attempt, pulled from a limited pool. You can retake it as many times as you want to get comfortable with the question style and pacing — a solid starting point before committing to full prep.
• Full practice exam (paid): Mirrors the real exam exactly — 50 questions, 120-minute time limit, drawn from a pool of 290+ questions. Every attempt generates a unique set, so you won't see the same exam twice. Questions are built from the official topic breakdown provided by the exam administrator.

Start free, then move to the full exam when you're ready to simulate real test conditions.

What You'll Be Tested On

Chapter 1 — Administration (6 items)

Expect questions on the scope of IFGC applicability under Section 101.2.1 and what systems fall outside that scope under Section 101.2.2 and Section 101.2.4. The exam tests whether you know which installations are excluded — not just that exclusions exist, but which specific systems qualify. Permit requirements, including the application process and exemptions under Section 106.1 and Section 106.5.3, appear frequently. You'll also need to know the code official's authority: inspection rights, stop work orders, and what constitutes an unsafe installation under sections like 106.6.1 and 107.2. Required inspection types — underground, rough-in, and final — are fair game, as is the sequence in which they occur.

Chapter 2 — Definitions (6 items)

Definition questions are precise by nature. The exam pulls from Section 202 and tests whether you can distinguish between appliance classifications (vented vs. unvented, fan-assisted, automatically controlled), venting categories (Category I through IV), and vent types (Type B, BW, L, special gas vents). On the piping side, know the distinction between piping, tubing, connectors, and regulators — including the difference between MP regulators, monitoring regulators, and series regulators. Combustion-related terms (draft, draft hood, flue, flue gases, combustion air) appear alongside valve type definitions. A wrong definition choice almost always comes from confusing two closely related terms.

Chapter 3 — General Regulations (7 items)

This chapter covers a wide range of field-critical rules. Combustion air calculations — indoor method, outdoor method, and combination method — require you to apply correct multipliers to total appliance input. Section 304.5.1 covers combustion air requirements in detail. Know the prohibited appliance locations under Section 303.3, including Items 3 and 4, and the rules for sleeping rooms and bathrooms. Clearance to combustible construction (Sections 304.6, 304.6.1, 304.6.2) and clearance reduction methods are testable. Service access requirements for attics, under-floor spaces, and rooftop installations appear under Sections 306.4 and 305.5. Electrical bonding for gas piping and CSST falls under Section 310-level requirements. Condensate disposal — materials, drain slope, and disposal point — is covered in Sections 307.2, 307.3, and 307.5.

Chapter 4 — Gas Piping Installation (9 items)

The heaviest chapter on the exam. Pipe sizing using the longest-length and branch-length methods requires table selection and understanding allowable pressure drop. Sections 402.2 and 402.3 govern sizing methods. Know the approved piping materials: steel, copper, CSST, polyethylene, and aluminum — and where each is permitted or prohibited. Pressure testing rules are specific: test medium, minimum test pressure, and duration are all testable (Section 406-level content). Buried piping depth, protection against physical damage, and prohibited piping locations are recurring subjects. Shutoff valve placement — at appliances, meters, and in multi-tenant systems — appears in Section 409-level requirements. Pipe labeling requirements under Section 401.5 are a consistent source of exam questions.

Chapter 5 — Venting of Appliances (8 items)

Venting questions require matching the correct vent type to the appliance category — you cannot mix these up. Category I venting is sized using tables; know how to read Table 503.8 and Table 503.10.5. Vent termination location requirements — distances from windows, doors, grade, and adjacent walls — are frequently tested under Sections 503.6.6, 503.6.10.1, and 503.6.14. Vent connector materials, clearances, and slope requirements appear in Sections 503.10.7, 503.10.8, and 503.10.12. Type B, BW, and L gas vent installation and termination rules are covered under Sections 503.3.3 and 503.3.6. Unvented appliance aggregate input limits and which appliances are exempt from venting requirements round out this section.

Chapter 6 — Specific Appliances (7 items)

Questions are appliance-specific. Clothes dryer exhaust requirements (Section 614.4, 614.6, 614.8.1, 614.8.3, 614.8.4.1) include maximum duct length and fitting equivalents — know the math. Unvented room heater restrictions cover prohibited locations (bedrooms, bathrooms) and the oxygen-depletion safety system requirement under Sections 621.3, 621.5, and 621.6. Vented wall furnace and floor furnace placement and clearances appear in Sections 620.4 and 623.7. Forced-air warm-air furnace prohibited return-air sources are tested under Section 618.3. Installation listing standards and clearances to combustibles for specific appliances (Sections 616.2, 615.6, 615.6.1) also appear.

Chapter 7 — Gaseous Hydrogen Systems (7 items)

Hydrogen questions focus on materials, testing, and safety systems. Approved piping materials are defined in Section 702.1. Pressure relief device requirements and configuration appear in Sections 703.2.1 and 703.3.1. Pressure testing — hydrostatic and pneumatic leak tests — is covered in Sections 704.1.2 through 704.1.2.4.2 with specific test pressures and durations. Purging procedures for hydrogen piping appear in Sections 705.3.1 through 705.3.7. Compressed gas container and cylinder requirements, and location rules for indoor vs. outdoor hydrogen systems under Sections 705.5.1 through 705.5.3.1, complete this chapter.

Worked Sample Questions

Question 1: For other than steel pipe, exposed gas piping shall be identified by a yellow label marked "Gas" in black letters at intervals not exceeding ______ feet.

• A. 3
• B. 5
• C. 10
• D. 15

Correct Answer: B — 5 feet

The 2018 IFGC, Section 401.5, requires that exposed piping made of materials other than steel be labeled with yellow "Gas" markers in black letters, spaced no more than 5 feet (1,524 mm) apart. This is a minimum-interval rule — closer spacing is permitted, but exceeding 5 feet is a violation. Candidates frequently choose 10 feet, confusing this with other labeling standards.
Source: 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), Chapter 4, Section 401.5

How to Read Your Score

The passing threshold is 70% — 35 out of 50 questions on the real exam. On the full practice exam, treat your first attempt as a diagnostic, not a verdict. Most candidates score lower on attempt one than they will after targeted review, and that gap is useful information.

Look at your results by topic, not just your total. If you're scoring well on Chapter 2 definitions but missing Chapter 4 pipe sizing questions, that tells you exactly where to spend study time. A score of 68–72% on practice exams generally means you're close but not ready — the real exam won't give you the same questions, and marginal scores leave no buffer for an unexpected question cluster on your weaker chapters.

A score consistently above 80% across multiple full-exam attempts, with no single chapter below 60%, is a stronger indicator of readiness. The 290+ question pool means each attempt tests different angles of the same material, which is a more reliable indicator than repeating a smaller question set until you've memorized the answers.

Where Candidates Lose Points

Confusing closely related definitions (Chapter 2): The exam distinguishes between Category I and Category II appliances, between monitoring regulators and series regulators, between Type B and Type L vents. One wrong word in a definition means a lost point.

Pipe sizing table errors (Chapter 4): Candidates select the wrong table for the pressure range or apply the longest-length method when branch-length is required. Read the system pressure and method carefully before picking a table.

Missing the exact number on Chapter 5 termination rules: Vent termination distances are specific — "12 inches" and "3 feet" are not interchangeable, and the exam exploits this. Sections 503.6.6 and 503.6.10.1 are worth committing to memory.

Dryer duct length math (Chapter 6): The maximum duct length question requires you to subtract fitting equivalents from the total allowable length. Candidates who skip the fitting deduction step pick an answer that is too long.

Hydrogen system test pressures (Chapter 7): Sections 704.1.2.3.1 through 704.1.2.3.6 have distinct requirements for hydrostatic vs. pneumatic tests. Mixing up the test medium or pressure value is a common error on this newer content area.

Time management: At 120 minutes for 50 questions, you have about 2.4 minutes per question. Chapter 4 sizing and Chapter 7 hydrogen content can eat time. Flag and return rather than stalling.

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