IRC tabs for the B1: a tab list for the 2021 and 2024 editions
ICC allows permanently attached tabs, highlighting and ink notes in your bound IRC, per its test-site rules, so you can tab your IRC for the B1 as long as no tab can come off without tearing the page. The B1 is open book, with 60 questions in two hours. Most of that time goes on finding the right page, so a well-tabbed IRC gets you to the answer faster. This list gives you every tab location for both code editions B1 is offered on. The labels are our own short names, not code text. Write them on your own permanent tabs and stick them in your own book. The printable tab planner at the end turns the list into a checklist you can work through with the book open.
Tab rules first
ICC's test-site rules allow highlighting and ink notes in bound references. Tabs must be permanently attached, so a tab can't come off without tearing the page. Loose papers and photocopies are not allowed. Read the rules again before exam day so your book passes at the door.
Pick your edition before you tab. Several Chapter 3 topics moved in the 2024 IRC, so a 2021 tab set puts you on the wrong page in a 2024 book. The 2021 vs 2024 IRC guide explains how to confirm the code year you booked.
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Chapter tabs (same in both editions)
For what each chapter covers and which ones the outline leans on, see IRC chapters for the B1.
Put these on the right-hand edge, one per chapter, top to bottom. The weights are ICC's published B1 outline areas.
| Tab | Chapter | B1 outline area |
|---|---|---|
| Admin | 1 | Code administration (4%) |
| Planning | 3 | Building planning (8%), public safety (17%) |
| Foundations | 4 | Footings and foundations (16%) |
| Floors | 5 | Floor construction (14%) |
| Walls | 6 | Wall construction and coverings (27%) |
| Coverings | 7 | Wall construction and coverings (27%) |
| Roof framing | 8 | Roof/ceiling construction (14%) |
| Roofing | 9 | Roof/ceiling construction (14%) |
| Fireplaces | 10 | See ICC's full outline for this chapter |
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Section tabs
Add these along the top or in a second column. Start with the ones for your weakest areas on the free 10-question check. Too many tabs slow you down, so add the rest only when a lookup keeps costing you time.
Code administration
| Tab | 2021 IRC | 2024 IRC |
|---|---|---|
| Permits | R105 | R105 |
| Inspections | R109 | R109 |
| Certificate of occupancy | R110 | R110 |
Building planning and public safety (Chapter 3)
This is where the editions differ most. Use the column for your edition.
| Tab | 2021 IRC | 2024 IRC |
|---|---|---|
| Design criteria | R301 | R301 |
| Fire separation | R302 | R302 |
| Light and ventilation | R303 | R325 |
| Room size | R304 | R312 |
| Ceiling height | R305 | R313 |
| Glazing | R308 | R324 |
| Garages | R309 | R317 |
| Escape openings | R310 | R319 |
| Egress and stairs | R311 | R318 |
| Handrails | inside R311 | R320 |
| Guards | R312 | R321 |
| Smoke alarms | R314 | R310 |
| CO alarms | R315 | R311 |
| Decay protection | R317 | R304 |
| Termites | R318 | R305 |
Footings and foundations (Chapter 4)
| Tab | 2021 IRC | 2024 IRC |
|---|---|---|
| Footings | R403 | R403 |
| Foundation walls | R404 | R404 |
| Drainage and dampproofing | R405, R406 | R405, R406 |
| Crawl space | R408 | R408 |
Floors (Chapter 5)
| Tab | 2021 IRC | 2024 IRC |
|---|---|---|
| Floor framing | R502 | R502 |
| Floor sheathing | R503 | R503 |
| Decks | R507 | R507 |
Walls and coverings (Chapters 6 and 7)
This is the largest outline area, so it gets the most section tabs.
| Tab | 2021 IRC | 2024 IRC |
|---|---|---|
| Wood wall framing | R602 | R602 |
| Wood structural panels | R604 | R604 |
| Masonry | R606 | R606 |
| Windows and doors | R609 | R609 |
| Interior covering | R702 | R702 |
| Exterior covering | R703 | R703 |
Roofs and ceilings (Chapters 8 and 9)
| Tab | 2021 IRC | 2024 IRC |
|---|---|---|
| Roof framing | R802 | R802 |
| Roof sheathing | R803 | R803 |
| Attic ventilation | R806 | R806 |
| Attic access | R807 | R807 |
| Roof coverings | R905 | R905 |
| Reroofing | R908 | R908 |
Fireplaces and chimneys (Chapter 10)
| Tab | 2021 IRC | 2024 IRC |
|---|---|---|
| Masonry fireplaces | R1001 | R1001 |
| Masonry chimneys | R1003 | R1003 |
Practice with the tabs on
- Tab the book you will take into the exam, and study from that same book, so the tabs become habit.
- Time your lookups. Read a topic, find the section, then check the conditions in your own copy. If one lookup keeps taking more than a minute, give it a tab or learn its index term.
- Use the index for anything without a tab. A lookup through the index is often quicker than flipping between section tabs.
- Many lookups end at a table and its footnotes. Highlight the table titles you use most, since highlighting is allowed and costs no tab space.
- For the floor joist, header and rafter tables, the span table method gives the inputs to gather and the order to read them in.
These pages give section numbers only and never reproduce code text. Use your own licensed IRC. The B1 study plan shows how to fit tab practice into a six-week routine. To practice the stair tabs, run a set of numbers through the IRC stair riser and tread check, which shows the 2021 and 2024 section numbers side by side.
Test your tabs on real questions
A tabbed book only pays off when you can use it fast. Take the free 10-question check with your IRC open beside you, with no signup, and see which outline areas need more tabs. Every answer is explained. The Rafter Tie course adds timed practice exams and a lesson for each outline area.
Printable tab planner
Print this page with your browser's print command (Ctrl+P, or Cmd+P on a Mac). The print layout leaves out the side panel and the question blocks, so the planner and the tab tables above fit on paper. It is free to print and needs no signup. The planner is a method only: it names tabs by section number from the tables above and never quotes the code.
Step 1: set up
| Done | Step |
|---|---|
| ☐ | Write down the code year on your exam booking: 2021 IRC or 2024 IRC. Use only that column from here on. |
| ☐ | Check the tab rules above against ICC's test-site page again, and buy permanent tabs that meet them. |
| ☐ | Take the free 10-question check and circle your two weakest outline areas below. |
Step 2: chapter tabs, right-hand edge
| Done | Chapter | Outline area | Weakest? |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | 1 | Code administration | ☐ |
| ☐ | 3 | Building planning, public safety | ☐ |
| ☐ | 4 | Footings and foundations | ☐ |
| ☐ | 5 | Floor construction | ☐ |
| ☐ | 6 and 7 | Wall construction and coverings | ☐ |
| ☐ | 8 and 9 | Roof/ceiling construction | ☐ |
| ☐ | 10 | Fireplaces and chimneys | ☐ |
Step 3: section tabs, weakest areas first
- Copy the section numbers for your two weakest areas from the section tables above, in your edition's column only.
- Tab those sections along the top edge, in book order.
- For Chapter 3 in a 2024 book, find each section in the contents before you stick the tab, because several topics moved.
- Stop there and practice. Add a tab for another area only when a lookup in it keeps costing you time.
Step 4: timed lookup log
Pick a topic, find its section, and note how long it took. Give any lookup over a minute a tab or an index term, then try it again.
| Topic | Section found | Time | Tab or index term added |
|---|---|---|---|
Step 5: before exam day
| Done | Step |
|---|---|
| ☐ | Every tab is permanently attached and none can come off without tearing the page. |
| ☐ | No loose papers or photocopies are in the book. |
| ☐ | The book's edition matches the code year on your booking. |
FAQ
Are tabs allowed in the IRC for the ICC B1?
Yes, if they are permanently attached so a tab can't come off without tearing the page. ICC's test-site rules also allow highlighting and ink notes, but not loose papers or photocopies.
How many tabs should I put in my IRC?
Start with one tab per chapter from 1 and 3 to 10, then add section tabs for your weakest areas. Too many tabs slow you down, so add another only when a lookup keeps taking over a minute.
Can I use a 2021 tab set in a 2024 IRC?
No. Several Chapter 3 topics moved in the 2024 IRC, so a 2021 tab set puts you on the wrong page. Use only the column for the code year on your booking.
Can I print this tab list?
Yes. Use your browser's print command and the planner and tab tables fit on paper. It is free and needs no signup.
Sources
Show the list
- 2021 International Residential Code: contents, International Code Council.
- 2024 International Residential Code: contents, International Code Council.
- What should I bring to the test site?, International Code Council.
- B1 Residential Building Inspector Content Outline, International Code Council.
Facts come from the sources listed above. If something has changed, tell us and we will correct it within 2 business days.
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