How the picker works
- Your goal sets a path of exams: B1 for residential, B2 for commercial, B1 and B2 for both, and B1, E1, M1 and P1 for every trade on residential jobs. If you are not sure, the path is B1.
- Each exam you tick as already held comes off the path. The exam to start with is the first one left, and the exams still to take are the rest.
- Questions and time add up across the exams still to take. Cost is $320 for each, the list price on ICC's store listings, before books, retakes and travel. ICC members pay less.
- A path that matches a combination designation says so: B1 with B2 earns B5, and B1, E1, M1 and P1 earn R5.
- Your state choice adds the rule as written for that state. It does not change the pick, because local rules often name more than one exam.
What each exam covers
| Exam | Questions | Time | Main code book |
|---|---|---|---|
| B1 Residential Building Inspector | 60 | 2 hours | International Residential Code |
| B2 Commercial Building Inspector | 80 | 3.5 hours | International Building Code, ACI 318-19 and the ICC concrete manual |
| E1 Residential Electrical Inspector | 60 | 2 hours | International Residential Code and the NFPA National Electrical Code |
| M1 Residential Mechanical Inspector | 60 | 2 hours | International Residential Code |
| P1 Residential Plumbing Inspector | 60 | 2 hours | International Residential Code |
B1 covers one- and two-family dwellings and townhomes up to three stories, and it leans on framing: walls, foundations, floors and roofs make up 71% of it. B2 covers commercial structures of any size or occupancy and puts 51% on building planning plus public safety, so occupancy classification, type of construction and means of egress matter more. The B1, B2 or R5 comparison guide sets the two outlines side by side, and the B1 exam outline guide goes through the seven B1 areas.
Combination designations
ICC grants combination designations once you hold the exams they need. R5 Residential Combination Inspector needs B1, E1, M1 and P1. B5 Building Inspector needs B1 and B2 and is granted automatically once you hold both. C5 Commercial Combination Inspector needs B2, E2, M2 and P2, and C8 Combination Inspector needs all eight of B1, B2, E1, E2, M1, M2, P1 and P2. The picker covers the first two paths. If you aim for C5 or C8, the comparison guide lists what each designation requires.
Worked example 1: starting out in Kentucky
You want to inspect homes, hold no ICC certifications and will work in Kentucky.
- The residential goal sets the path B1, and nothing is held, so B1 is both the exam to start with and the only exam on the path.
- B1 has 60 questions and 2 hours. The cost is 1 exam at $320, which is $320.
- The Kentucky note shows that 815 KAR 7:070 names B1 and M1 for the one- and two-family dwelling inspector. The pick stays B1 first, and you read the rule to see whether your job also needs M1.
Worked example 2: B1 in hand, aiming for R5
You hold B1 and want to inspect every trade on residential jobs.
- The trades goal sets the path B1, E1, M1 and P1. B1 comes off, leaving E1, M1 and P1.
- Three exams at 60 questions each is 180 questions. Three exams at 2 hours each is 6 hours. At $320 each, the cost is $960.
- Holding all four earns the R5 designation. M1 and P1 run on the IRC, like B1, so one IRC copy serves three of the four exams, and E1 adds the National Electrical Code.
Using the pick
Take the pick to your state rule or job posting and check it names the same exams and code year. Our certification by state guide covers the state side, and the exam cost and scheduling guide covers fees, remote proctoring and retakes. The picker does not say how hard an exam is or predict a result, and it cannot see local amendments or employer requirements.
ICC exam picker questions
Should I take the B1 or the B2 first?
The picker puts B1 first whenever a path includes it. B1 is the shared first step toward the R5, B5 and C8 designations, and the Kentucky, Rhode Island and New Jersey rules all name it. If your rule or employer sets an order, follow that. If you will inspect commercial buildings only, B2 is the exam the picker points to.
Is R5 an exam I can book?
No. R5 is the Residential Combination Inspector designation, and ICC grants it once you hold four residential certifications: B1, E1, M1 and P1. That is four exams of 60 questions each, 240 questions in all, so the picker shows the exams you still need after the ones you already hold.
My state is not on the list. Which exam do I take?
Pick "Another state, a city or an employer" and ask your hiring department or licensing board for the exact exam names and code year. If you are still deciding, B1 is the usual starting exam for residential work, and the free 10-question check shows you the material before you pay for anything.