General Administration
39%of exam
Plans and Documents
25%of exam
Legal Aspects
22%of exam
Zoning & Site Development
14%of exam
Quick Facts
- Exam
- ICC Exam 14
- Credential
- Permit Technician
- Questions
- 60 MC
- Time
- 2 hours
- Pass
- Scaled 75
- Format
- Open-book
- Level
- Entry-level
- Codes
- 2021 IBC/IZC
Domain Weight Order
39% Admin 25% Plans 22% Legal 14% Zoning
Admin biggest at 39%Plans second at 25%Legal third at 22%Zoning smallest at 14%
Permit vs Permit Exemption
Permit Required
- Structural plumbing electrical work
- Needs application plus fee
Permit Exempt
- Minor accessory work only
- No application needed
Regulated work vs minor work
Is a Permit Required?
- New structural work→Permit required(105.1)
- Shed under 200 sq ft→No permit needed(105.2)
- Fence under 7 ft→No permit needed(105.2)
- Retaining wall over 4 ft→Permit required(105.2)
- Deck over 30 in high→Permit required
- Like-for-like water heater→Permit required(Plumbing)
Permit Lifecycle
- Permit Required
- Regulated work needs permit105.1
- Shed Exemption
- 200 sq ft accessory max105.2
- Fence Exemption
- Fences up to 7 ft105.2
- Retaining Wall
- Permit if over 4 ft105.2
- 180-Day Rule
- Unstarted permit expires105.5
- Extension
- One 180-day extension max105.5
180-Day Rule Everywhere
180 days to start suspend or abandon
105.5 permit start clock105.5 work suspension clock107.3.4 abandonment clock
CO vs TCO
Certificate of Occupancy
- Final approval issued
- Full compliance verified
Temporary CO
- Partial occupancy allowed
- Time-limited conditions apply
Final vs temporary approval
Which Approval Comes Next
- Plans submitted→Plan review(107)
- Plans approved→Permit issuance(105)
- Work in progress→Progress inspections(110)
- Work complete→Final inspection
- Final inspection passes→Certificate of Occupancy(111)
- Occupy before final CO→Request TCO(111.3)
Fees & Valuation
- Valuation
- Total labor materials equipment value109.3
- Fee Schedule
- Set by jurisdiction locally109.2
- Payment of Fees
- Paid before permit issued109.1
- Investigation Fee
- Work-without-permit double fee109.4
- Related Fees
- Other agency fees apply109.5
- Refund
- Before plan review starts109.6
Fee Payment Order
Plan fee first then permit fee
Fee schedule equals 109.2Permit fee equals issuanceInvestigation fee equals penalty
Inspections & CO
- Inspection Request
- Owner or contractor schedules inspection110.3
- Special Inspection
- Owner hires approved agencyCh 17
- Final Inspection
- Last inspection before CO
- TCO
- Temporary occupancy certificate111.3
- Certificate of Occupancy
- Required before occupancy begins111.1
- Reinspection Fee
- Charged for failed reinspection
Customer Service Skills
- Active Listening
- Confirm customer's real need
- Plain Language
- Avoid code jargon
- Scope Clarification
- Define project before intake
- Referral Protocol
- Route to correct department
Project Application Intake
- Completeness Check
- Verify all required documents
- Licensing Verify
- Confirm contractor license active
- Signature Authority
- Owner or authorized agent
- Prerequisite Approvals
- Zoning or HOA sign-off first
Occupancy Group Letters
A B E F H I M R S U
A is AssemblyB is BusinessE is EducationalR is ResidentialS is Storage
Plan Review Routing
- Commercial occupancy change→Full plan review
- Site plan submitted→Zoning review first(Zoning domain)
- Structural questions arise→Route to plans examiner
- Scale or measurement unclear→Verify with engineering scale
Occupancy Groups
- Group A
- Assembly A-1 to A-5
- Group B
- Business professional office
- Group E
- Educational K-12
- Group F
- Factory F-1 or F-2
- Group H
- Hazardous H-1 to H-5
- Group I
- Institutional I-1 to I-4
- Group M
- Mercantile retail use
- Group R
- Residential R-1 to R-4
- Group S
- Storage S-1 or S-2
- Group U
- Utility or misc structures
Construction Types
- Type I
- Fire-resistive noncombustible
- Type II
- Noncombustible lower fire rating
- Type III
- Exterior noncombustible walls
- Type IV
- Heavy or mass timber
- Type V
- Combustible wood frame
Plan Review Basics
- Submittal Documents
- Plans specs engineering data107
- Deferred Submittal
- Approved later noted upfront
- Site Plan
- Shows lot and structure layout
- Structural Plans
- Load paths and framing
- Occupant Load Factor
- Table 1004.5 floor area1004.5
- Review Necessity
- Determine if review required
Maps & Scales
- Plat
- Subdivided lot map
- Tract Map
- Larger development boundary map
- Engineering Scale
- 1 inch equals feet
- Architectural Scale
- Fractional inch to foot
- Legal Description
- Formal property boundary text
Appeal vs Variance
Appeal
- Disputes code interpretation
- Goes to Board of Appeals
Variance
- Requests zoning deviation
- Goes to zoning body
Interpretation dispute vs code exception
Dispute or Violation Routing
- Disagree with interpretation→File an appeal(Board 113)
- Work without permit found→Stop work order(114)
- False info on application→Permit revocation
- Public records request made→Release per retention policy
Public Records & Info
- Public Record
- Permit files open to public
- Records Retention
- Keep per jurisdiction schedule
- PII Redaction
- Remove personal data first
- Records Research
- Verify project history compliance
- Liability Disclosure
- Give facts not opinions
Records Retention vs Research
Records Retention
- How long to keep
- Storage and destruction schedule
Records Research
- Look up project history
- Verify past compliance
Keeping records vs finding them
Appeals & Enforcement
- Board of Appeals
- Hears code interpretation disputes113
- Appeal Basis
- Not for waiving code
- Stop Work Order
- Halts unsafe unpermitted work114
- Permit Revocation
- False info or violation
- Notice of Violation
- Formal non-compliance notice
Variance vs Nonconforming Use
Variance
- Approved deviation requested
- Applicant seeks exception
Nonconforming Use
- Pre-existing legal use
- No approval needed
New exception vs grandfathered
Zoning & Site Terms
- Setback
- Min distance from lot line
- Lot Coverage
- Percent lot covered by structure
- Easement
- Right to use another's land
- Right-of-Way
- Public land for infrastructure
- Variance
- Approved zoning code deviation
- Nonconforming Use
- Legal before rezoning occurred
Easement vs Right-of-Way
Easement
- Private land limited use
- Benefits specific party
Right-of-Way
- Public land strip
- For roads and utilities
Private grant vs public land
Site Plan Review
- Utility Easement
- Reserved for utility lines
- Encroachment Permit
- Work in right-of-way
- Site Plan Approval
- Required before building permit
- Grading Plan
- Shows elevation and drainage
Common Traps
Permit Exemption ≠ Compliance Waiver
Exemption skips permit only ≠ Code compliance still required
Appeal ≠ Variance Request
Appeal disputes interpretation only ≠ Variance requests code exception
CO ≠ Final Inspection Pass
Inspection is one step ≠ CO is the final document
Easement ≠ Right-of-Way
Easement is a private grant ≠ ROW is public land
Valuation ≠ Materials Cost Only
Valuation includes labor and equipment ≠ Not materials cost alone
Investigation Fee ≠ Court Penalty
Investigation fee is administrative ≠ Court penalties are separate action
Last Minute
- 1.39% General Administration weight
- 2.25% Plans and Documents weight
- 3.22% Legal Aspects weight
- 4.14% Zoning and Site weight
- 5.60 questions in 2 hours
- 6.Scaled score of 75 to pass
- 7.Open-book exam: tab your IBC
- 8.Sheds under 200 sq ft exempt
- 9.Permits expire after 180 days
- 10.Know all 10 occupancy groups
- 11.Board of Appeals hears disputes
- 12.Bring a calculator and pencil
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