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Per IBC 2021 Section 1704.2, who is responsible for employing the approved agency that performs special inspections on most commercial projects?

The contractor

The owner or the owner's authorized agent

The building official

The concrete supplier

to track

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: ACI Special Inspector Exam

~80

MC Questions (Written)

ACI CCSI Program

3 hours

Written Exam Time

ACI CCSI Program

70%

Passing Score

ACI CCSI Program

Open book

Exam Format

ACI CCSI Program

5 years

Certification Validity

ACI

$700

Typical Exam Fee

ACI sponsoring groups

The ACI Concrete Construction Special Inspector is an IBC Chapter 17 credential required on many commercial concrete projects. The written exam is open-book, 3 hours, ~80 multiple-choice questions, with a 70% minimum passing score on each component. Eligibility requires 5 years of combined education and experience in concrete construction plus current or prior ACI Concrete Field Testing Technician Grade I certification. Certification is valid for 5 years.

Sample ACI Special Inspector Practice Questions

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1Per IBC 2021 Section 1704.2, who is responsible for employing the approved agency that performs special inspections on most commercial projects?

A.The contractor

B.The owner or the owner's authorized agent

C.The building official

D.The concrete supplier

Explanation: IBC Section 1704.2 requires that special inspections and tests be furnished by the owner or the owner's authorized agent, not the contractor. This preserves the independence of the inspector from the party whose work is being inspected. The only exception is where the contractor is also the owner of the building.

2A 'statement of special inspections' required by IBC Section 1704.3 must be prepared by which party?

A.The special inspector

B.The general contractor

C.The registered design professional in responsible charge

D.The concrete testing laboratory

Explanation: IBC Section 1704.3 requires the registered design professional in responsible charge (typically the structural engineer of record) to prepare the statement of special inspections identifying the materials, systems, components, and work that require special inspection or testing. This document is submitted to the building official as a condition of permit issuance.

3Per IBC Table 1705.3, placement of reinforcing steel, including prestressing tendons, for ordinary structural concrete requires what level of special inspection?

A.Continuous during placement

B.Periodic

C.Only upon completion

D.No special inspection required

Explanation: IBC Table 1705.3 item 1 lists inspection of reinforcement, including prestressing tendons, and verification of placement as a periodic special inspection task. Periodic means the inspector is intermittently present to observe the work and verify compliance. By contrast, anchor installation in concrete and welding of reinforcement are continuous tasks.

4According to IBC Section 1704.2.4, what document must the special inspector submit before the building official issues a certificate of occupancy?

A.A daily field report

B.The contractor's punch list

C.A final report of special inspections documenting required inspections and correction of any discrepancies

D.The mix design submittal

Explanation: IBC Section 1704.2.4 requires the approved agency to submit a final report of special inspections documenting that all required special inspections, tests, and any corrections of reported discrepancies have been completed. This document is a prerequisite to the certificate of occupancy.

5Per IBC 1704.2.5, when the special inspector observes work that does not comply with the approved construction documents, what is the inspector required to do?

A.Stop the work immediately and notify OSHA

B.Bring the discrepancies to the immediate attention of the contractor for correction, and if uncorrected, notify the registered design professional and building official

C.Document the item only in the final report

D.Wait until the next scheduled inspection to discuss it

Explanation: IBC Section 1704.2.5 requires the inspector to bring discrepancies to the immediate attention of the contractor for correction. If discrepancies are not corrected, the inspector must bring them to the attention of the registered design professional in responsible charge and to the building official. The inspector does not have stop-work authority.

6Per IBC Table 1705.3, verifying use of the required design mix is classified as what type of inspection?

A.Continuous

B.Periodic

C.Not required

D.Required only for mass concrete

Explanation: IBC Table 1705.3 lists 'verifying use of required design mix' as a periodic special inspection item. The inspector intermittently verifies that the mix being delivered matches the approved design mix for the element being placed, typically by checking batch tickets.

7Per IBC Table 1705.3, sampling fresh concrete (slump, air content, temperature, cylinders) is classified as what type of inspection?

A.Periodic

B.Continuous

C.One time at project start

D.Not required on residential work

Explanation: IBC Table 1705.3 requires continuous special inspection during sampling of fresh concrete and fabrication of strength test specimens. Because sampling must occur at a specified frequency during the placement and strictly follow ASTM procedures, a continuous inspection presence is required.

8IBC Section 1705.3 exempts certain concrete construction from special inspection. Which of the following is specifically listed as an exemption?

A.Concrete piles for buildings assigned to Seismic Design Category D

B.Nonstructural concrete slabs supported directly on the ground, including prestressed slabs on grade

C.Post-tensioned concrete floor slabs

D.Shotcrete walls

Explanation: IBC Section 1705.3 lists exemptions from special inspection including nonstructural concrete slabs supported directly on the ground (including prestressed slabs on grade) where the effective prestress is less than 150 psi. Other exemptions include concrete not structurally integrated with the building and certain minor concrete foundations for light-frame construction.

9Under ACI 318-19 Chapter 26, how often must strength test cylinders be made for each class of concrete placed in one day?

A.At least one strength test per 50 cubic yards or each 5,000 square feet of surface, whichever yields the least tests

B.At least one strength test per 100 cubic yards, or each 5,000 square feet of slab/wall surface area, or each day the class of concrete is placed—whichever yields the most tests

C.One strength test per truck load

D.One strength test per 500 cubic yards

Explanation: ACI 318-19 Section 26.12.2.1 requires at least one strength test for each 100 cubic yards of each class of concrete placed, or each 5,000 square feet of surface area for slabs or walls, or for each day a given class is placed—whichever yields the most tests. A 'strength test' is the average of at least two 6x12 cylinders or three 4x8 cylinders.

10Per ACI 318-19 Section 26.12.3.1, the compressive strength of a concrete mixture is considered satisfactory when which two criteria are both met?

A.Every individual test equals or exceeds f'c, AND no individual test is more than 500 psi below f'c

B.Every arithmetic average of any three consecutive strength tests equals or exceeds f'c, AND no strength test falls below f'c by more than 500 psi (when f'c is 5,000 psi or less) or by more than 0.10 f'c (when f'c exceeds 5,000 psi)

C.At least 90 percent of tests exceed f'c and none is more than 1,000 psi below

D.The 28-day average of all tests taken so far exceeds f'c

Explanation: ACI 318-19 Section 26.12.3.1(b) states that strength of a concrete mixture is considered satisfactory if (1) every arithmetic average of any three consecutive strength tests equals or exceeds f'c, AND (2) no strength test (the average of two 6x12 or three 4x8 cylinders) falls below f'c by more than 500 psi when f'c ≤ 5,000 psi or by more than 0.10 f'c when f'c > 5,000 psi.

About the ACI Special Inspector Exam

IBC special inspector credential for structural concrete construction. Written exam is open-book, 3 hours, 80 multiple-choice questions; separate plans-reading exam adds 20 questions in 1 hour. Validates knowledge of ACI 318, ACI 301, ACI 117, ACI 347 formwork, IBC Chapter 17, rebar placement, field testing, and acceptance criteria.

Questions

80 scored questions

Time Limit

3 hours (written) + 1 hour (plans reading)

Passing Score

70%

Exam Fee

$700 (American Concrete Institute)

ACI Special Inspector Exam Content Outline

20%

IBC Chapter 17 Special Inspections

Statement of special inspections, duties of the special inspector, continuous vs periodic inspection, Table 1705.3, final report of special inspections

20%

ACI 318 Structural Concrete

Reinforcement detailing (Ch 25), concrete cover, lap splices, development length, anchorage (Ch 17), mechanical splices, acceptance of concrete (Ch 26)

15%

ACI 301, ACI 117 Specifications and Tolerances

Specifications for structural concrete, placement tolerances, formwork and reinforcement tolerances, elevation and plumbness limits

15%

Formwork and Reinforcement (ACI 347, SP-66)

Form pressure, shoring and reshoring, form removal timing, rebar identification, bar supports, tie spacing, bar placement, dowels

15%

Field Testing and Acceptance (ASTM + ACI 318 Ch 26)

Slump, air content, unit weight, temperature, sampling, cylinder making and curing, compressive strength testing, acceptance criteria

15%

Placement, Curing, Special Topics

Mixing and transport (ASTM C94), placing and consolidation, hot/cold weather concreting, curing (ACI 308), post-tensioning, mass concrete, anchors

How to Pass the ACI Special Inspector Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 70%
Exam length: 80 questions
Time limit: 3 hours (written) + 1 hour (plans reading)
Exam fee: $700

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

ACI Special Inspector Study Tips from Top Performers

1Learn the reference package thoroughly — the exam is open-book, but you will not have time to read unfamiliar material during the test

2Memorize the Table 1705.3 line items and which items require continuous versus periodic special inspection

3Know ACI 318 Chapter 25 rebar detailing rules cold: minimum cover, lap lengths (Class A/B), hook dimensions, and minimum spacing

4Practice ACI 117 tolerances numerically — plumbness, elevation, cross-sectional, and formed-surface tolerances are common question targets

5Review ASTM C31, C39, C143, C172, C231, and C1064 field-testing procedures; know sample frequency and acceptance criteria per ACI 318 Ch 26

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ACI Concrete Construction Special Inspector exam passing score?

A minimum score of 70% is required to pass the ACI Concrete Construction Special Inspector. Both the 3-hour written inspection exam (approximately 80 multiple-choice questions) and the 1-hour plans-reading exam (approximately 20 questions) must each be passed at 70% or higher. The written exam is open-book; candidates may use the printed ACI Inspector Reference Package during testing.

What are the eligibility requirements for the ACI Concrete Construction Special Inspector?

Candidates must have 5 years of combined education and/or work experience in concrete construction. Accepted pathways include a BS in civil engineering (ABET-accredited) plus 6 months experience, a BS in an engineering field plus 1 year, 60+ college credits plus 2 years, or high school plus 3 years. In addition, applicants must hold current or prior ACI Concrete Field Testing Technician—Grade I certification.

Is the ACI Concrete Construction Special Inspector exam open book?

Yes. The written inspection exam is open-book. Candidates typically bring the ACI Inspector Reference Package (CP-21) and may reference ACI 117, ACI 301, ACI 318, ACI 347, and the relevant IBC chapters (17 and 19) during the exam. The plans-reading component is also open-book and tests the ability to interpret structural drawings.

How long is ACI Concrete Construction Special Inspector certification valid?

The certification is valid for 5 years from the date it is issued. Recertification requires retaking and passing both the written inspection exam and the plans-reading exam. ACI does not currently accept continuing education credits in lieu of retesting for this credential.

What does IBC Chapter 17 say about concrete special inspection?

IBC Chapter 17 (Special Inspections and Tests) requires special inspection of structural concrete work in most commercial projects. Section 1705.3 and Table 1705.3 list required inspections including reinforcement placement, anchor installation, concrete sampling and testing, placement, curing, and prestressed concrete operations. The owner's registered design professional must submit a statement of special inspections, and the inspector must file a final report of special inspections prior to the certificate of occupancy.