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100+ Free NM General Building Inspector Practice Questions

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: NM General Building Inspector Exam

75%

Passing Score

PSI NM Contractor Bulletin 4/3/2026

50 Q

Official Exam Questions

PSI NM Contractor Bulletin 4/3/2026

150 min

Time Allowed

PSI NM Contractor Bulletin 4/3/2026

USD 68.88

PSI Exam Fee

PSI NM Contractor Bulletin 4/3/2026

NM CID General Building Inspector is a 50-question PSI exam, 75% pass, 150 minutes, USD 68.88, open-book IBC/IRC 2021 and NMAC 14.7 (bulletin 4/3/2026).

Sample NM General Building Inspector Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your NM General Building Inspector exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1At a New Mexico residential footing inspection, what is the minimum depth of an exterior footing below grade under the NMRBC amendment to IRC R403.1.4, before frost-depth rules are applied?
A.12 inches below grade
B.6 inches below grade
C.18 inches below grade
D.24 inches below grade
Explanation: NMAC 14.7.3.12 replaces IRC R403.1.4 so that all exterior footings shall be placed at least 12 inches (305 mm) below grade. Where frost or expansive-soil rules apply, the footing must also satisfy R403.1.4.1 and R403.1.4.2. An inspector rejects a 6-inch trench even if the soil looks competent.
2Where frost heave is a concern, exterior footings must be placed in which of the following locations?
A.On compacted fill 6 inches below finished landscape grade
B.At finished grade if a vapor retarder is provided
C.At or below the locally established frost line, and not less than the code minimum embedment
D.Only as deep as the top of the nearest utility trench
Explanation: IRC and IBC frost-protection rules require exterior footings to reach at or below the frost line so ice lenses cannot lift the foundation. New Mexico still imposes a 12-inch minimum depth, so the controlling depth is the greater of frost depth and that minimum. Local climatic data in the design criteria table, not a statewide guess, set the frost line.
3Per IBC 1804.4, the ground immediately adjacent to a foundation must fall away from the wall at not less than which slope for the first 10 feet, unless an approved alternative is used?
A.5 percent (6 inches in 10 feet)
B.1 percent (about 1-1/4 inches in 10 feet)
C.2 percent (about 2-1/2 inches in 10 feet)
D.10 percent (12 inches in 10 feet)
Explanation: IBC 1804.4 requires the grade next to the foundation to slope away at not less than 1 unit vertical in 20 units horizontal (5 percent) for a minimum of 10 feet — equal to 6 inches of fall in 10 feet. IRC R401.3 uses the same 6-inches-in-10-feet rule. If lot lines or obstructions prevent the 10-foot run, a 5-percent slope to an approved drain or swale is required.
4Under NMAC 14.7.2.26, what are the prescriptive width and thickness of a concrete footing supporting one floor of light-frame construction when no specific design is provided?
A.12 inches wide by 6 inches thick
B.12 inches wide by 8 inches thick
C.18 inches wide by 8 inches thick
D.16 inches wide by 8 inches thick
Explanation: New Mexico deletes IBC Table 1809.7 and substitutes a one-floor prescriptive footing of 16 inches wide by 8 inches thick. The model IBC 12-by-6 value is not accepted in New Mexico. Inspectors should reject a 12-inch-wide unreinforced light-frame footing that relies on the unamended IBC table.
5A contractor proposes a monolithic turndown footing to support a light-frame wall under the NMCBC. What is the minimum width of that turndown?
A.12 inches
B.8 inches
C.10 inches
D.16 inches
Explanation: NMAC 14.7.2.26 allows a turndown footing cast monolithically with the slab-on-grade to support light-frame walls for the number of floors in Table 1809.7 if the turndown is at least 12 inches wide and the depth meets IBC 1809.4 and 1809.5. Sixteen inches is the separate prescriptive strip-footing width, not the turndown minimum.
6Per IRC R403.1.6, wood sill plates on a continuous concrete foundation shall be anchored with bolts that are at least which of the following?
A.3/8 inch diameter, embedded 5 inches, spaced 8 feet on center
B.5/8 inch diameter, embedded 4 inches, spaced 4 feet on center
C.1/2 inch diameter, embedded 7 inches, spaced not more than 6 feet on center
D.3/4 inch diameter, embedded 12 inches, spaced 10 feet on center
Explanation: IRC R403.1.6 requires 1/2-inch-diameter anchor bolts extending at least 7 inches into concrete or grouted masonry cells and spaced not more than 6 feet on center. A nut and washer must be tightened on each bolt. High-wind or seismic tables can require closer spacing, but they never relax this baseline.
7A 12-foot sill-plate section is set on a foundation. What is the minimum number of anchor bolts and the maximum distance from each plate end to the nearest bolt under IRC R403.1.6?
A.Two bolts, one not more than 12 inches from each end
B.One bolt, located at midspan
C.Three bolts, one within 24 inches of each end
D.Four bolts, one within 6 inches of each end
Explanation: IRC R403.1.6 requires at least two bolts per plate section, with one bolt not more than 12 inches and not closer than seven bolt diameters from each end. On a 12-foot plate the 6-foot maximum spacing also requires an intermediate bolt, but the end-distance and two-bolt rules are the items most often missed at inspection.
8NMAC 14.7.3.14 amends sole-plate anchorage where a 2x6 exterior plate is cantilevered for slab-edge insulation. How close to the exterior edge of the concrete may the anchor bolt be placed?
A.Flush with the exterior face of the concrete
B.A minimum of 1 inch from the exterior edge
C.A minimum of 2 inches from the exterior edge
D.A minimum of 4 inches from the exterior edge
Explanation: The NMRBC bottom-plate amendment allows a 2x6 exterior plate to cantilever up to 1-1/2 inches past the slab to make room for perimeter insulation, but it requires anchor bolts at least 2 inches from the exterior edge of the concrete. Placing the bolt at the edge risks breakout and does not leave enough concrete cover around the bolt.
9Prescriptive footing widths in the IRC and IBC assume a minimum presumptive soil bearing pressure. If the soils report shows a lower allowable bearing value than the table assumes, what should the inspector require?
A.Use of the prescriptive table without change
B.Only a thicker slab-on-grade
C.Replacement of the soil with uncompacted native backfill
D.A wider or engineered footing consistent with the reduced bearing value
Explanation: Prescriptive footing tables are valid only for the soil-bearing values stated in the footnotes or in the soils investigation. When actual allowable bearing is lower, the contact area must increase or a registered design professional must size the footing. An inspector does not accept a 16-inch NM prescriptive footing on documented weak soil just because the table was used on the drawings.
10Structural fill placed under footings or a slab-on-grade is typically accepted when field density tests show which result?
A.In-place dry density meets the specified percentage of laboratory maximum dry density
B.The fill is the same color as the native soil
C.The contractor counted the specified number of roller passes
D.The fill was moistened but not tested
Explanation: Acceptance of structural fill is based on in-place dry density compared with a laboratory Proctor (or equivalent) maximum dry density, commonly 95 percent unless the soils report or specifications require otherwise. Nuclear-gauge or sand-cone tests are the usual field methods. Pass counts and visual moisture checks are not substitutes for the specified compaction.

About the NM General Building Inspector Exam

The New Mexico CID General Building Inspector Examination is the open-book PSI inspector exam covering the 2021 New Mexico residential and commercial building codes plus IBC 2021 and IRC 2021. The official exam has 50 scored questions, a 75% passing standard (38 points), and 150 minutes allowed. PSI lists the fee at USD 68.88 (bulletin updated 4/3/2026). This English-language MCQ bank is a study aid, not an official PSI form, and does not replace NMAC 14.6.5 inspector qualifications or the official examination.

Questions

50 scored questions

Time Limit

150 minutes

Passing Score

75% (38 of 50 points)

Exam Fee

USD 68.88 (PSI Services LLC (for New Mexico Construction Industries Division))

NM General Building Inspector Exam Content Outline

20%

Sitework, Footings, and Foundations

Soils, excavation, footings, and foundations (10 items)

8%

Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement

Concrete placement and reinforcement (4 items)

8%

Masonry

Masonry construction and inspection (4 items)

24%

Carpentry

Wood framing, fasteners, and structural carpentry (12 items)

8%

Metals

Structural steel and cold-formed metal (4 items)

16%

Roofing

Roof coverings and roof assemblies (8 items)

8%

Associated Trades

Related building trades inspection (4 items)

8%

General Code

Administration, occupancy, and general IBC/IRC provisions (4 items)

How to Pass the NM General Building Inspector Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 75% (38 of 50 points)
  • Exam length: 50 questions
  • Time limit: 150 minutes
  • Exam fee: USD 68.88

Keys to Passing

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

NM General Building Inspector Study Tips from Top Performers

1Tab IBC/IRC 2021 chapters on foundations, wood, roof assemblies, and occupancy
2Compare NM amendments in NMAC 14.7.2 and 14.7.3 against model code text
3This bank is an English-language MCQ study aid, not an official PSI inspector form

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the NM General Building Inspector exam?

The official PSI examination has 50 scored questions. Passing is 75% (38 points) within 150 minutes (bulletin updated 4/3/2026).

What codes are tested?

New Mexico Residential Building Code NMAC 14.7.3 (2021), New Mexico Commercial Building Code NMAC 14.7.2 (2021), IBC 2021, and IRC 2021.