ICC 21 study plan

ICC 21 · Give each week a clear focus.

8 weeks · About 7 hours per week

Week 1

Code Administration and Scope of the International Codes

Map the ICC code family (IBC, IFC, IPC, IMC, IECC, IEBC) into a one-page matrix showing which code governs which project type
Trace Chapter 1 administration from permit application through certificate of occupancy in a 12-step written flow
Distinguish the authority of the code official, registered design professional, and contractor across 15 short scenarios
Answer 30 practice items on scope, referenced standards, and work in existing buildings, recording the section cited for every miss

One-page code-family matrix plus a 12-step permit-to-occupancy flow and a 30-item log with every miss annotated to a code section

Week 2

Classify 25 written building descriptions into occupancy groups, including mixed-occupancy cases
Assign construction type to each of those 25 buildings using allowable height and area tables
Calculate allowable area increases for frontage and sprinkler protection on 10 worked examples
Resolve 8 mixed-occupancy separation questions by applying the most-restrictive and accessory-use rules

A 25-building classification worksheet with occupancy group, construction type, allowable area, and a self-score of at least 90%

Week 3

Build a rating table linking required fire-resistance to occupancy group and construction type for walls, floors, and roofs
Contrast fire walls, fire barriers, fire partitions, and smoke barriers by listing the standard each is tested to and its continuity rules
Specify opening protectives and penetration firestopping for 12 given wall and floor assemblies
Answer 40 practice items on shaft enclosures, exit enclosures, and dampers, then re-test every miss

An annotated fire-resistance rating table plus a 40-item quiz record showing a re-test score of at least 85% on missed items

Week 4

Compute occupant load, egress width, and required number of exits for 10 spaces without reference notes
Check travel distance, common path of egress travel, and dead-end limits in 8 floor plan narratives
Apply accessible-route, clear-floor-space, and reach-range criteria to 12 written interior scenarios
Complete a timed 60-item means-of-egress and accessibility set, then rewrite each missed item as a rule statement

A timed 60-item egress and accessibility set scored at 80% or higher, with a one-line rule rewrite for every error

Week 5

Trace gravity and lateral load paths from roof to foundation on two building sketches described in text
Distinguish prescriptive versus engineered design requirements for wood, steel, concrete, and masonry in a comparison table
Match soil, excavation, and footing requirements to 12 foundation scenarios
Answer 30 practice items on loads, seismic and wind detailing, and material standards, citing the governing chapter for each

Two written load-path diagrams plus a material-system comparison table and a 30-item practice log

Week 6

Assemble an envelope compliance checklist covering weather protection, thermal envelope, and moisture control
Apply energy-code requirements to 8 building descriptions, identifying the compliance path used
Compare mechanical ventilation, exhaust, and plumbing fixture-count requirements across 10 occupancy scenarios
Answer 30 practice items spanning envelope, energy, mechanical, and plumbing provisions

An envelope and energy compliance checklist applied to 8 building descriptions, plus a 30-item practice log

Week 7

Work 40 cross-domain scenarios that require classifying occupancy, then setting height, area, and fire-resistance together
Re-drill the 25 highest-error items from weeks 1 through 6 until each is answered correctly twice
Recite from memory the administrative triggers that change a design decision: change of occupancy, addition, and alteration
Audit personal notes for gaps against the printed domain outline and close at least 10 gaps

A closed error log showing all 25 previously missed items answered correctly twice, plus a 40-item mixed set scored at 80% or higher

Week 8

Sit two full-length timed practice exams under exam conditions with no notes
Categorize every miss by domain and root cause: misread, unknown rule, or calculation slip
Re-teach the three weakest subareas using only the code text and personal notes
Finalize a one-page rapid-reference sheet limited to numbers you repeatedly miss

Two completed timed mock exams with domain-by-domain score breakdowns and a final one-page rapid-reference sheet

Week 2: Score 90% or better on the 25-building occupancy and construction-type worksheet without notes

Week 4: Complete a 60-item means-of-egress and accessibility set in the time limit at 80% or better

Week 6: All six domains have been covered at least once, with a written error log of at least 40 items

Week 8: Score 80% or higher on both timed full-length mock exams, with no domain below 70%