ICC F3 cheat sheet

Scale is a ratio: 1/8" = 1'-0" is 1:96, 1/4" = 1'-0" is 1:48, 1/16" = 1'-0" is 1:192, 3/32" = 1'-0" is 1:128, and 1" = 20' (site plans) is 1:240.

Sheet prefixes identify the discipline: A architectural, S structural, M mechanical, E electrical, P plumbing, FP fire protection, FA fire alarm, C civil, L landscape.

Written dimensions govern; scaled measurements are indicative only, and details marked NTS cannot be measured at all.

Revision clouds enclose changed work and carry a delta symbol plus a number that matches the revision block entry (date and description).

Line conventions: solid = visible, dashed = hidden or overhead (ducts, beams, soffits), dashed-dot = centerline, heavy/broken = section cut line.

A compliant title block states occupancy classification, construction type, code edition, gross floor area per story, and the designer of record.

Detail and section callouts take the form detail number / sheet number, e.g., 3/A-501, and must resolve to an actual detail on the referenced sheet.

Fire department access checks on the site plan: 20 ft minimum width, 13 ft 6 in vertical clearance, within 150 ft of all exterior walls at grade, grade not exceeding 10 percent.

Cross-check the floor plan against the reflected ceiling plan and the fire protection plan for sprinkler spacing, detector locations and ceiling obstructions.

A plan review comment states four things in order: the code section violated, the sheet/detail location, the condition found, and the correction required.

Every inspection entry is a legal record and must include date, time, inspector name, permit number, code edition applied, and the disposition (approved, conditionally approved, disapproved).

Correction notices are itemized, cite code sections, and state whether re-inspection requires a new request or fee.

A stop work order is issued in writing, states the reason and the corrective action, and is posted at the site.

A certificate of occupancy is issued only after all final inspections are approved and required test reports, certifications and as-built documents are in the permit file.

Approved, stamped plan sets are retained in the permit record; field changes require revised plans rather than handwritten annotations.

Contractor test documents required before acceptance include the NFPA 13 material and test certificate, fire alarm acceptance test records, and firestop system documentation.

Reports should state findings and code citations, not personal opinion, and should record who was present and what was witnessed.

Inspection sequence: underground/buried piping, then rough-in of concealed work, then final; concealment is not permitted before the rough-in is approved.

Sprinkler piping is hydrostatically tested at 200 psi for 2 hours, or at 50 psi above the maximum working pressure where that pressure exceeds 150 psi.

Underground supply mains are flushed and, where required, flow tested before connection to aboveground piping.

Sprinkler deflectors are located 1 in to 12 in below the ceiling and must be kept clear of obstructions that would block the spray pattern.

Two separate exits are required where the occupant load exceeds 49 in most occupancies; a single exit for Group B is limited to 49 occupants with travel distance not exceeding 75 ft.

Egress width: 0.2 in per occupant for corridors and doors, 0.3 in per occupant for stairs (unsprinklered); reduced to 0.15 in and 0.2 in where the building is sprinklered and has an approved voice alarm.

Minimum clear widths: 32 in for doors, 44 in for corridors (36 in permitted where the occupant load is under 50).

Exit access travel distance in Group B is 200 ft unsprinklered and 250 ft sprinklered.

High-rise threshold: an occupied floor more than 75 ft above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access, triggering standpipe, sprinkler and fire alarm requirements.

ASTM E119 is the fire-resistance test that produces hourly ratings for walls, floors, columns and beams; ratings are assembly-specific, not material-specific.

ASTM E84 yields flame spread and smoke developed indexes: Class A is 0-25 flame spread, Class B is 26-75, Class C is 76-200.

ASTM E136 identifies noncombustible materials; Types I and II construction require noncombustible structural elements.

Through-penetration firestop systems are qualified by ASTM E814 (UL 1479); joint systems by ASTM E1966 (UL 2079); both must match the listed system, including annular space and fill material.

Fire door assemblies are qualified by NFPA 252 or UL 10C and carry a label stating the hourly rating; NFPA 80 requires annual inspection and maintenance.

Spray-applied fire-resistive materials must be applied at the listed thickness and density for the required hourly rating, with thickness verified by gauge and density by the manufacturer's method.

Construction types: Type IA = 3-hour structural, IB = 2-hour, IIA = 1-hour, IIB = unprotected, IIIA = 1-hour exterior, IV = heavy timber, V = combustible.

Duct smoke detectors are required by NFPA 90A for air-handling systems above the listed capacity, and fire dampers protect rated assembly penetrations.

Fireblocking stops concealed air movement in stud and joist spaces; draftstopping divides concealed combustible spaces in floor/ceiling assemblies.

A permit is required for new construction, alteration, repair beyond ordinary maintenance, change of use, and installation of regulated fire protection systems.

Under IBC Section 105.5, a permit becomes invalid if work does not commence within 180 days of issuance or is suspended or abandoned for 180 days.

Alternative materials and methods are approved under the code section permitting equivalents when the official finds performance, quality, strength and safety equivalent to the prescribed requirement.

The board of appeals hears challenges to code official decisions; it may reverse or modify a decision but cannot arbitrarily set aside code requirements.

Deferred submittals must be identified on the approved plans with a submission deadline and are not approved until reviewed separately.

Permit fees are typically calculated from declared construction valuation or from floor area by occupancy group, per the adopted fee schedule.

A temporary certificate of occupancy may be issued for a stated period with conditions that protect life safety until all work is complete.

The code official has authority to enter and inspect premises at reasonable times to enforce the code; refusal may be addressed through legal process.

The edition of the code and referenced standards adopted by ordinance governs the review, not the most recent published edition.

Referenced standards (NFPA 13, NFPA 72, ASTM E84, etc.) are enforceable as part of the code, including the specific edition referenced.

A code official has no authority to waive a code requirement; relief comes only through a documented modification, variance or appeal.

Conflict of interest: an official must disclose any financial interest, family relationship or outside employment involving the project and recuse from review and inspection.

Proprietary or confidential design information in submitted plans is released only as required by open-records law or for enforcement proceedings.

Ex parte contact about a pending permit or appeal should be documented and placed in the file so the record remains complete and defensible.

Violation and stop work notices are served in writing as prescribed by the code, and the file records the date, method and recipient.

Consistency rule: the same interpretation is applied to comparable conditions across projects, and significant interpretations are documented for future reference.