The fastest way to find out if you are ready for a BCIN exam is to answer questions under exam conditions. This free BCIN practice test gives you 20 sample questions in the same multiple-choice style as the real exams: four options, one correct answer. Each answer includes a short explanation and tells you where to look in the Building Code Act or the 2024 Ontario Building Code (O. Reg. 163/24), so you also practise finding things quickly.

The questions are grouped into three sections: the Building Code Act, permits and inspections under Division C, and Part 9 housing and small buildings. Try each one before opening the answer.

How to Use This BCIN Practice Test

The real Ontario building code exams are open book. Each one has 70 multiple-choice questions, a 3-hour time limit and a 70% pass mark. Since March 30, 2026, all exams are based on the 2024 Building Code. That works out to roughly 2.5 minutes per question, so speed matters as much as knowledge.

• Have your code book open. Look up each answer as if you were in the exam, and time yourself.
• Note where you found the answer. The exam rewards knowing which Part, Section or section of the Act to go to.
• Read every option. Wrong answers are usually close to correct (a nearby number, the wrong official, the wrong order).

Section 1: Building Code Act, 1992 (Questions 1 to 7)

These questions match the kind of material on the General Legal/Process exam. If you only need one area to sharpen, start here, because every designer and inspector needs a legal exam.

Question 1

Under the Building Code Act, 1992, who issues a permit to construct or demolish a building?

1. Municipal council
2. The chief building official
3. A registered code agency
4. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing

Show answer

Answer: B. Subsection 8(1) of the Act says no person shall construct or demolish a building, or cause it to be done, unless a permit has been issued by the chief building official. Registered code agencies can perform certain functions, but they do not issue permits. Look in: Building Code Act, section 8.

Question 2

A chief building official may revoke a permit if the work has not been seriously commenced within how long after the permit was issued?

1. Three months
2. Six months
3. One year
4. Two years

Show answer

Answer: B. Under subsection 8(10), a permit may be revoked if the work is not seriously commenced within six months after issuance, or if it is substantially suspended or discontinued for more than one year. The one-year figure is a common distractor. Other grounds include a permit issued in error or on mistaken, false or incorrect information. Look in: Building Code Act, subsection 8(10).

Question 3

Before a chief building official can issue a conditional permit, which of the following must happen?

1. Council must pass a resolution approving the project
2. The applicant and owner must agree in writing to assume the risks and to remove the building and restore the site if the required approvals are not obtained
3. A registered code agency must review the drawings
4. The Building Code Commission must grant permission

Show answer

Answer: B. A conditional permit lets work start before every approval is in place, but the applicant and owner carry the risk. They must agree in writing to the conditions, including removing the building and restoring the site if approvals are not obtained. Look in: Building Code Act, section 8 (conditional permits).

Question 4

When is a permit required for a change of use of a building, even if no construction is proposed?

1. Whenever a new tenant moves in
2. When the change would result in an increase in hazard as determined under the Building Code
3. Only when the building is regulated by Part 3
4. Only when the building is more than 10 years old

Show answer

Answer: B. The Act requires a change of use permit where the new use would result in an increase in hazard, as determined under the Building Code. A new tenant on its own does not trigger it. Look in: Building Code Act, section 10, and the change of use provisions in Division C.

Question 5

A contractor drywalls a wall before the required framing inspection, without giving notice. Which order is the chief building official most likely to issue?

1. Order to Comply
2. Order Not to Cover or Enclose
3. Order to Uncover
4. Unsafe Order

Show answer

Answer: C. An Order to Uncover, issued under subsection 13(6), applies when work is covered without the required notice being given, before the prescribed inspection period has passed, or contrary to an Order Not to Cover. An Order Not to Cover is issued before covering, so it is the trap answer here. Look in: Building Code Act, section 13.

Question 6

An Order to Comply has not been followed and the contravention has not been fixed. Which order can the chief building official issue to halt all work?

1. Stop Work Order
2. Order to Uncover
3. Emergency Order
4. Order of Prohibition

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Answer: A. A Stop Work Order under subsection 14(1) can follow when an Order to Comply, Order Not to Cover or Enclose, or Order to Uncover has not been complied with. Failing to comply with an order is itself an offence under section 36. Look in: Building Code Act, sections 14 and 36.

Question 7

A builder disagrees with an inspector about whether an assembly meets the technical requirements of the Building Code. Which body can rule on the sufficiency of compliance with those technical requirements?

1. The Ontario Land Tribunal
2. The Building Code Commission
3. Municipal council
4. The Building Materials Evaluation Commission

Show answer

Answer: B. Disputes about the sufficiency of compliance with the technical requirements of the Code go to the Building Code Commission (section 24). Other appeals of a chief building official’s or inspector’s decisions go to the Superior Court of Justice (section 25). Look in: Building Code Act, sections 24 and 25.

Want the full exam experience? These 20 questions are a small sample. Our General Legal/Process exam prep course includes complete timed practice tests built around the Act and Division C, with explanations for every answer.

Section 2: Permits, Inspections and Qualifications (Questions 8 to 14)

These questions come from Division C of the Building Code (administrative provisions) and the Ministry’s qualification rules.

Question 8

When did the 2024 Ontario Building Code (O. Reg. 163/24) come into effect?

1. January 1, 2024
2. April 10, 2024
3. January 1, 2025
4. March 31, 2025

Show answer

Answer: C. The 2024 Code came into effect on January 1, 2025. There was a transition period until March 31, 2025 for permit applications whose working drawings were substantially complete before 2025, which is why D is a tempting wrong answer. April 10, 2024 is when the regulation was filed.

Question 9

A complete permit application for a house is submitted. Within how many days must the chief building official issue or refuse the permit?

1. 5 days
2. 10 days
3. 15 days
4. 20 days

Show answer

Answer: B. Table 1.3.1.3 of Division C sets 10 days for houses, 15 days for other small buildings, 20 days for larger buildings and 30 days for the most complex category. These periods do not include Saturdays, holidays or other days when the office of the principal authority is closed, and the clock only starts once the application is complete. Look in: Division C, Article 1.3.1.3.

Question 10

After receiving notice that a stage of construction is ready, how soon must the inspector carry out the inspection?

1. Within 24 hours
2. Within two days
3. Within five days
4. Within ten days

Show answer

Answer: B. Sentence 1.3.5.3.(1) of Division C requires the inspection within two days after receipt of the notice. Municipalities typically apply this as two business days. Look in: Division C, Subsection 1.3.5.

Question 11

Who is responsible for notifying the chief building official that construction has reached a stage requiring inspection?

1. The designer
2. The person to whom the permit was issued
3. The inspector assigned to the file
4. The municipal clerk

Show answer

Answer: B. Article 1.3.5.1 of Division C places the duty to give notice on the permit holder, for prescribed stages such as readiness to construct footings, framing and occupancy. Look in: Division C, Article 1.3.5.1.

Question 12

Which of these people generally does not need a BCIN qualification to take responsibility for design work submitted with a permit application?

1. A self-employed house designer offering services to the public
2. An architect licensed by the Ontario Association of Architects
3. A drafting technician at a registered design firm who reviews and signs drawings
4. A building inspector moonlighting as a designer

Show answer

Answer: B. Architects licensed through the OAA and professional engineers licensed through PEO are covered by their own licensing systems and do not complete the designer qualification schedule. The other three must be qualified and, where required, registered. Look in: Division C, Part 3 (qualifications of designers).

Question 13

What is the minimum exam requirement to be qualified as a building inspector in Ontario?

1. One technical exam only
2. One legal exam only
3. One legal exam plus at least one technical exam
4. All legal exams plus the Large Buildings exam

Show answer

Answer: C. Inspectors must pass either General Legal/Process or Powers and Duties of a Chief Building Official, plus at least one technical exam that matches their work. On-site sewage system installers are the main role that needs a technical exam only.

Question 14

A homeowner with no BCIN wants to prepare the drawings for a new house that they own. Under Division C, which statement is correct?

1. They must hire a qualified designer for any house
2. They may do the design themselves, but the design must still comply with the Building Code
3. They may design it only if the house is under 100 m²
4. They must write the House exam first

Show answer

Answer: B. An owner can design a house they own without being qualified, but the exemption only removes the qualification requirement. The design still has to meet every applicable Code requirement, and the plans examiner reviews it like any other submission. Look in: Division C, Part 3, designer exemptions.

Section 3: Part 9 Housing and Small Buildings (Questions 15 to 20)

These are typical of the House and Small Buildings technical exams. Look up each answer in Division B.

Question 15

Part 9 of Division B applies to buildings of residential, business and personal services, mercantile and medium or low hazard industrial occupancy that meet which limits?

1. Not more than 2 storeys and not more than 300 m² in building area
2. Not more than 3 storeys and not more than 600 m² in building area
3. Not more than 4 storeys and not more than 600 m² in building area
4. Not more than 3 storeys and not more than 1 000 m² in building area

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Answer: B. Part 9 covers buildings of 3 storeys or less in building height with a building area not exceeding 600 m², used for Group C, D, E, F2 or F3 occupancies. Anything larger, or with other occupancies, falls under Part 3. Look in: Division A, Part 1 (application of Part 9).

Question 16

An exterior deck serving a single house is 2.1 m above the adjacent ground. What is the minimum guard height?

1. 900 mm
2. 1 000 mm
3. 1 070 mm
4. 1 200 mm

Show answer

Answer: C. For this situation, a 900 mm guard is allowed only where the walking surface is not more than 1.8 m above the adjacent ground. Above 1.8 m, the minimum is 1 070 mm. Guards are generally required once the drop exceeds 600 mm. Look in: Division B, Subsection 9.8.8 (guards).

Question 17

Openings through a required guard serving a dwelling must prevent the passage of a sphere with what diameter?

1. 75 mm
2. 100 mm
3. 125 mm
4. 150 mm

Show answer

Answer: B. The standard rule is 100 mm. Watch for the 150 mm figure: under the 2024 Code, it applies to the triangular openings formed by the riser, tread and bottom element of a guard on a stair. Guards must also not have climbable elements between 140 mm and 900 mm above the walking surface. Look in: Division B, Articles 9.8.8.5 and 9.8.8.6.

Question 18

Where must smoke alarms be installed in a dwelling unit?

1. One per dwelling unit, in the main hallway
2. On each storey with sleeping rooms only
3. On each storey including basements, in each sleeping room, and between the sleeping rooms and the rest of the storey
4. Only outside sleeping rooms and beside fuel-burning appliances

Show answer

Answer: C. Article 9.10.19.3 requires at least one smoke alarm on each storey, including basements, plus alarms in each sleeping room and between the sleeping rooms and the remainder of the storey. Alarms within a dwelling unit must be interconnected so that one activating sounds them all (Article 9.10.19.5). Option D describes carbon monoxide alarm thinking, not smoke alarms. Look in: Division B, Subsection 9.10.19.

Question 19

Under the 2024 Code, what is the minimum ceiling height in a secondary suite?

1. 1.85 m
2. 1.95 m
3. 2.03 m
4. 2.1 m

Show answer

Answer: B. The minimum is 1.95 m, with a clear height of 1.85 m permitted under beams and ducts. That is where the 1.85 m distractor comes from. Look in: Division B, Article 9.5.3.1.

Question 20

Under the 2024 Code, what are the minimum dimensions for a sump pit?

1. 600 mm deep and 0.20 m² in area
2. 750 mm deep and 0.25 m² in area
3. 750 mm deep and 0.35 m² in area
4. 900 mm deep and 0.25 m² in area

Show answer

Answer: B. Sump pits must be at least 750 mm deep and at least 0.25 m² in area. This is one of the Part 9 items that changed in the 2024 edition, so expect exam questions on it. Look in: Division B, Article 9.14.5.2.

How Did You Do?

Count your correct answers and multiply by 5 to get a percentage. The real exams pass at 70%, but treat 80% or more on practice tests as your target, because exam day adds time pressure and unfamiliar wording.

• Missed questions in Section 1? Read the Building Code Act from start to finish at least once. Section numbers for permits, orders and appeals come up again and again.
• Missed questions in Section 2? Spend time in Division C, Part 1 (administration) and Part 3 (qualifications). Many candidates skip these and lose easy marks.
• Missed questions in Section 3? Practise finding Part 9 articles quickly. Knowing that guards are in 9.8.8 and smoke alarms in 9.10.19 saves minutes per question.
• Got the answer right but took too long? Tab your code book and practise with a timer. Speed is the most common reason prepared candidates run out of time.

For a full study plan, read our guide on how to prepare for your BCIN exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these the actual BCIN exam questions?

No. These are original practice questions written in the style of the exams. The Ministry and Humber Polytechnic do not publish real exam questions. Practice questions are useful because they train you to find answers in the code book quickly, which is the core skill the exams test.

Is the BCIN exam open book?

Yes. You can bring the Building Code Compendium and other approved reference materials, with tabs and highlighting allowed under Humber’s rules. Check Humber’s current candidate rules before exam day, because annotation limits are enforced.

How many questions are on a BCIN exam?

Each exam has 70 multiple-choice questions with four options, a 3-hour time limit and a 70% pass mark. Since March 30, 2026, the exams are based on the 2024 Ontario Building Code.

Which practice test should I start with?

Start with the legal exam you need (usually General Legal/Process), then the technical exam for your work. For most house designers, that means the House exam; for small commercial and multi-unit work, it is Small Buildings.

Keep Practising With Full-Length Tests

Twenty questions is a good warm-up, but the real exam is 70 questions in 3 hours. The best way to prepare is to sit full-length, timed practice tests until finding answers feels routine. OBC Practice courses include complete practice exams based on the 2024 Code, with an explanation and code reference for every question. Browse all BCIN exam prep courses and pick the exam you are writing next.