Small building syllabus
The Building Code
The exam covers the following sections of the Building Code.
Division A – Compliance, Objectives and Functional Statements, as follows:
- Part 1- Compliance:
- except 1.3.3.1A. Application of Part 2
- Part 2 – Objectives
- Part 3 – Functional Statements
Division B – Acceptable Solutions, as follows:
- Part 1 – General:
- Part 2 – Farm Buildings, only:
- 2.1.1. Scope
- 2.1.2. Application
- 2.1.4. Classification of Farm Buildings by Major Occupancy
- Part 3 – Fire Protection, Occupant Safety and Accessibility, only:
- 3.1. General, only:
- 3.1.4.7. Heavy Timber Construction
- 3.1.5.1. Noncombustible Materials
- 3.1.5.5. Combustible Cladding on Exterior Walls
- 3.1.5.15.(2)(e) Foamed Plastic Insulation
- 3.1.8.4. Determination of Ratings and Classifications
- 3.1.8.10. Installation of Fire Dampers
- 3.1.8.14. Hold- Open Devices
- 3.1.9.4.(4) Combustible Piping Penetrations
- 3.1.10. Firewalls
- 3.1.12.1. Determination of Ratings
- 3.1.13.4. Light Diffusers and Lenses
- 3.1.17.1. Occupant Load Determination
- 3.1.20.1. Clearance to Buildings
- 3.2. Building Fire Safety, only:
- 3.2.1. General
- 3.2.2.1. Application
- 3.2.2.3. Exceptions to Structural Fire Protection
- 3.2.2.4. Buildings with Multiple Major Occupancies
- 3.2.2.5. Applicable Building Height and Area
- 3.2.2.6. Multiple Major Occupancies
- 3.2.2.7. Superimposed Major Occupancies
- 3.2.2.8. Exceptions for Major Occupancies
- 3.2.2.9. Crawl Spaces
- 3.2.2.10. Streets
- 3.2.2.11. Exterior Balconies
- 3.2.2.12. Exterior Passageways
- 3.2.2.13. Occupancy on Roof
- 3.2.2.14. Rooftop Enclosures
- 3.2.2.15. Storeys below Ground
- 3.2.2.16. Heavy Timber Roof Permitted
- 3.2.2.17. Roof Assemblies and Mezzanines in Gymnasiums, Swimming Pools, Arenas and Rinks
- 3.2.2.18. Automatic Sprinkler System Required
- 3.2.2.54. Group C, up to 3 Storeys
- 3.2.2.62. Group D, up to 3 Storeys
- 3.2.2.64. Group D, up to 2 Storeys
- 3.2.2.68. Group E, up to 3 Storeys
- 3.2.2.70. Group E, up to 2 Storeys
- 3.2.2.80. Group F, Division 2, up to 2 Storeys
- 3.2.2.87. Group F, Division 3, up to 2 Storeys
- 3.2.2.89. Group F, Division 3, 1 Storey
- 3.2.3. Spatial Separation and Exposure Protection:
- except 3.2.3.2.(3) Area of Exposing Building Face
- except 3.2.3.11. Low Fire Load, One Storey Building
- except 3.2.3.13. Protection of Exit Facilities
- except 3.2.3.14. Wall Exposed to Another Wall
- except 3.2.3.15. Wall Exposed to Adjoining Roof
- except 3.2.3.16. Protection of Soffits
- except 3.2.3.17. Canopy Protection for Vertically Separated Openings
- except 3.2.3.18. Covered Vehicular Passageway
- 3.2.4. Fire Alarm and Detection Systems:
- except 3.2.4.1. Determination of Requirement for a Fire Alarm System
- except 3.2.4.8.(9) Annunciator and Zone Indication
- except 3.2.4.9.(6) Electrical Supervision
- except 3.2.4.23. Two-Way Voice Communication Systems
- 3.2.5. Provisions for Fire Fighting, only:
- 3.2.5.8. Standpipe Systems
- 3.2.5.9. Standpipe System Design
- 3.2.5.12. Automatic Sprinkler Systems
- 3.2.5.13. Combustible Sprinkler Piping
- 3.2.5.14. Sprinklered Service Space
- 3.2.5.15. Fire Department Connections
- 3.2.7.8. Emergency Power for Fire Alarm Systems
- 3.2.7.10. Protection of Electrical Conductors
- 3.2.8.1.(1) Application
- 3.2.8.1.(2) Application
- 3.2.8.2.(1) Exceptions to Special Protection
- 3.2.8.2.(2) Exceptions to Special Protection
- 3.2.8.2.(3) Exceptions to Special Protection
- 3.2.8.2.(5) Exceptions to Special Protection
- 3.2.8.2.(6) Exceptions to Special Protection
- 3.2.8.3. Sprinklers
- 3.2.8.4. Vestibules
- 3.2.8.5. Protected Floor Space
- 3.2.8.6. Draft Stops
- 3.2.8.7. Mechanical Exhaust System
- 3.2.8.8. Combustible Content Limits
- 3.2.9. Testing of Integrated Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems
- 3.3. Safety Within Floor Areas, only:
- 3.3.1.4.(4) Public Corridor Separations
- 3.3.1.5. Egress Doorways
- 3.3.1.9.(6) Corridors
- 3.3.1.21. Exhaust Ventilation and Explosion Venting
- 3.3.1.22. Janitors’ Rooms
- 3.3.1.26. Welding and Cutting
- 3.3.2.2.(1) Fire Separations
- 3.3.2.2.(2) Fire Separations
- 3.3.2.7. Doors
- 3.3.2.16. Storage Rooms
- 3.3.6. Design of Hazardous Areas
- 3.4. Exits, only:
- 3.4.1.6.(1) Restricted Use of Horizontal Exits
- 3.4.2.5.(1) Location of Exits
- 3.4.6.10. Horizontal Exits
- 3.4.6.15. Revolving Doors
- 3.4.6.16.(2) Door Release Hardware
- 3.4.6.16.(5) Door Release Hardware
- 3.4.7. Fire Escapes
- 3.5. Vertical Transportation, only:
- 3.5.2.2. Barrier-Free Design
- 3.5.3. Fire Separations
- 3.6. Service Facilities, only:
- 3.6.2.5. Storage of Combustible Refuse and Recycling
- 3.6.2.7. Electrical Equipment Vaults
- 3.6.3. Vertical Service Spaces and Service Facilities
- 3.6.4.3. Plenum Requirements
- 3.7. Health Requirements, only:
- 3.7.4. Plumbing Facilities:
- except 3.7.4.3. Plumbing Fixtures for Assembly Occupancies
- except 3.7.4.4. Plumbing Fixtures for Care, Care and Treatment or Detention Occupancies
- 3.7.5. Health Care Facility Systems
- 3.7.6. Food Premises
- 3.7.4. Plumbing Facilities:
- 3.8. Barrier-Free Design
- 3.10. Self-Service Storage Buildings
- 3.11. Public Pools
- 3.12. Public Spas
- 3.14. Tents and Air-Supported Structures
- 3.15. Signs
- 3.16. Shelf and Rack Storage Systems
- 3.1. General, only:
- Part 4 – Structural Design, only:
- 4.1. Structural Loads and Procedures, only:
- 4.1.2.1. Loads and Effects
- 4.1.5.3. Full and Partial Loading
- 4.1.5.14. Loads on Guards and Handrails
- 4.1.5.17. Firewalls
- 4.2. Foundations:
- except 4.2.3.8. Steel Piles
- except 4.2.3.9. High Strength Steel Tendons
- except 4.2.4.10. Permafrost
- except 4.2.4.11. Swelling and Shrinking Soils
- except 4.2.4.12. Expanding and Deteriorating Rock
- except 4.2.4.13. Construction on Fill
- except 4.2.7. Deep Foundations
- 4.3. Design Requirements for Structural Materials
- 4.1. Structural Loads and Procedures, only:
- Part 5 – Environmental Separation:
- except 5.4. Air Leakage
- except 5.7. Surface and Ground Water
- except 5.8. Sound Transmission
- Part 6 – Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning, only:
- 6.2. Design and Installation, only:
- 6.2.1.5.(1) Installation Standards
- 6.3.2.9. Supply, Return, Intake and Exhaust Air Openings
- 6.3.2.10.(7) Exhaust Ducts and Outlets
- 6.2. Design and Installation, only:
- Part 7 – Plumbing, only:
- 7.1. General, only:
- 7.1.2.2. Storm Drainage Systems
- 7.2. Materials and Equipment, only
- 7.2.10.7A. Temperature Control Devices
- 7.2.10.7B. Showers
- 7.4. Drainage Systems, only:
- 7.4.10.4. Hydraulic Loads from Roofs or Paved Surfaces
- 7.6. Potable Water Systems, only:
- 7.6.1.7. Relief Valves
- 7.6.4. Water Efficiency
- 7.1. General, only:
- Part 9 – Housing and Small Buildings
- Part 11 – Renovation, only:
- 11.5. Compliance Alternatives, including Compliance Alternatives listed in Tables
- Tables 11.5.11.-C, 11.5.1.1.-D/E, and 11.5.1.1.-F. which cross-reference requirements in the remainder of the “Small Building” syllabus.
- Part 12 – Resource Conservation
Division C – Administrative Provisions, only:
- Part 1 – General, only:
- 1.1. Application
- 1.2. Design and General Review, only:
- 1.2.1. Design
- 1.3. Permits and Inspections, only:
- 13.1.1. Requirement for Permits
- 1.3.1.4. Permits Under Section 10 of the Act
- 1.3.1.5. Conditional Permits
- 1.3.2.1. Permit Posting
- 1.3.2.2. Documentation on Site
- 1.3.3.1. Occupancy Permit – General
- 1.3.3.2. Conditions for Residential Occupancy
- 1.3.3.3. Notification
- 1.3.3.4. Occupancy Permit – Certain Buildings of Residential Occupancy
- 1.3.5.1. Prescribed Notices
- 1.3.5.2. Additional Notices
- 1.3.6.1. Application
- Part 2 – Alternative Solutions, Disputes, Rulings and Interpretations, only:
- 2.1. Alternative Solutions
- 2.4. Rulings and Interpretations
Supplementary Standards
The following Supplementary Standards may be covered in the exam:
- Supplementary Standard SA-1 – Objectives and Functional Statements Attributed to the Acceptable Solutions
- Supplementary Standard SB-1 – Climatic and Seismic Data
- Supplementary Standard SB-2 – Fire Performance Ratings
- Supplementary Standard SB-3 – Fire and Sound Resistance Tables
- Supplementary Standard SB-7 – Guards for Housing and Small Buildings
- Supplementary Standard SB-9 – Requirements for Soil Gas Control
- Supplementary Standard SB-10 – Energy Efficiency Requirements
- Supplementary Standard SB-12 – Energy Efficiency for Housing
Updated: January 21, 2026
Published: January 12, 2026