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BCIN exam

The General Legal/Process exam

The legal and process exam for building officials and designers: the Building Code Act, 1992, the administrative rules in Division C, and how permits, orders, inspections, appeals and qualifications work.

Legal and processLegal

multiple choice questions
70
multiple choice questions
to finish
3 hours
to finish
to pass
70%
to pass
you work from the code
Open book
you work from the code

Last updated

Who needs it

Inspectors and plans examiners (General Legal/Process or Powers and Duties of CBO), and designers who choose it as their legal exam (it is one of four legal exams accepted for BCIN designer registration). Not needed by on-site sewage system installers, who need no legal exam.

Covered by: Powers and Duties of Chief Building Officials. Passing one of those also qualifies you for General Legal/Process.

Passing General Legal/Process also covers: Designer Legal/Process.

Free General Legal/Process study guide

One chapter per section of the exam, following the Ministry's study guide for the General Legal/Process exam, in plain language, with every rule linked to the 2024 OBC article it comes from.

  1. 1Interpretation and rolesDefinitions in the Act and the roles of owners, designers, builders, building officials and others.6 min read
  2. 2Enforcement authoritiesWho enforces the Act: municipalities, boards of health, conservation authorities, the Province, registered code agencies.6 min read
  3. 3Permits, construction and demolitionBuilding and demolition permits, conditional permits, change of use, readiness for inspection, occupancy, inspections.6 min read
  4. 4Unsafe buildings and maintenance inspection programsUnsafe building orders, emergency orders and the sewage system maintenance inspection programs.6 min read
  5. 5Qualifications and insurance under the ActWho must be qualified and registered, sewage system qualifications and the duty to have insurance.4 min read
  6. 6Registered code agenciesOnly 15.15 (functions) and 15.17(1) (persons acting on behalf of an agency) from this part of the Act.4 min read
  7. 7Inspection and enforcement powersIdentification, entry to dwellings, powers of inspectors, obstruction and warrants.5 min read
  8. 8Disputes, appeals, authorizations and rulingsReview of inspector orders, the Building Code Commission, appeals to court, service of documents, BMEC.6 min read
  9. 9General provisions, immunity, regulations, by-laws and offencesImmunity, the regulation-making power, conflicts with by-laws, offences and penalties, proof of orders.5 min read
  10. 10Code structure and scope items from Divisions A and BReferenced documents, plus the short list of Division B scope and definition items the guide names: farm building scope and classification.5 min read
  11. 11Division C administration: permits, review, occupancy and noticesDivision C Part 1: application, general review, permit applications and timelines, site documents, occupancy of buildings.6 min read
  12. 12Qualifications and registration (Division C Part 3)Qualification rules for building officials, designers, sewage installers and RCAs; public registers.6 min read
  13. 13Change of use and renovation (Parts 10 and 11)Change of use classification and performance level.6 min read
Start with chapter 1

Practise for the General Legal/Process exam

Start with the free quiz. When you are ready, paid prep adds the full question bank and timed simulations in the real exam format.

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    • The Study room: each guide chapter beside the code PDF
    • Timed lookup drills and Find it fast search lists
    • A one page cheat sheet and a hint sheet for every exam
    • The Calculation Lab
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Frequently asked questions

How many questions are on the General Legal/Process exam?
70 multiple choice questions in 3 hours. You need 70% to pass.
Is the General Legal/Process exam open book?
Yes. The exam is open book: you work from the code, so knowing where to find an answer quickly matters as much as knowing it.
Do I need the General Legal/Process exam if I pass a higher exam?
Passing Powers and Duties of Chief Building Officials also qualifies you for General Legal/Process, because that exam covers its material. Check the Ministry rules for your role before you book.