IRC tabs for the B1: a tab list for the 2021 and 2024 editions
✓ Section numbers checked 19 Oct 2026 against the contents of ICC's 2021 IRC and 2024 IRC on ICC Digital Codes.
The B1 is open book, with 60 questions in two hours. Most of that time goes on finding the right page, so a well-tabbed IRC is worth setting up early. This list gives you every tab location for both code editions B1 is offered on. The labels are our own short names, not code text. Write them on your own permanent tabs and stick them in your own book.
Tab rules first
✓ ICC's test-site rules allow highlighting and ink notes in bound references. Tabs must be permanently attached, so a tab can't come off without tearing the page. Sticky notes, loose papers and photocopies are not allowed. Check the rules again before exam day, because a book that fails the check costs you the reference.
Pick your edition before you tab. Several Chapter 3 topics moved in the 2024 IRC, so a 2021 tab set puts you on the wrong page in a 2024 book. The 2021 vs 2024 IRC guide explains how to confirm the code year you booked.
Chapter tabs (same in both editions)
Put these on the right-hand edge, one per chapter, top to bottom. The weights are ICC's published B1 outline areas.
| Tab | Chapter | B1 outline area |
|---|---|---|
| Admin | 1 | Code administration (4%) |
| Planning | 3 | Building planning (8%), public safety (17%) |
| Foundations | 4 | Footings and foundations (16%) |
| Floors | 5 | Floor construction (14%) |
| Walls | 6 | Wall construction and coverings (27%) |
| Coverings | 7 | Wall construction and coverings (27%) |
| Roof framing | 8 | Roof/ceiling construction (14%) |
| Roofing | 9 | Roof/ceiling construction (14%) |
| Fireplaces | 10 | Check ICC's full outline for this chapter |
Section tabs
Add these along the top or in a second column. Start with the ones for your weakest areas on the free B1 check. Too many tabs slow you down, so add the rest only when a lookup keeps costing you time.
Code administration
| Tab | 2021 IRC | 2024 IRC |
|---|---|---|
| Permits | R105 | R105 |
| Inspections | R109 | R109 |
| Certificate of occupancy | R110 | R110 |
Building planning and public safety (Chapter 3)
This is where the editions differ most. Check each number against your book's contents.
| Tab | 2021 IRC | 2024 IRC |
|---|---|---|
| Design criteria | R301 | R301 |
| Fire separation | R302 | R302 |
| Light and ventilation | R303 | R325 |
| Room size | R304 | R312 |
| Ceiling height | R305 | R313 |
| Glazing | R308 | R324 |
| Garages | R309 | R317 |
| Escape openings | R310 | R319 |
| Egress and stairs | R311 | R318 |
| Handrails | inside R311 | R320 |
| Guards | R312 | R321 |
| Smoke alarms | R314 | R310 |
| CO alarms | R315 | R311 |
| Decay protection | R317 | R304 |
| Termites | R318 | R305 |
Footings and foundations (Chapter 4)
| Tab | 2021 IRC | 2024 IRC |
|---|---|---|
| Footings | R403 | R403 |
| Foundation walls | R404 | R404 |
| Drainage and dampproofing | R405, R406 | R405, R406 |
| Crawl space | R408 | R408 |
Floors (Chapter 5)
| Tab | 2021 IRC | 2024 IRC |
|---|---|---|
| Floor framing | R502 | R502 |
| Floor sheathing | R503 | R503 |
| Decks | R507 | R507 |
Walls and coverings (Chapters 6 and 7)
This is the largest outline area, so it gets the most section tabs.
| Tab | 2021 IRC | 2024 IRC |
|---|---|---|
| Wood wall framing | R602 | R602 |
| Wood structural panels | R604 | R604 |
| Masonry | R606 | R606 |
| Windows and doors | R609 | R609 |
| Interior covering | R702 | R702 |
| Exterior covering | R703 | R703 |
Roofs and ceilings (Chapters 8 and 9)
| Tab | 2021 IRC | 2024 IRC |
|---|---|---|
| Roof framing | R802 | R802 |
| Roof sheathing | R803 | R803 |
| Attic ventilation | R806 | R806 |
| Attic access | R807 | R807 |
| Roof coverings | R905 | R905 |
| Reroofing | R908 | R908 |
Fireplaces and chimneys (Chapter 10)
| Tab | 2021 IRC | 2024 IRC |
|---|---|---|
| Masonry fireplaces | R1001 | R1001 |
| Masonry chimneys | R1003 | R1003 |
Practice with the tabs on
- Tab the book you will take into the exam, and study from that same book, so the tabs become habit.
- Time your lookups. Read a topic, find the section, then check the conditions in your own copy. If one lookup keeps taking more than a minute, give it a tab or learn its index term.
- Use the index for anything without a tab. A lookup through the index is often quicker than flipping between section tabs.
- Many lookups end at a table and its footnotes. Highlight the table titles you use most, since highlighting is allowed and costs no tab space.
These pages give section numbers only and never reproduce code text. Use your own licensed IRC. The B1 study plan shows how to fit tab practice into a six-week routine.
Sources
Show the list
- 2021 International Residential Code: contents, International Code Council. Retrieved 19 Oct 2026.
- 2024 International Residential Code: contents, International Code Council. Retrieved 19 Oct 2026.
- What should I bring to the test site?, International Code Council. Retrieved 17 Oct 2026.
- B1 Residential Building Inspector Content Outline, International Code Council. Retrieved 17 Oct 2026.
Facts checked 19 October 2026 against the sources listed above. If something has changed, tell us and we will correct it within 2 business days.
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