Florida Building Code Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is the minimum slope for lapped, non-soldered seam metal roofs without applied lap sealant?

3 in 12 (correct)

1/4 in 12

1 in 12

4 in 12

Crawl space ventilation openings shall be covered with corrosion-resistant wire mesh with the least dimension not exceeding:

1/2"

3/8"

1/4"

1/8" (correct)

Usable crawl spaces under buildings without basements shall be provided with a minimum of one access opening not less than:

18" x 12"

36" x 22"

24" x 18" (correct)

18" x 22"

Where the clear height of the attic space (measured at the roof peak) is over 30", access to attic space shall be provided with an interior access opening not less than:

20" x 30" Signup and view all the answers

According to the Florida Building Code, anchored masonry veneer facing on hollow masonry units shall have a minimum actual thickness of:

2-5/8" Signup and view all the answers

For protection against decay and termites, gutters with downspouts are required on all buildings with eaves of less than ____ horizontal projection.

0.5' Signup and view all the answers

In high velocity hurricane zone area, the installation of asphalt shingles shall be limited to a roof mean height of:

33' Signup and view all the answers

What is the minimum clearance between parallel reinforcement bars used in shotcrete construction? Assume reinforcement bars are No. 5.

2-1/2" Signup and view all the answers

According to the Florida Building Code, all plain concrete and plain masonry foundation walls shall be laid with:

Type M or S Signup and view all the answers

According to the Florida Building Code, the maximum depth of unbalanced fill allowed when using plain 8" masonry unit foundation walls is:

5' Signup and view all the answers

The bottom of foundations shall extend below the depth of frost penetration, but not less than ____ below undisturbed ground surface.

12" Signup and view all the answers

According to the Florida Building Code, the minimum thickness of rubble stone foundation walls shall be:

16" Signup and view all the answers

If soil treatment is used for subterranean termite prevention, space in concrete floors boxed out or formed for the subsequent installation of plumbing traps, drains or any other purpose shall be:

Created by using plastic or metal permanently placed forms of sufficient depth to eliminate any planned soil disturbance after initial chemical soil treatment Signup and view all the answers

What is the maximum moisture content allowed for fire retardant wood structural panels?

15% Signup and view all the answers

According to the Florida Building Code, a masonry contractor is constructing a fireplace with a firebox opening that measures 4' wide by 2' tall. What are the minimum dimensions of the hearth?

6' wide x 20" out Signup and view all the answers

According to the Florida Building Code, who signs and seals the structural steel shop drawings for a prefabricated metal building?

Preparing specialty structure engineer Signup and view all the answers

What is the minimum clearance between combustible wood beams, joists, and studs from masonry fireplaces?

2" Signup and view all the answers

Chimneys shall extend at least 3' above the highest point where they pass through the roof and at least 2' higher than any portion of the roof located within _____ horizontally of such chimney.

10' Signup and view all the answers

What is the maximum roof support spacing for 1/2" thick, C-D grade plywood, with sheathing grade identification of 32/16?

28" Signup and view all the answers

All of the following require local building permits except a project?

On federal or state owned property Signup and view all the answers

Who has jurisdiction over the inspection of amusement rides?

Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Signup and view all the answers

All of the following operations can be performed without obtaining a permit except?

Install a self-contained refrigeration system containing 18 pounds of refrigerant and actuated by a 1.75 hp motor Signup and view all the answers

According to the Florida Building Code, when repairs must be performed in an emergency situation, the permit application shall be submitted within ___________ to the building official.

the next working day Signup and view all the answers

Who shall examine, or cause to be examined, applications for permit?

Building official Signup and view all the answers

An application for a permit for any proposed work shall be deemed to have been abandoned ________ after the date of filing for the permit, unless before then, a permit has been issued.

180 days Signup and view all the answers

According to Florida Building Code, if no time extension is granted, how long does the contractor have to start construction before the permit expires?

180 days Signup and view all the answers

When is removal of asbestos-containing materials on a residential building where the owner occupies and where the building is not for sale or lease allowed by the owner?

Only if the owner requests an exemption and personally signs the building permit application Signup and view all the answers

A homeowner may act as his own asbestos abatement contractor on his own personal residence or?

Farm outbuildings of the same property Signup and view all the answers

According to the Florida Building Code, every permit issued shall become invalid unless the work authorized by such permit is commenced within ____ days after its issuance, unless an extension of time has been allowed by the building official.

6 months Signup and view all the answers

Work shall be considered to be in active progress when the permit has received an approved inspection within:

180 days Signup and view all the answers

Where shall a permanent sign which identifies the termite treatment provider be located?

Near the water heater or electric panel Signup and view all the answers

When submitting the application for a construction permit, which of the following is responsible to determine that the documents are in compliance with all building codes, statutes, and ordinances?

Building official Signup and view all the answers

Permits for temporary structures shall be authorized by the building official for a period of not more than _____ days.

180 Signup and view all the answers

If a contractor begins work before a permit is issued, the Building Official shall?

Assess a fee in addition to the permit fee Signup and view all the answers

Construction or work for which a permit is required shall be subject to inspection by the:

Building official Signup and view all the answers

The ________ shall determine the timing and sequencing of when inspections occur and what elements are inspected at each inspection:

Building Official Signup and view all the answers

The building foundation inspection is performed:

After trenches are excavated and forms erected and shall at a minimum include the stem-wall, monolithic slab-on-grade, piling/pile caps, footers/grade beams. Signup and view all the answers

According to Florida Building Code, what are the minimum inspections required for a building (exclusive of electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas) made by the Building Official?

Foundation, framing, sheathing, roofing and final Signup and view all the answers

For a typical building under construction, which building inspection usually precedes the final inspection on the building?

Roofing inspection Signup and view all the answers

According to the Florida Building Code, what is the proper order of the electrical inspection?

Underground inspection, rough-in inspection, final inspection Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT true?

A Certificate of Completion allows the tenant to begin occupying spaces in a shell building Signup and view all the answers

According to the Florida Building Code, the distance in feet measured from the building face to the closest interior lot line, to an alley or public way, to the centerline of a street, or to an imaginary line between two buildings on the same property is defined as:

Fire separation distance Signup and view all the answers

What building material is installed to resist the free passage of flame to other areas of the building through concealed spaces?

Fireblocking Signup and view all the answers

A masonry unit in which the net concrete cross-sectional area parallel to the bearing surface is 75% or more is classified as a:

Solid masonry unit Signup and view all the answers

A shear wall is designed to resist _______ to the plane of the wall.

lateral forces parallel Signup and view all the answers

According to the Florida Building Code, a car wash should be classified under which Occupancy Group?

Group B Signup and view all the answers

Flammable gas, in the gaseous state, would be stored in which class of building?

H-2 Signup and view all the answers

According to the Florida Building Code, a halfway house housing more than 16 persons shall be classified as Group:

1-1 Signup and view all the answers

Apartment buildings are included in which Residential Occupancy Group?

R-2 Signup and view all the answers

What is the minimum floor and roof opening width above grade in open malls?

20 feet Signup and view all the answers

An aircraft hangar shall not be attached to a dwelling unit unless it is separated by a fire barrier having a fire-resistance rating of:

At least 1 hour Signup and view all the answers

A non-sprinklered building is occupied by two facilities of mixed occupancies; one is a Business Facility (Business Group B) and the other an Educational Facility (Educational Group E). According to the Florida Building Code, the minimum fire rating required to separate these two facilities is:

2 hour Signup and view all the answers

The minimum fire resistance rating for an interior-bearing wall in Type II Construction is:

1-hour Signup and view all the answers

A building of Group A Occupancy is Type I Construction (protected) and has an automatic sprinkler system throughout. The minimum fire resistance rating required for columns supporting a roof only is:

2 hours Signup and view all the answers

Exterior walls shall be fire-resistance rated in accordance with Tables 601 and 602 and exterior walls with a fire separation distance of greater than 10 feet shall be rated for exposure to fire:

From the inside Signup and view all the answers

Exterior walls shall be fire-resistance in accordance with Tables 601 and 602 and exterior walls with a fire separation distance of less than 10 feet shall be rated for exposure to fire:

From both sides Signup and view all the answers

Townhouses, not more than 3 stories in height, shall be separated from adjoining townhouses with a party wall, continuous from the foundation to the roof sheathing. Such party wall shall have a fire rating of not less than:

2-hour Signup and view all the answers

Fire blocking in wood frame construction is not required to be installed?

At all interconnections between unconcealed vertical stud wall or partition spaces and unconcealed spaces created by an assembly of floor joists Signup and view all the answers

One layer of 5/8" type x gypsum wallboard will have a fire rating of:

40 minutes Signup and view all the answers

The total fire rating of a wood frame wall constructed with 2x4 studs spaced at 16" on center with one layer of 5/8" type X gypsum wallboard on each side is:

60 minutes Signup and view all the answers

According to the Florida Building Code, automatic sprinkler system in a four-story residential structure, not exceeding 60 feet, must be installed in accordance with:

NFPA 13R Signup and view all the answers

The means of egress shall have a ceiling height of not less than?

7'-6" Signup and view all the answers

According to Florida Building Code, what is the occupational load in a business area designation?

100 gross Signup and view all the answers

Stairs shall have a minimum headroom clearance of _____ measured vertically from a line connecting the edge of the nosing.

6'-8" Signup and view all the answers

Circular or curved stairways shall have a minimum clear tread depth of _______ measured between the vertical planes of the foremost projection of adjacent treads at the intersections with the walk line.

11" Signup and view all the answers

According to the Florida Building Code-Building, the tolerance between the largest and smallest riser or the largest and smallest tread shall not exceed:

3/8" Signup and view all the answers

A flight of stairs shall not have a vertical rise between floors or landings of more than:

12' Signup and view all the answers

A ramp used as part of a means of egress has a vertical rise of 24". According to the Florida Building Code, the minimum horizontal length of the ramps is:

24' Signup and view all the answers

The maximum vertical rise for any ramp run shall be ______, except for aisles in Group A occupancies.

30" Signup and view all the answers

Ramps shall be provided with handrails on both sides when the rise of the ramp run is greater than:

6" Signup and view all the answers

All open sided walking surfaces, mezzanines, open and glazed sides of landings and ramps, and industrial equipment platforms which are more than 30" above finished ground level or a floor below shall be protected by a guardrail of not less than ______ high.

42" Signup and view all the answers

Porches which are enclosed with insect screening shall be provided with guards where the walking surface is located more than ____ above the floor or grade below.

30" Signup and view all the answers

What is the maximum travel distance to an exit, measured along the line of travel, for an unsprinklered Group A occupancy?

200' Signup and view all the answers

What is the minimum width for a residential corridor serving less than 50 occupants?

36" Signup and view all the answers

According to the Florida Building Code, the minimum corridor width used as a means of egress for Group 1 - 2, Unrestrained occupancies, requiring the movement of beds, shall be:

96" Signup and view all the answers

Exits and exit access shall be so arranged that dead-end pockets or hallways shall not exceed:

20' long Signup and view all the answers

A rectangular building with a hipped roof has building dimensions of 50' long by 30' wide. The minimum net free area of attic ventilation required is:

10 square feet Signup and view all the answers

According to Florida Building Code, to prevent the entry of birds, squirrels, rodents, etc., openings into attic spaces of habitable buildings shall be covered with screening, hardware cloth or equivalent with openings not exceeding:

1/4" Signup and view all the answers

In an attic, the ratio of the total net free ventilating area to ceiling area may be reduced to ________ if certain provisions have been met.

1/150 Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Building Permits and Application

Projects on federal or state-owned property do not require local building permits.
Local building permits are not needed for contracts below $2,500 or when the property owner performs work personally, unless public health or safety is affected.
Permit applications must be submitted within the next working day after emergency repairs are made.
An application for a permit is considered abandoned after 180 days if no permit has been issued.

Inspection Authority and Responsibilities

The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has jurisdiction over amusement ride inspections.
The building official examines permit applications to ensure compliance with codes.
Work requiring a permit is subject to inspections by the building official.

Inspections and Construction Guidelines

The building foundation inspection includes minimum checks of the stem-wall, monolithic slab-on-grade, and piling.
Minimum required inspections for buildings include foundation, framing, sheathing, roofing, and final.
Roofing inspections generally precede final inspections in construction.
Ramps with a vertical rise of 24 inches must have a minimum horizontal length of 24 feet based on a 1:8 ratio.

Fire Safety and Ratings

Fire separation distance measures the distance from a building face to property lines or other buildings; essential for determining fire rating requirements.
Fire-resistance ratings vary by building type:
- A two-hour rating is required for walls separating mixed occupancies.
- For interior-bearing walls in Type II Construction, a one-hour rating is necessary.

Occupancy Groups and Building Classification

Occupancy groups identify building use: halfway houses housing over 16 persons are classified as Group 1-1 and car washes as Group B.
Apartment buildings are classified under Residential Occupancy Group R-2.

Accessibility and Egress

Means of egress must have a ceiling height minimum of 7 feet 6 inches.
Guardrails are required on open-sided walking surfaces over 30 inches above ground.
Dead-end pockets in hallways cannot exceed 20 feet in length.

Ventilation and Environmental Controls

Attic ventilation must provide a net free area of at least 1 square foot per 150 square feet of ceiling area.
Crawl space ventilation openings are to be covered with corrosion-resistant mesh with a screening dimension no greater than 1/8 inch.

Structural Requirements

Buildings must possess a minimum slope of 3 in 12 for lapped metal roofs.
Anchored masonry veneer on hollow masonry units must have a thickness of at least 2-5/8 inches for durability and safety.

Construction Timeline and Validity

Permits become invalid if work does not commence within 6 months unless an extension is granted.
Contractors have 180 days to start construction after a permit is issued.

Stair and Ramp Specifications

Stairways require a headroom clearance of at least 6 feet 8 inches.
Ramps require handrails when the rise is greater than 6 inches.### Bearing Capacity
A subsurface soil investigation is required to determine if the ground-water table is above or within 5 feet below the lowest floor elevation.
Ground adjacent to the foundation must slope away at a minimum of 5% for 10 feet from the wall.

Site Grading / Compaction

Compact fill less than 12 inches deep must be compacted to at least 90% Modified Proctor without an approved report.
Foundation walls retaining earth must be waterproofed when hydrostatic pressure conditions are indicated by groundwater investigations.
Waterproofing of walls and floors must extend from the bottom of the wall to 12 inches above the maximum groundwater table elevation.

Soils and Foundation

Minimum thickness for rubble stone foundation walls is 16 inches.
Plain concrete and masonry walls must be laid with Type M or S mortar.
Maximum depth of unbalanced fill with plain 8-inch masonry unit foundation walls is 5 feet.
Concrete in footings must achieve a minimum compressive strength of 2,500 psi at 28 days for Seismic Design Category A.
Foundation depth must extend 12 inches below the undisturbed ground surface to prevent frost penetration.

Termite Protection

Soil treatment for termite prevention mandates that spaces in concrete must be created using permanently placed forms to prevent soil disturbance after treatment.
Minimum thickness for concrete floor slabs on the ground is 3.5 inches.

Reinforcement and Construction Standards

Minimum clearance between No. 5 reinforcement bars in shotcrete construction is 2.5 inches.
Hearth extensions for fireplaces with openings of 6 square feet or more must extend at least 20 inches in front and 12 inches beyond each side.
Minimum hearth dimensions for a fireplace with a firebox measuring 4' x 2' is 6' wide x 20" out.
Combustible materials must be kept at least 2 inches from masonry fireplace sides and fronts.
Spacing fire-stopped between chimneys and floors must be at least 1 inch deep.
Chimney size changes should not occur within 6 inches above or below floor/ceiling components, must extend 3 feet above the roof, and 2 feet higher than rooftop elements within 10 feet.

Wood and Structural Standards

Masonry walls in chimneys must have a minimum thickness of 4 inches.
Cathedral end walls must be continuous from the uppermost floor to the ceiling diaphragm.
Structural steel shop drawings for prefabricated buildings must be signed by the preparing specialty structure engineer.
Lumber, including pressure-treated, should not exceed 19% moisture before incorporation.

Fire-Retardant Regulations

Labels of fire-retardant-treated lumber must include identification of treating manufacturer, flame spread index, and type of treatment, excluding location of the treatment facility.
Interior fire-retardant-treated wood must have moisture content not exceeding 28% at 92% relative humidity.
Moisture content for fire-retardant wood structural panels should not exceed 15%.

Truss and Fastening Guidelines

Trusses should not be altered without the written approval of a registered design professional.
Maximum spacing for roof support using 1/2" thick C-D grade plywood is 28 inches, ensuring correct application.
Acceptable fastening methods for rim joists are detailed, with 3" x 0.131" wood screws not acceptable.
Built-up girders must use 20d common nails at 32 inches on center for fastening.

Joist Clearance Requirements

Wood floor joists not of durable or treated wood must be at least 18 inches above the ground.

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Test your knowledge of the Florida Building Code with these flashcards. Each card covers key concepts and requirements related to building permits and inspections. Get ready to learn and reinforce your understanding of local building regulations.