Firestop Special Inspector Education and Examination

Certificate Program Overview

The Firestop Special Inspector Exam Certificate program is an advanced certification designed for professionals aspiring to excel in firestop system inspection. This prestigious certification is more than just an exam; it’s a journey to mastery in firestop inspection. Here’s how you can achieve this distinguished status:

Time Investment

60 hour average time commitment for self-study of recommended reading list.

Reading List

Reading list consists of linked documents and videos available free of charge (exception: ASTM inspection documents must be purchased)

Reading List
Exam

For those wishing to have a proof of competence after the completion of studies, an online examination is available. Exam is open book, proctored via webcam.

Certificate

Exam certificate can be used to present qualifications to AHJ

Certification Information

Exam certificate is valid for three years.
If you want to maintain your professional certificate status, you have an option to either participate in IFC’s Continuing Education Program, obtaining 30 contact hours within 3 years OR re-take the IFC Firestop Special Inspectors Exam.
The Exam qualifies for 0.5 ICC CEUs for those needing ICC Preferred Provider CEUs for external reasons

Find out about the CEU options for renewing a 3-year expiring exam certificate
Featured Inspectors

IFC-Certificated inspectors will be listed on the IFC website

Certificate Holders

Your Path to Fire Safety Excellence

Embark on your path to becoming a recognized firestop expert.

  • Exam Fee:
    $500 (Per Person) Covers the full cost of the initial certification exam.

  • Re-examination Fee:
    $50 if you need to retake the exam.

  • Re-examination fee or CEU application fee (after 3 year certificate expires):
    $150, or $50 for IFC member company employees.

Need Some Additional Help With Your Studies?

Want some additional help learning/understanding some of the reading list documents? IFC Special Inspector Member Firewise Consultants have a course that provides useful explanations and elaborations of a few of the most complex and technical documents in this Reading List. The course costs $99. You can access it at https://firestoptraining.com/p/ifcreadinglist.

The IFC does not receive any revenue from the pay-per-view purchase of these videos. We make you aware of them here as a service to those seeking to broaden their learning options, from a recognized expert instructor. Viewing these tutorial videos is not necessary in order to achieve a passing score on the examination. Over 150 people have passed the examination prior to these video tutorials being available. However, it is judged that these videos will be very helpful in allowing many people to gain a fuller and quicker understanding.

Learn About The Self-Study Training Program

Do not attempt the exam until you have studied for it, using the Reading List-International Firestop Council.

1. IBC 2012, 2015 and 2018 Require 3rd-Party Inspection of Firestopping

The 2012 International Building Code requires special inspection of firestopping for buildings over 75 feet in height, and category III and IV buildings (IBC article 1705.16).

The IFC 3rd-party inspector education and examination program is designed to help provide a broad range of knowledge necessary for inspectors charged with inspection of installed firestop systems.

2. Going To a 1-Day Class Is Insufficient

Firestop-related seminars and classes are useful for increasing understanding of firestop principles and obtaining a general understanding.
Unfortunately, such seminars are not comprehensive enough to truly provide all of the needed technical information that a 3rd-party inspector would need to know to perform a knowledgeable and competent “special inspection” as defined by the International Building Code.
Such in-depth knowledge can help assure that the inspector does not overlook installed firestops that might provide inferior fire resistance.
Conversely, such expertise can also allow an inspector to quickly recognize unusual conditions that are nevertheless code-compliant.

3. Self-Paced Training Available Online, At No Charge, From The IFC

To fill this education gap, the International Firestop Council developed the first comprehensive Firestop Special Inspection education and certificate program. To allow construction inspectors from all of the hundreds of jurisdictions throughout the US, and in foreign countries also referencing the IBC, to have access to the technical information required for a comprehensive understanding of firestopping, the program was designed as a self-education program using resources that can all be accessed through the internet.

All except the required ASTM standards can be accessed at no cost. The self-education reading and video list consists of the most critical and important information sources on firestopping.

4. Our Online Exam Provides Evaluation And Documentation Of Competence

Any person spending the 40-60 hours of study needed to read and comprehend the self-education program references will likely want some tangible confirmation of the knowledge they have acquired.

To make that possible, the IFC partnered with Kryterion|Webassesor to make available an online examination. The examination requires an 80% grade to pass. Early test-taking results have indicated that people not taking the time to study each and every one of the self-education program references will find passing the exam to be close to impossible. Each one of the references provides some information that is essential to a full technical understanding of firestop installations and inspection.

Upon successful exam completion, a certificate will be provided indicating the exam-taker’s name and date of test, available for immediate download, and also e-mailed to the exam-taker’s e-mail address.

5. Continued Hands-On Training Post-Exam

To fully meet the education and experience requirements as recommended by the International Firestop Council, the person passing the online proctored exam should obtain additional and specific product training from four different firestop manufacturers. This will help ensure that the person not only understands the theoretical knowledge related to firestopping, but also has a first-hand understanding of the various types of firestopping products that would be encountered during inspection work. The manufacturer members of the International Firestop Council have contributed to make this practical product training available online at, IFC Firestop 204: Multi-manufacturer Firestop Product Familiarization Seminar.

While it is impossible to provide training that would cover every product from every firestop manufacturer, obtaining training from at least 4 manufacturers should provide enough exposure to all of the major product types and installation methods to allow the inspector to have an understanding of the vast majority of installations.

Each inspector is of course encouraged to seek out and obtain additional product training when needed.

6. The Exam Certificate Can Be Presented To The AHJ As Part Of Competence

From the IBC: Section 1704.2.1 Special inspector qualifications. The special inspector shall provide written documentation to the building official demonstrating his or her competence and relevant experience or training.