ICC S1 Structural Steel and Bolting exam: modules and domains
ICC S1 is the International Code Council's certification for special inspectors of structural steel and high-strength bolting. ICC now sells it as three module exams rather than one, and the bolting domain alone is the largest share of the outline. Many welding inspectors add it, since steel framing inspection sits next to weld inspection on the same jobs.
- Questions
- 60
- Time
- 120 minutes
- Exam fee (paid to ICC, not us)
- $210
- Where
- PRONTO (online proctored testing)
The three modules
- S1C Structural Steel and Bolting Codes: 60 questions in 2 hours.
- S1P Structural Steel and Bolting Plans: 30 questions in 1.5 hours.
- Special Inspector General Requirements (GR): waived for holders of a current ICC special inspector certification. ICC's pages we read do not give its length.
All three are taken through PRONTO, ICC's online proctored testing. ICC's store showed $210.00 for each of S1C and S1P when we read it; the GR fee and member prices were not shown.
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Question 1 of the free 10-question check on ICC S1. No signup. Then ask Tack, the AI study assistant, why the answer is right and the others are wrong.
High-Strength Bolting
On a fictional project, which joint type requires the inspector to check the faying surfaces against a surface class shown on the drawings?
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What the S1 outline covers
ICC's S1 content outline has four domains:
- High-strength bolting (41%).
- Steel framing observation (26%).
- Material sampling, testing and verification (22%).
- General requirements (11%).
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Books, passing score and retakes
- Book: the S1 outline says open book. ICC's Exam Catalog lists the references and editions allowed. We have not confirmed that list, so we do not name the books here. Check it before you buy references.
- Passing score: not stated in the ICC pages we read. Check ICC's current exam information.
- Retakes: up to six attempts within six months for each national exam, paying the fee each time. After six, you wait six months from your first attempt.
Coming from welding inspection? The CWI Part C (D1.1) guide covers the structural welding code side of the same work.
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Sources
Show the list
- S1 content outline, International Code Council, read 9 November 2026.
- S1C Structural Steel and Bolting Codes on the ICC Store, International Code Council, read 9 November 2026.
- Special inspector exams, International Code Council, read 9 November 2026.
Exam facts
| Questions | 60 questions on the S1C Structural Steel and Bolting Codes module (ICC Store); S1 is three module exams: S1C 60 questions and S1P Structural Steel and Bolting Plans 30 questions (ICC Store), plus Special Inspector General Requirements (GR, count unconfirmed). The S1 content outline gives 90 multiple-choice questions for the old single exam (S1C plus S1P). Timed practice forms use S1C: 60 questions |
| Time | 120 minutes |
| Book | Open book (S1 content outline). Bound print references with ink notes and permanent tabs. Which references and editions are allowed is unconfirmed |
| Question types | multiple choice; S1P uses on-screen plan-set exhibits |
| Calculator | Battery-operated basic four-function calculator, non-programmable, no storage or printing; on-screen Global Notepad on PRONTO |
| Passing | unconfirmed: no saved S1 source states a pass score |
| Where you test | PRONTO (online proctored testing) |
| Exam fee (paid to ICC, not us) | $210 |
| Retakes | Six attempts within six months per national exam, the fee at every attempt; after six, wait six months from the first attempt |
| Eligibility | No S1 prerequisite found in saved ICC text; ICC membership not required (CC Rules of Procedure s.4a). GR is waived for holders of a current ICC special inspector certification. S1-specific prerequisites unconfirmed |
What the exam covers
| General Requirements | 11% |
| Material Sampling, Testing, and Verification | 22% |
| High-Strength Bolting | 41% |
| Steel Framing Observation | 26% |
Sources
Show the 8 sources
- shop.iccsafe.org/education-and-certification/exams/s1c-structural-steel-and-bolting-codes. (checked 2026-11-09)
- iccsafe.org/wp-content/uploads/s1_content.pdf (checked 2026-11-09)
- iccsafe.org/wp-content/uploads/Current-Certification-Exams-National-Exams.pdf (checked 2026-11-09)
- iccsafe.org/credentialing/admin-rules/ (checked 2026-11-09)
- iccsafe.org/professional-development/certifications-and-testing/special-inspector-exams/ (checked 2026-11-09)
- iccsafe.org/wp-content/uploads/CC-Rules-of-Procedure.pdf (checked 2026-11-09)
- shop.iccsafe.org/education-and-certification/exams/s1p-structural-steel-and-bolting-plans.
- iccsafe.org/professional-development/certifications-and-testing/special-inspector-exam-faq
Facts come from International Code Council's own documents (sources above); the latest source retrieval was . If something has changed, tell us and we will correct it within 2 business days.
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