BCIN exams: start here
The BCIN Exam Guide: Cost, Registration, and Format (2026)
To get a BCIN in Ontario, you create a QuARTS profile, obtain your Building Code Identification Number, then book qualification exams through Humber Polytechnic at $150 per attempt. Each exam has 70 multiple-choice questions, runs 3 hours, is open book, and requires 70% to pass. Since March 30, 2026, all exams test the 2024 Building Code.
What is a BCIN (Building Code Identification Number)?
A BCIN (Building Code Identification Number) is the identifier the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) assigns to people and firms in QuARTS, Ontario's public registry of building practitioners. It follows you through everything that comes after: exam registration, your qualification record, and annual registration. Ontario.ca is explicit that you need a BCIN before you can take any Building Code examination, so getting one is step one, not an afterthought.
One caution from the exam administrator: use your personal BCIN when registering for exams, never your company's. Qualifications attach to the individual who passes.
Step 1: How do you get your BCIN through QuARTS?
Create an account at quarts.mah.gov.on.ca and generate your BCIN through your profile. There is no test, fee, or vetting at this stage; the number simply establishes who you are in the registry. From then on, every exam result you earn is posted against it, and anyone can look up your qualifications in the public QuARTS search.
Step 2: Which of the 16 exams do you choose?
Ontario runs exactly 16 Building Code qualification exams, and MMAH publishes a free syllabus for each one on its study guides for the 2024 Building Code examinations page. The 16 are: General Legal/Process, Designer Legal/Process, House, Small Building, Large Building, Complex Building, Building Structural, Building Services, HVAC (House), Plumbing (House), Plumbing (All Buildings), On-site Sewage Systems, Detection Lighting and Power, Fire Protection, CBO Powers and Duties, and RCA Powers and Duties.
Broadly, every stream pairs a legal/process exam with the technical exam(s) for its work category. A house designer, for example, typically writes a legal/process exam plus the House exam. At $150 per exam, choosing precisely matters; our guide to which BCIN exams you need maps categories to exams.
Step 3: How do you book through Humber Polytechnic, and what does it cost?
Humber Polytechnic administers every Building Code exam in the province. You register online through the Humber Ontario Building Code Examinations portal, by email, or by mail. The fee is $150 per exam, per attempt, paid at registration (Visa, Mastercard, Visa Debit, or Debit Mastercard online).
- Book at least 7 days ahead. Registration closes 7 days before a sitting, the same notice a cancellation needs, and test-centre seating is limited. After payment, scheduling instructions arrive by email within 3 business days from Meazure Learning, the proctoring provider.
- Pick your delivery format. Exams run online with live remote proctoring from your home or office, or in person at Ontario College Test Centres across the province. Paper-based sittings exist as a special request for parts of northern Ontario without reliable internet; French exams and disability accommodations are also handled as special requests.
- Know the cancellation rules. Cancellations and reschedules must be requested at least 7 days before the sitting; cancellations are made in writing and carry a $50 administrative fee. Inside 7 days there are no changes or refunds, and no-shows forfeit the full $150.
Writing the legal/process exam first, like most candidates? Our General Legal/Process practice exams are timed 70-question simulations with the article citation under every answer.
Try 12 questions free firstWhat does the exam actually look like?
All 16 Ontario BCIN exams are open book: 70 questions, 3 hours, 70% to pass, $150 per attempt through Humber Polytechnic. Every question is multiple choice with four options, all equally weighted, so the pass mark works out to 49 of 70 correct, at a pace of roughly 2.5 minutes per question.
The only material allowed in the test space is the 2024 Building Code Compendium, Volumes 1 and 2, in hard copy and/or PDF, and online candidates must use the PDF provided by Humber, not their own annotated digital copy. That single rule shapes the whole preparation problem, which is why we wrote a full guide to the open-book rules and strategy. Arrive early: check-in opens 30 minutes before test-centre sittings, virtual candidates log in 15 minutes ahead, and late arrivals are not admitted.
One honest note: Ontario does not publish pass rates for these exams, so treat any percentage you see online as unverified. What is known about the pass mark and difficulty is covered in its own guide.
What changed on March 30, 2026?
Since March 30, 2026, every BCIN exam is based on the 2024 Building Code. That edition replaced the long-serving 2012 code and carried roughly 1,730 amendments with it, including renamed terminology and mass article renumbering. Any study material, cross-reference sheet, or memorized article number built on the 2012 code can now point you to the wrong provision. Before you book, read what changed in the 2024 Ontario Building Code; it is the single most useful hour of preparation.
What happens after you pass?
Results are released within 14 business days. The Ministry emails you and posts your score in QuARTS, so keep your QuARTS email current. A passed exam becomes a permanent qualification: it never expires and never needs rewriting when the code changes editions. Registration is the separate, ongoing piece: practitioners renew annually at roughly $128 to $152 per year. If you fail, you can register and pay again for another attempt.
How should you prepare?
Start with the free MMAH syllabus for your exam on the ontario.ca study-guides page. It defines exactly which Parts, sections, and standards your exam draws from, so you study nothing you don't need. Then practise the scored skill: finding provisions in the 2024 Compendium quickly, under time pressure. Take our free 12-question practice quiz to see where you stand, then drill full-length timed simulations until 49 of 70 feels comfortable rather than lucky.
Preparing for this exam?
Verified practice questions with the citation under every answer, two complete 70 question papers.
See programs from $149 All 15 exams Try the free quizFAQ
How much does the BCIN exam cost?
Each exam attempt costs $150, paid to Humber Polytechnic when you register. Cancelling in writing at least 7 days before the sitting carries a $50 administrative fee. Annual practitioner registration, separate from your one-time qualification, runs about $128 to $152 per year.
How do I register for a BCIN exam?
First get a BCIN by creating a profile in the QuARTS registry. Ontario.ca states you need a BCIN before writing any Building Code examination. Then register for the exam itself through Humber Polytechnic at obc.humber.ca, by email, or by mail.
How many BCIN exams are there?
Exactly 16. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing publishes a free syllabus for every one of them on the ontario.ca study-guides page for the 2024 Building Code examinations.
Do BCIN qualifications expire?
No. A qualification, once earned, is yours permanently. It does not expire when the Building Code moves to a new edition. Only your annual registration (about $128 to $152 per year) has to be renewed.
Which building code do the exams test?
Since March 30, 2026, all 16 exams are based on the 2024 Building Code. The permitted open-book reference is the 2024 Building Code Compendium, Volumes 1 and 2, in hard copy and/or PDF.
What score do I need to pass a BCIN exam?
70%, or 49 of 70 multiple-choice questions, within the 3-hour time limit.
Sources: Humber Polytechnic examination pages and Candidate Protocol (rev. 2026-03-31); ontario.ca practitioner and 2024 Building Code study-guide pages; QuARTS registry. Last reviewed 2026-08-14. Found an error? Tell us and we'll fix it.