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BCIN Designer legal/process Exam Syllabus (2024) – Ontario Building Code (OBC)

Writer: Vijay Patel
Vijay Patel
May 18
5 min read

Updated: Aug 20

The BCIN Designer legal/process Exam covers the following sections of the Ontario Building Code (OBC) 2024.


A 30-day BCIN Designer Legal/Process study tracker that organizes daily reading, quizzes, review time, and score tracking to support structured exam preparation.


Download Now To Pass BCIN Designer Legal/Process In First Attempt


The exam covers the following sections of the Building Code Act:


  • Interpretation


  • Enforcement Authorities:

    • except 3(2) Chief Building Official, Inspectors

    • except 3(3) Joint Enforcement

    • except 3(4) Joint Jurisdiction

    • except 3(5) Enforcement by Upper-Tier

    • except 3(6) Power of Upper-Tier

    • except 3(9) Records

    • except 3.1(2) Inspectors

    • except 3.1(3) Powers

    • except 3.1(4) Jurisdiction

    • except 3.1(5) Responsibility

    • except 3.1(7) Records

    • except 4(2) Agreement

    • except 4(3) Idem

    • except 4(4) Inspectors

    • except 4(5) Chief Building Official

    • except 4(6) Certificate

    • except 4.1(8) Notice to the Director

    • except 5(1) Agreements re Enforcement

    • except 6(2) Delegation

    • except 6.1(1) Agreement re Plumbing

    • except 6.2(1) Agreement re Sewage Systems



“Except” means that subsection is excluded from the exam. You study all other provisions under Enforcement Authorities.

For example, study the Enforcement Authorities section, but do not study:

  • s. 3(2) — Chief Building Official, Inspectors

  • s. 3(3) — Joint Enforcement

  • s. 3(4) — Joint Jurisdiction etc....



  • Construction and Demolition:

    • except 8(3.1) Delegation re Conditional Permits

    • except 14(5) Referral to Chief Building Official

    • except 14(6) Same

    • except 14(7) Effect of Referral


  • Unsafe Buildings, only:

    • 15.9(1) Inspection of Unsafe Buildings

    • 15.10(10) Lien

    • 15.10(11) Deemed Taxes


  • Maintenance Inspection Programs


  • Qualifications:

    • except 15.11(1) Qualifications for Various Positions

    • except 15.11(2) Same

    • except 15.11(3) Qualifications for Inspectors

    • except 15.11(4) Qualifications for Registered Code Agencies


  • General Powers of Inspection and Enforcement, only:

    • 15.23 Duty to Carry Identification



General Powers of Inspection and Enforcement

For this topic, you only need to study Section 15.23 — Duty to Carry Identification.

You do not need to study any other sections under “General Powers of Inspection and Enforcement.”


  • 18(1) Powers of Inspectors


  • 19(1) Obstruction of Inspector


  • 20 Obstruction or Removal of Order


  • Dispute Resolution, Reviews and Appeals:

    • except 24(8) Restriction

    • except 24(9) Idem.

    • except 26(2) Minister Represented


  • Authorizations and Rulings:

    • except 28.1(3) Legislation Act, 2006, Part III all

    • except 28.1(4) Delegation

    • except 29(2) Delegation

    • except 29(3) Status

    • except 29(8) Restriction


  • General:

    • except 34.1 Building Code Conservation Advisory Council

    • except 35.(3) Interpretation

    • except 35.1 Status of Conservation Authority Regulation

    • except 36(9) Proceeds of Fines

    • except 36(10) Same, Sewage System Offences

    • except 37(1) Proof of Directions, Order

    • except 38(1) Restraining Order



The Ontario Building Code

The exam covers the following sections of the Building Code.


Volume 1


Division A – Compliance, Objectives and Functional Statements.

  • Part 1 – General, only:

    • 1.5. Referenced Documents and Organizations


Division B – Acceptable Solutions, as follows:

  • Part 2 – Farm Buildings, only:

    • 2.1.4. Classification of Farm Buildings by Major Occupancy


  • Part 3 – Fire Protection, Occupant Safety and Accessibility, only:

    • 3.1.1.5. Radon

    • 3.1.1.6. Building in Flood Plains


  • Part 5 – Environmental Separation, only:

    • 5.9.1. Applicable Standards

    • 5.9.2.2. Applicable Standards


  • Part 7 – Plumbing, only:

    • 7.1.1A.1.(2) Definitions


  • Part 8 – Sewage Systems, only:

    • 8.1. General, only:

    • 8.1.1.2. Definitions


  • Part 9 – Housing and Small Buildings, only:

    • 9.1. General

    • 9.10. Fire Protection, only:

    • 9.10.1.1. Sloped Roofs

    • 9.10.9.14. Residential Suites in Industrial Buildings


  • Part 10 – Change of Use


  • Part 11 – Renovation



Division C – Administrative Provisions, as follows:

  • Part 1 – General:

    • except 1.3.1.6. Information to be given to Tarion Warranty Corporation

    • except 1.9. Fees

    • except 1.10. Sewage System Maintenance Inspection Programs


  • Part 2 – Alternative Solutions, Disputes, Rulings and Interpretations:

    • except 2.2.1.1. Divisions

    • except 2.2.1.2. Single Member

    • except 2.3. Building Materials Evaluation Commission


  • Part 3 – Qualifications, only:

    • 3.1. Qualifications for Chief Building Officials and Inspectors, only:

      • 3.1.1.1. Scope


    • 3.2. Qualifications for Designers:

      • except 3.2.6.1.(1) Public Register


    • 3.3. Qualifications for Persons Engaged in the Business of Constructing On Site, Installing, Repairing, Servicing, Cleaning or Emptying Sewage Systems:

      • except 3.3.4.1.(1) Public Register


    • 3.4. Qualifications for Registered Code Agencies, only:

      • 3.4.4.1.(2) Public Register


    • 3.5. Classes of Registration and Categories of Qualifications:

      • except 3.5.2.2. Registered Code Agencies


    • 3.6. Insurance


    • 3.7. Registered Code Agencies, only:

      • 3.7.2.1.(4) General

      • 3.7.4.4. Issuance of Orders by Registered Code Agencies

      • 3.7.4.5.(3) Authorized Persons



Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)


1. How many questions are on the Designer Legal/Process BCIN exam, and what is the passing score?

The exam consists of 70 multiple-choice questions administered through Humber College. You are given 3 hours to complete it. The passing mark is exactly 70% (meaning you must answer at least 49 questions correctly). Every question carries equal weight, and there is no penalty for guessing incorrectly.  


2. Is the BCIN exam "open-book"?

Yes, it is entirely open-book. Whether you take the exam online at home (virtually proctored) or at an official college testing center, you are allowed to reference the official compendium of the Building Code Act and the Ontario Building Code.

💡 Pro-Tip: The exam is ultimately a speed-and-navigation test. You will not have time to read sections from scratch, so utilizing high-quality tabbing, index flags, search in PDF and practicing cross-referencing is essential to finishing on time.  


3. What is the difference between the "General Legal" exam and the "Designer Legal" exam?

  • Designer Legal / Process: This is specific to private practitioners who want to design, stamp, and submit drawings for building permits. It focuses on your unique liabilities, insurance mandates, and design qualifications.  


  • General Legal / Process: This version is geared toward municipal employees, such as building inspectors and plan examiners. Also with General legal you can stamp in future as a designer so if you are not sure between two exams just pick general legal because it provides all the options.



4. Can I legally design and stamp architectural drawings just by passing the Legal exam?

No. Passing the Legal exam is only half the battle. To register with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) as a qualified designer, you must pass one Legal exam PLUS at least one Technical exam (such as House, Small Buildings, or Large Buildings) that matches the specific category of structures you plan to design.  


6. If a building is only 2 stories but has a footprint of 800 square meters, is it a part 9 building?

No. To be governed by the simpler Part 9 "Small Buildings" rules, the building must meet all the parameters. Because the footprint in this scenario exceeds 600 square meters, it automatically gets bumped into Part 3 , which may be demands much more complex fire-separation, engineering, and architectural design criteria.


7. What are the computer and room requirements if I choose to write the exam online at home?

The virtual proctoring rules are incredibly strict to prevent cheating.

  • The Tech: You must use a desktop or laptop running Windows or MacOS with the Google Chrome browser and a specific proctoring extension. Tablets, Chromebooks, and dual-monitor setups are not allowed. You also need a functional webcam and microphone.  


  • The Room: You must be completely alone in an indoor, quiet room (no pets or other people allowed). You must sit at a clean desk or table—writing the exam from a bed or couch is grounds for immediate disqualification.  


8. Are there mathematical calculations or structural engineering formulas on the Legal exam?

Not on this one. The Designer Legal/Process syllabus strictly tests the administrative machine of the construction world. You will not be asked to calculate beam spans, snow load distributions, or plumbing drainage pipe sizes. Those calculations are strictly reserved for your subsequent technical category exams (like Small Buildings or Building Structural).



Official Reference


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