NCIDQ IDPX Exam Prep: Free Study Guide and Practice
Start your NCIDQ IDPX exam prep with 20 original practice questions built on CIDQ's 2026 IDPX blueprint, then use the domain map, key distinctions, and eight-week plan below.
Original, unofficial practice. These are not NCIDQ exam questions.
IDPX practice questions
Question 1 · Feasibility Studies
A client wants to lease a vacant retail store and reopen it as a full-service restaurant. The code analysis has established a change of occupancy, and the work is not permit-exempt. For this exercise, apply the 2021 IBC without local amendments. Which statement about occupancy approval is correct?
- A. The landlord's existing certificate of occupancy for retail covers any future tenant use.
- B. The change requires occupancy authorization from the building official: a certificate of occupancy, or a valid temporary certificate covering the proposed occupancy.
- C. Occupancy approval only matters for new buildings, not tenant improvements.
- D. The general contractor sets the final occupancy classification when construction ends.
Show answer and explanation
B. The question establishes a change of occupancy and excludes the permit-exempt exception. Under 2021 IBC §111.1, the building official's occupancy authorization is required. Section 111.3 also permits temporary occupancy for a portion that can be occupied safely, subject to the official's time limit and the authorization's scope. The retail-to-restaurant label alone is not the classification analysis.
That's why feasibility has to budget time for the permit and CO path, and money for the upgrades a new classification can trigger.
- A fails because a CO is tied to an approved use.
- C fails because §111.1 covers changes to existing buildings and portions of them, which is exactly what tenant work is.
- D fails because the building official issues the CO after inspection (§111.2), not the contractor.
Source: ICC, 2021 Application and Administration of the I-Codes, slides 138–144.
How this practice set works
Twenty questions across all five IDPX domains. They include three- and four-option multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank numbers, two ordering items, an exhibit-selection item, and a three-question scenario set. The real exam uses vignettes of 3–5 linked questions (CIDQ blueprint FAQ, Q10). This short set is not a full-length exam or a replica of the testing interface. Its ordering and exhibit-selection exercises have readable text alternatives.
Contract questions that name AIA A201–2017 use that form's unmodified provisions and an Architect as the named contract administrator. That role does not automatically belong to an interior designer. These are exercises in reading stated contract terms, not determinations of real-world liability or advice for handling an actual site emergency. Code questions use the stated model-code edition, not a candidate's local amendments. CIDQ's reference list identifies AIA, ASID, and IIDA agreements.
Use the study map · Use the eight-week plan · Continue to Question 2
Question 2 · Feasibility Studies
An owner is developing its Owner's Project Requirements (OPR) for a major renovation. The OPR is the document that records the owner's goals and measurable performance criteria. The workshop already includes the owner, finance, the design team, and the commissioning provider. The group still needs to confirm maintenance access and how the spaces will really be used day to day. Who should be added?
- A. Operations-and-maintenance staff and the building's end users
- B. A cost estimator to refine the capital budget
- C. A manufacturer's representative to explain product options
- D. The building official, to confirm code requirements
Show answer and explanation
A. WBDG's commissioning guidance says an effective OPR process brings in input early from the design team, operations and maintenance staff, and the building's end users. Maintenance access and daily use are exactly what those two groups know.
- B improves cost data, not operational requirements.
- C can explain products but doesn't speak for the people who'll run and use the space.
- D reviews code compliance; the building official doesn't define the owner's operating needs.
Source: WBDG, Determining Project Performance Requirements, "The OPR: Document Content".
Question 3 · Feasibility Studies
During construction, the client's facilities manager emails the contractor approving a $6,500 lighting upgrade. The owner–contractor agreement names the client's VP of Real Estate as the owner's designated representative. No other authority has been delegated. Under A201–2017 §2.1.1, who is the contract-designated person authorized to bind the owner?
- A. The facilities manager, as an owner employee on site
- B. The Architect, as the owner's representative during construction
- C. The VP of Real Estate, as the designated representative
- D. The contractor's superintendent, once the work is installed
Show answer and explanation
C. A201 §2.1.1 requires the owner to name, in writing, a representative with authority to bind the owner. It also says the Architect doesn't have that authority except as §4.2.1 allows. That representative's approval is not the whole change procedure: an agreed Change Order requires owner, contractor, and Architect agreement (§7.2.1), while a Construction Change Directive is a separate route when adjustment terms remain unsettled (§7.3).
- A is the trap: being an owner employee isn't the same as being the designated representative.
- B overstates the Architect's authority.
- D has no owner-delegated authority in the stated facts.
Question 4 · Scheduling and Budgeting
Unless the contract says otherwise, A201–2017 measures the Contract Time to which milestone?
- A. Final completion and final payment
- B. Substantial Completion
- C. The building official's certificate of occupancy
Show answer and explanation
B. A201 §8.1.1 defines Contract Time as the period allotted for Substantial Completion. §8.1.3 ties that date to the Architect's certification under §9.8.
- A: this uses the final-completion milestone, not the Substantial Completion milestone in the definition.
- C: a certificate of occupancy is a code approval, not a contract milestone.
Source: AIA A201–2017 §§8.1.1, 8.1.3.
Scenario for Questions 5–7: Harbor Street Dental Suite
An interior tenant improvement. Durations are working days. Each activity starts when the activities listed in "Starts after" finish, with no lags or other constraints. Notice to proceed is day 0. Reception millwork shop drawings were approved before notice to proceed.
| Activity | Duration | Starts after |
|---|---|---|
| A. Demolition | 5 | Notice to proceed |
| B. Partition framing | 6 | A |
| C. MEP rough-in | 9 | A |
| D. Drywall and taping | 7 | B and C |
| E. Reception millwork fabrication (in the shop) | 25 | Notice to proceed |
| F. Millwork installation | 3 | D and E |
| G. Paint and flooring | 6 | F |
The contract also carries an $18,000 allowance for decorative pendant fixtures on A201's default allowance terms.
Question 5 · Scheduling and Budgeting (fill in the number)
Review the Harbor Street scenario
MEP rough-in (Activity C) increases in duration from 9 to 15 working days. Nothing else changes. By how many working days does the project's completion move?
Show answer and explanation
2 working days. Run the paths first:
- A–B–D–F–G = 5 + 6 + 7 + 3 + 6 = 27 days
- A–C–D–F–G = 5 + 9 + 7 + 3 + 6 = 30 days
- E–F–G = 25 + 3 + 6 = 34 days
The longest path, E–F–G (millwork), is the critical path. Baseline completion is day 34.
In the baseline, drywall finishes on day 21, but installation can't start until fabrication finishes on day 25. So the site-work path has 4 days of float (slack before it delays the finish).
A 6-day slip uses the 4 days of float and delays completion 2 days:
- C now finishes day 20.
- D runs 20–27.
- F runs 27–30.
- G finishes day 36.
Common wrong answers: 6 (ignores float) and 0 (assumes float covers everything).
The GAO defines the critical path as the longest path through the schedule, and total float as how far an activity can slip before it delays the finish (GAO Schedule Assessment Guide, Best Practice 6, printed p. 75).
Question 6 · Scheduling and Budgeting
Review the Harbor Street scenario
Back to the original schedule. Each option is feasible and has no other effects. Which single change shortens completion the most?
- A. Shorten MEP rough-in by 3 days
- B. Shorten drywall and taping by 3 days
- C. Shorten paint and flooring by 2 days
- D. Shorten millwork fabrication by 3 days
Show answer and explanation
D, by 3 days. Fabrication would finish on day 22, so installation starts day 22 and paint and flooring finish on day 31.
- C saves 2 days.
- A and B save nothing, because those activities sit on the path that already has 4 days of float.
The lesson the IDPX blueprint keeps pointing at is lead times: a long-lead item can drive a schedule more than the site work you can see.
Arithmetic from the scenario; definitions from GAO, Best Practice 6.
Question 7 · Scheduling and Budgeting (fill in the dollar amount)
Review the Harbor Street scenario
The owner picks pendants costing $21,400 delivered to the site, including tax. They're heavier than planned, so the contractor's installation cost rises $600 above what it included in the Contract Sum. The $21,400 already reflects any trade discounts, and all other related costs and markups are unchanged. Using A201's default allowance terms, what's the net Change Order amount?
Show answer and explanation
$4,000 add. By default, an allowance covers the delivered cost of materials plus required taxes, less trade discounts. The contractor's labor, installation, overhead, and profit sit in the Contract Sum, not the allowance (A201 §3.8.2.1–.2). The Change Order covers both the allowance difference and any change in the contractor's own costs (§3.8.2.3):
($21,400 − $18,000) + $600 = $4,000
Common wrong answers:
- $3,400: forgot the installation change.
- $21,400: treated the whole selection as new money, double-counting the allowance already in the Contract Sum.
Source: AIA A201–2017 §3.8.2.
Question 8 · Contracts, Procurement, and Permitting
Unless the Owner–Contractor Agreement specifically lists it, which of these is not a Contract Document under A201–2017?
- A. The contractor's bid
- B. Addenda issued before the contract was signed
- C. The specifications
- D. A Change Order issued after the contract was signed
Show answer and explanation
A. A201 §1.1.1 includes these in the Contract Documents:
- the agreement
- the conditions
- the drawings
- the specifications
- addenda issued before signing
- later Modifications, such as Change Orders and Construction Change Directives
It leaves out bidding-phase materials unless the agreement lists them. That covers the invitation to bid, the instructions to bidders, and the contractor's bid.
Source: AIA A201–2017 §1.1.1.
Question 9 · Contracts, Procurement, and Permitting (select the exhibit item)
The project follows the 2021 IBC with no local amendments. Which note in this project record needs correcting?
| Note | Project-record entry |
|---|---|
| 1 | The owner's budget approval for the added work is recorded separately from the building permit. |
| 2 | Because the permit was issued from the approved drawings, a code violation shown on those drawings is now allowed. |
| 3 | If the building official later finds an error in the approved drawings, the drawings may still have to be corrected. |
Show answer and explanation
Note 2. Under 2021 IBC §105.4, issuing a permit isn't an approval of any violation, and a permit that claims to authorize one isn't valid. The same section lets the building official require corrections to documents even after the permit is issued, which is why Note 3 is right. Note 1 correctly keeps the owner's money decision separate from the code approval.
Source: ICC, 2021 Application and Administration of the I-Codes, slide 95.
Question 10 · Contracts, Procurement, and Permitting
Your design agreement says: "The basic fee includes two client-requested revision rounds. Further rounds require the client's written approval of the additional scope and hourly fee before work begins."
Both rounds are done. The client calls and asks for a third round, but nothing is in writing yet. What does the clause require?
- A. Get the client's written approval before starting the third round.
- B. Start now, note the call internally, and send the approval request with the next invoice.
- C. Get your firm principal's approval and start, since the client asked.
Show answer and explanation
A. The clause makes written client approval a condition before work begins.
- B pushes the approval until after the work is done.
- C swaps the client's required approval for an internal one.
This is a reading exercise built on a made-up clause. Real agreements vary, so the habit to build is reading exactly what the contract makes a condition of extra services.
Scenario-contained rule; the blueprint lists "exclusions and additional services" under this domain (CIDQ IDPX blueprint).
Question 11 · Contracts, Procurement, and Permitting
Midway through construction, the contractor proposes swapping the specified carpet tile for another manufacturer's product. It ships three weeks sooner, and the proposed substitution would reduce the Contract Sum by $1,200. Under A201–2017, what has to happen before it's installed?
- A. The Architect marks the product data "approved" during normal submittal review.
- B. The contractor proceeds if the product meets the same ASTM test ratings.
- C. The Architect issues an order for a minor change in the work.
- D. The owner consents after the Architect evaluates it, and a Change Order or Construction Change Directive authorizes it.
Show answer and explanation
D. This substitution changes the Contract Sum, so it is not a minor change under §7.4. A201 §3.4.2 requires the owner's consent, the Architect's evaluation, and a Change Order or Construction Change Directive for a substitution outside that minor-change exception.
- A fails because routine product-data review is not enough to authorize this price-changing substitution. Section 3.12.8 distinguishes expressly approved minor deviations from changes requiring a Change Order or Construction Change Directive.
- B fails because equal test ratings don't replace the authorization step.
- C fails because a minor change can't adjust the Contract Sum (§7.4), and the credit does.
Source: AIA A201–2017 §§3.4.2, 3.12.8, 7.4.
Question 12 · Contracts, Procurement, and Permitting (fill in the dollar amount)
Two compliant furniture proposals have the same scope and delivery date.
- Proposal A: $28,000 goods, $1,200 delivery, and $2,300 installation. For this question, tax is exactly 8% of the goods only; delivery and installation aren't taxed.
- Proposal B: $31,900, including everything.
How much more does Proposal A cost than Proposal B?
Show answer and explanation
$1,840.
- Tax: $28,000 × 0.08 = $2,240.
- Proposal A total: $28,000 + $1,200 + $2,300 + $2,240 = $33,740.
- Difference: $33,740 − $31,900 = $1,840.
Common wrong answers:
- Comparing goods alone ($28,000 vs $31,900) makes A look cheaper.
- Taxing the whole package overstates A.
The tax rule is part of this made-up scenario, not any state's sales-tax law.
Question 13 · Construction Process
The owner wants a glass partition added to enclose a huddle room before the ceilings close next week. The owner and Architect agree on the change. The contractor prices it at $14,800; the owner thinks $11,000 is fair. Under A201–2017, which instrument lets the work go ahead now?
- A. A Change Order
- B. A Construction Change Directive
- C. An order for a minor change in the work
- D. A response to a request for information
Show answer and explanation
B. A Construction Change Directive (CCD) is signed by the owner and Architect. It directs a change before the cost or time adjustment is agreed (A201 §7.3.1) and is used when there's no full agreement on Change Order terms (§7.3.2). The contractor proceeds promptly (§7.3.6), and the Architect can make interim determinations so the contractor gets paid along the way (§7.3.9).
- A, a Change Order, needs owner, contractor, and Architect to agree on the work, the price, and the time (§7.2.1).
- C, a minor change, can't change the Contract Sum (§7.4).
- D, an RFI response, does not itself authorize increased cost or time. It is not the directive required here.
Sources: AIA A201–2017 Article 7; AIA Contract Documents, "Construction Change Directives vs. Change Orders".
Question 14 · Construction Process
The Architect returns the reception desk shop drawings marked "approved." The desk arrives 2 inches too wide because of an inaccurate field dimension in the shop drawings. Under A201–2017, whose contractual duty to verify dimensions remains despite the Architect's limited submittal review?
- A. The contractor, because submittal review checks conformance with the design concept, not dimensions and quantities
- B. The Architect, because approval makes the shop drawings Contract Documents
- C. The owner, who accepted the Architect's approval
- D. Approval removes the dimension-verification duty from everyone
Show answer and explanation
A. Shop drawings aren't Contract Documents (A201 §3.12.4). The Architect reviews them only for conformance with the information given and the design concept expressed in the Contract Documents. The contractor's obligation to verify dimensions and quantities remains (§§3.12.6, 4.2.7). Approving a submittal doesn't relieve the contractor of errors in it (§3.12.8).
- B incorrectly makes shop drawings Contract Documents and transfers the contractor's verification duty.
- C shifts that duty to the owner without a supporting term.
- D treats review as a release from an obligation that the cited sections expressly retain.
This answers the contract-duty question; it does not allocate negligence or liability for an actual loss.
Question 15 · Construction Process
The contractor gets the Architect's written response to its RFI clarifying a reception desk detail. It believes the clarification adds $3,200 and two days. Under A201–2017, what's the right next step?
- A. Build it and add the $3,200 to the next pay application, since the response directed the work.
- B. Ask the Architect to stamp the RFI "approved," which turns it into a Change Order.
- C. Submit a Claim through the contract's claims procedure; the RFI response itself doesn't authorize more cost or time.
- D. Nothing. Clarifications never affect cost.
Show answer and explanation
C. A201 §3.2.4 says that if the contractor believes clarifications issued in response to its RFIs involve extra cost or time, it submits a Claim under Article 15. AIA's own instructions for its RFI form (G716) say neither the request nor the response authorizes work that increases cost or time.
- A skips the authorization step.
- B invents a shortcut; a stamped RFI is still an RFI.
- D is wrong because clarifications can change cost, which is exactly why the claims route exists.
Submitting a Claim does not establish entitlement to the requested amount or time; the claim still follows the contract's requirements.
Sources: AIA A201–2017 §3.2.4; AIA Contract Documents, G716 instructions.
Question 16 · Construction Process (put in order)
The stated submittal procedure requires the millwork subcontractor to prepare the shop drawings and the Architect to approve them before fabrication. Put these A201–2017 steps in order, using each label once:
- w. The contractor submits them to the Architect in line with the submittal schedule.
- x. The millwork subcontractor prepares the shop drawings.
- y. The Architect reviews them for conformance with the design concept; fabrication waits for that approval.
- z. The contractor reviews them, verifies field measurements, coordinates them with other work, and approves them.
Show answer and explanation
Order: x → z → w → y.
- The subcontractor prepares them.
- The contractor reviews, verifies, coordinates, and approves them.
- The contractor submits them to the Architect.
- The Architect reviews them.
A201 defines shop drawings as data prepared by the contractor or a subcontractor, supplier, or fabricator (§3.12.1). The contractor must review, approve, and submit them (§3.12.5), and by submitting, it represents that it checked field measurements and coordinated the work (§3.12.6). The Architect then reviews them for the limited purpose in §4.2.7. Work that requires a submittal can't proceed until the Architect approves it (§3.12.7).
Sending a subcontractor's drawings straight to the Architect skips the contractor's review, which A201 doesn't allow.
Question 17 · Site Observation and Close-Out
Under the unmodified A201–2017 provisions, which description correctly states the Architect's ordinary site-observation role?
- A. The Architect continuously inspects every part of the work and guarantees that no defects remain.
- B. The Architect takes over the contractor's construction means and methods whenever a site visit occurs.
- C. The Architect has no obligation to report observed defects because the contractor performs the work.
- D. The Architect visits at appropriate intervals, becomes generally familiar with progress and quality, and reports observed defects without taking over the contractor's means and methods.
Show answer and explanation
D. Sections 4.2.2–4.2.3 describe periodic observation and reporting, not exhaustive or continuous inspection. Section 3.3.1 assigns construction means and methods to the contractor.
- A turns a limited observation role into continuous inspection and a guarantee.
- B transfers an obligation that the stated form assigns to the contractor.
- C overlooks the Architect's duty to report observed defects and known deviations to the owner.
This question concerns the stated allocation of routine observation duties, not what to do during a site emergency.
Source: AIA A201–2017 §§3.3.1, 4.2.2–4.2.3.
Question 18 · Site Observation and Close-Out (put in order)
For this A201–2017 project, use the contractor-list and Architect-inspection sequence below. All prerequisites are satisfied before each later milestone. Put the four actions in order, using each label once:
- w. After final inspection establishes acceptable work and full contract performance, and the final-payment conditions are met, the Architect issues the final Certificate for Payment.
- x. The Architect issues the Certificate of Substantial Completion establishing the Substantial Completion date; warranties begin on that date unless the certificate provides otherwise.
- y. The contractor submits its list of items still to be completed or corrected.
- z. The Architect inspects to decide whether the work is substantially complete, adding items as needed.
Show answer and explanation
Order: y → z → x → w.
- The contractor submits its list.
- The Architect inspects.
- The Architect issues the Certificate of Substantial Completion.
- The Architect issues the final Certificate for Payment.
Under A201 §9.8, the Architect inspects after receiving the contractor's list (§9.8.3). Once substantial completion is established, the certificate records that date. Warranties begin on the Substantial Completion date of the work or designated portion unless the certificate provides otherwise (§9.8.4), not necessarily the day the certificate is issued. The final Certificate for Payment follows the final inspection, acceptable work, full contract performance, and the final-payment conditions (§§9.10.1–9.10.2). Issuing it immediately after any inspection would skip those conditions.
Sources: AIA A201–2017 §§4.2.9, 9.8, 9.10; AIA Contract Documents, "Substantial Completion vs. Final Completion".
Question 19 · Site Observation and Close-Out
Floor 3 of a two-floor office fit-out is finished; floor 4 is still under construction. The owner wants staff on floor 3 on Monday. For this exercise, apply the 2021 IBC without local amendments. Which document can authorize that phased occupancy, within its stated conditions and validity period?
- A. A Certificate of Substantial Completion issued by the Architect
- B. A temporary certificate of occupancy from the building official for the portion that can be occupied safely
- C. The contractor's sign-off on the floor 3 punch list
- D. The final Certificate for Payment
Show answer and explanation
B. 2021 IBC §111.3 lets the building official issue a temporary certificate of occupancy before all permitted work is done, for portions that can be occupied safely, for a period the official sets.
- A: a Certificate of Substantial Completion is a contract document between owner and contractor. It sets dates and can shift responsibilities, but it isn't legal permission to occupy. AIA's own guidance draws exactly this line.
- C and D are contract steps, not code approvals.
Sources: ICC, 2021 Application and Administration of the I-Codes, slide 144; AIA Contract Documents, "Substantial Completion vs. Final Completion".
Question 20 · Site Observation and Close-Out
The contractor's monthly Application for Payment bills 100% of the reception millwork. The Architect observed uncorrected defects in that millwork. The application also contains other work that the Architect can substantiate as properly due; the needed withholding can be limited to part of the application. Under A201–2017, what should the Architect do?
- A. Certify the full amount; the defects can go on the punch list later.
- B. Reject the whole application and return it without explanation.
- C. Within seven days, certify the amount properly due and tell the contractor and owner the reasons for withholding the rest.
- D. Forward it to the owner to decide, since it's the owner's money.
Show answer and explanation
C. A201 §9.4.1 gives the Architect seven days after receiving an application to do one of three things:
- certify the full amount
- certify the amount properly due and give reasons for the rest
- withhold the whole certificate and give reasons
Defective work that hasn't been remedied is one of the listed reasons to withhold (§9.5.1).
- A ignores known, uncorrected defects. Certification makes the qualified representations in §9.4.2 based on the Architect's evaluation and payment data; it is not a guarantee from exhaustive inspection.
- B skips the required reasons.
- D hands off a decision A201 assigns to the Architect.
Source: AIA A201–2017 §§9.4.1, 9.4.2, 9.5.1.
Answer key
| Q | Answer | Domain | Q | Answer | Domain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | I | 11 | D | III |
| 2 | A | I | 12 | $1,840 | III |
| 3 | C | I | 13 | B | IV |
| 4 | B | II | 14 | A | IV |
| 5 | 2 days | II | 15 | C | IV |
| 6 | D | II | 16 | x → z → w → y: Sub prepares → contractor reviews → contractor submits → Architect reviews | IV |
| 7 | $4,000 | II | 17 | D | V |
| 8 | A | III | 18 | y → z → x → w: Contractor's list → inspection → Certificate of Substantial Completion → final Certificate for Payment | V |
| 9 | Note 2 | III | 19 | B | V |
| 10 | A | III | 20 | C | V |
How to use your results
Count correct answers out of attempted questions, and record not-attempted questions separately. Award one point per fully correct item; an ordering item needs the exact sequence. A blank or invalid response is not a wrong answer, and revealing an answer without attempting it is review, not a correct attempt. This is the study set's rule, not CIDQ's scoring method. Your result isn't a scaled score, and it doesn't predict your IDPX result. CIDQ scores the real exam on a 200–800 scale with 500 to pass (Candidate Handbook, p. 32). With three to five questions per domain, treat a weak domain as a place to look, not a verdict.
Log every miss, and every lucky guess, in five columns:
| Question | What I chose | Why it looked right | What I missed | The rule in my own words |
|---|
Then use the plan further down to fix the pattern, not just the question.
What's on the 2026 IDPX
The IDPX covers the construction administration and project management phases of interior design, with an emphasis on health, safety, and welfare (CIDQ IDPX blueprint). IDIX, which replaced the old PRAC, focuses on design development and construction documentation (CIDQ blueprint FAQ, Q1).
| Domain | Weight | Questions in this practice set | Blueprint tasks | Know these cold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I. Feasibility Studies | 17% | 3 (Q1–3) | Evaluate feasibility and due diligence · Identify stakeholders · Manage the project team | Occupancy types, zoning, existing conditions, codes and reference standards; stakeholder types and surveys; roles of owner's rep, code officials, consultants, construction manager |
| II. Scheduling and Budgeting | 17% | 4 (Q4–7) | Manage the schedule · Manage the budget | Critical path, milestones, lead times, phasing; allowances and contingencies, soft vs hard costs, value engineering, cost estimating |
| III. Contracts, Procurement, and Permitting | 28% | 5 (Q8–12) | Procurement and bid · Proposals and contracts · Approvals · Permit process | Bid structures (design-bid-build, design-build), alternates and allowances, FF&E vs construction procurement, purchase orders; fee structures, scope and additional services, agreement types, RFP vs RFQ; permit roles and code-required drawings |
| IV. Construction Process | 21% | 4 (Q13–16) | Facilitate construction · Change management | RFIs, submittals, shop drawings, samples, mockups; Change Orders, Construction Change Directives, bulletins, substitutions, recording changes |
| V. Site Observation and Close-Out | 17% | 4 (Q17–20) | Site visits · Project close-out | Field reports, pay applications, construction safety roles; punch lists, substantial vs final completion, temporary and final certificates of occupancy, commissioning, maintenance manuals, post-occupancy evaluation |
The official weights total 100%. The 20 practice questions use an editorial distribution, not an official exam-form allocation. Do not infer exact domain question counts from the 115-question total, which includes 15 unscored questions. Weights show emphasis, not how hard a domain is or how many study hours you personally need.
Across all three NCIDQ sections, CIDQ expects you to know when standards from ASHRAE, ASTM, BIFMA, ETL, OSHA, and UL apply, and to have conceptual knowledge of ANSI, NEC, and NFPA (blueprint FAQ, Q4–Q5).
Six distinctions that decide IDPX questions
A plausible document can still be the wrong answer when the stem is asking about a different one. Before you answer, ask four things:
- What does this document actually authorize?
- Who signed it?
- What approval is still missing?
- What happens to cost, time, or occupancy?
Change Order vs Construction Change Directive vs minor change
| Row label | Change Order | Construction Change Directive | Minor change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signed by | Owner, contractor, Architect | Owner and Architect | Architect alone |
| Used when | Everyone agrees on the work, price, and time | Work must proceed before price or time is agreed | Change fits the design intent, does not adjust the Contract Sum, and does not extend the Contract Time |
| Cost or time adjustment | The agreed adjustment, which may be zero | Directed change; unresolved adjustments are determined through §7.3 | No adjustment in Contract Sum or extension of Contract Time |
| A201 | §7.2 | §7.3 | §7.4 |
Once the parties agree on the adjustment, the Architect prepares a Change Order recording all or part of that agreement (§7.3.10). An RFI response is none of these; it clarifies but does not itself authorize increased cost or time (A201–2017 §§3.2.4, 7.2–7.4; G716 instructions).
What submittal review does and doesn't cover
| Submittal | What it is (A201 §3.12.1–.3) | What the Architect's review covers (§4.2.7) |
|---|---|---|
| Shop drawings | Drawings and data the contractor or a sub, supplier, or fabricator prepares for this job | Conformance with the information given and the design concept |
| Product data | Brochures, performance charts, instructions for materials or equipment | Same limited purpose |
| Samples | Physical examples that set the standard the work is judged by | Same limited purpose |
The limited review does not verify the accuracy or completeness of dimensions, quantities, or installation instructions. Contractor duties concerning those details, construction means and methods, and safety precautions remain. Approving one item also doesn't approve the assembly it's part of (A201–2017 §4.2.7).
Substantial completion, final completion, and the certificate of occupancy
| Row label | Who issues it | What it answers |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Substantial Completion | Architect, under the contract (§9.8) | Can the owner use the work for its intended purpose? It records the Substantial Completion date; warranties begin on that date unless the certificate provides otherwise. |
| Final completion and final Certificate for Payment | Architect, after final inspection, acceptable work, full contract performance, and the final-payment conditions (§§4.2.9, 9.10) | Is all remaining contract work and close-out done? |
| Certificate of occupancy | Building official (IBC §111.2) | May the building legally be occupied? |
| Temporary certificate of occupancy | Building official (IBC §111.3) | May a portion that's safe be occupied before all permitted work is done, for a set period? |
AIA's guidance stresses that substantial completion and a certificate of occupancy can land on the same day but are legally different things (AIA Contract Documents).
Allowances
By default, the allowance covers delivered materials plus required taxes, less trade discounts. Labor, installation, overhead, and profit are already in the Contract Sum (A201 §3.8.2). When the real cost comes in, the Change Order equals:
(actual delivered cost − allowance) + any change in the contractor's own costs
Question 7 works one through. Compare costs on the same delivered-material, tax, and discount basis; account for actual changes in the related contractor costs rather than adding already included amounts again. The owner directs who supplies allowance items, but the contractor doesn't have to hire someone it reasonably objects to (A201–2017 §3.8).
Critical path and float
The critical path is the longest path through the schedule. In the unconstrained network used here, an activity off that path can slip by its float without moving the finish date. Speeding up work off the critical path saves nothing in this example; speeding up critical work saves time only until another path becomes the longest. Questions 5 and 6 walk through both (GAO Schedule Assessment Guide, Best Practice 6, printed p. 75).
Who's responsible on site
| Topic | Contractor | Architect named in A201 |
|---|---|---|
| Construction means, methods, sequences, and safety programs | Contract-assigned responsibility (§§3.3.1, 10.1) | Routine observation does not transfer those contractor responsibilities (§4.2.2) |
| Site visits | Supervises and directs the work (§3.3.1) | Visits at appropriate intervals; not exhaustive inspections (§4.2.2) |
| Defects found | Must correct | Reports to the owner and may reject nonconforming work (§§4.2.3, 4.2.6) |
| Pay applications | Submits at least 10 days before the payment date (§9.3.1) | Certifies, partly certifies, or withholds within 7 days (§9.4.1) |
These are the roles in the stated form, not a determination of anyone's legal duties in an actual emergency. The building permit is the contractor's to obtain unless the contract says otherwise (A201–2017 §§3.7.1, 4.2.2–4.2.6, 9.3.1–9.5.1). Under the 2021 IBC provision used in this guide, issuing a permit does not approve a code violation (ICC, slide 95).
Your 8-week IDPX study plan
Time assumption: about 6 hours a week: four 1-hour sessions plus one 2-hour session, roughly 48 hours in all. That's an example, not a CIDQ requirement or a guarantee. Scale it to your experience, and give extra time to whichever domains your work hasn't touched.
This example gives Domain III two weeks because it carries the most weight (28%); that allocation is an editorial choice, not a formula from CIDQ.
| Week | Focus | The four 1-hour sessions | The 2-hour session | What you'll have at the end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orientation | Read the IDPX blueprint and rate each topic: can explain / need practice / new to me. Take Questions 1–20 untimed, then review every explanation. Review the item-type guidance below and CIDQ's official practice/demo entry points. Skim the exam code contents list, especially IBC Chapter 1 §§105, 107, 110, 111, and 115. | Build your gap list and error log from the 20 questions. | A ranked gap list |
| 2 | Domain III: contracts | Agreement types; fee structures; scope, exclusions, and additional services; RFP vs RFQ and proposal types | Write a one-page sheet listing, for each document, what it authorizes, who signs it, and what it doesn't cover. Rework Questions 8, 10, and 11. | Contract authority sheet |
| 3 | Domain III: procurement and permits | Design-bid-build vs design-build; alternates and allowances; FF&E vs construction procurement and purchase orders; approvals and permit roles | Rework Questions 7, 9, and 12 from a blank page, then explain the permit and occupancy principles in Questions 1, 9, and 19 without looking at the answers. | Procurement and permit checklist |
| 4 | Domain IV: construction process | RFIs vs submittals; shop drawings, product data, samples, mockups; Change Order vs CCD vs minor change; substitutions | Make a made-up project record with an RFI, a contractor-reviewed submittal, and a CCD, naming who signs each. Rework Questions 13–16. | A document trail you can explain |
| 5 | Domain II: schedule and budget | Critical path and float; lead times and phasing; estimating, contingencies, soft vs hard costs; value engineering | Draw the Questions 5–7 schedule, recompute it with two changes of your own, and check your math. | Three worked calculations |
| 6 | Domain I: feasibility | Occupancy types and change of occupancy; zoning and existing conditions; stakeholders and the OPR; project-team roles | Rework Questions 1–3 and write a feasibility checklist for the fictional tenant-improvement scenario, separating owner requirements from code approvals. | Feasibility checklist |
| 7 | Domain V: site and close-out | Site visits, field reports, safety roles; pay applications; punch lists and substantial vs final completion; CO, TCO, commissioning, manuals, post-occupancy evaluation | Build a close-out checklist with three columns: legal occupancy, contract completion, and records. Rework Questions 17–20. | Close-out checklist |
| 8 | Put it together | Re-take Questions 1–20 without looking (they're repeats now, so familiarity can affect your result); review every miss; revisit your two weakest domains; reread the exam-day rules below | Use 35 minutes to reattempt the 20 questions, 40 minutes to explain misses and guesses, 25 minutes to revisit the blueprint gap list, and 20 minutes to write a pacing and review-before-break plan. Total: 120 minutes. This repeated short set is not a full-length simulation or a readiness test. | Final review list and a pacing plan |
Retaking? Your official score report breaks down performance by content area (Candidate Handbook, p. 32). Rebuild weeks 2–7 around your two weakest domains and give them about half your hours.
Short on time? Combine adjacent weeks' assignments only to the extent your available hours allow. Keep a final review block, and carry unresolved topics forward rather than treating a compressed calendar as equivalent preparation.
IDPX format, scoring, and exam-day rules
| Item | Current rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 115 questions in 3 hours; 15 are unscored pre-test questions, so 100 count | Blueprint; Handbook p. 19 |
| Pre-test questions | Look like every other question and are scattered through the exam | Handbook p. 23 |
| Item types | 3- and 4-option multiple choice, drag and place, fill in the blank, hot spot; some exhibits | Handbook p. 19 |
| Vignettes | Scenario sets of 3–5 questions across all three sections | Blueprint FAQ Q10 |
| Codes | 2021 IBC, 2021 IRC, 2021 IPC, 2017 ICC A117.1. The public code PDF is only a list of sections; the code text is provided as part of each exam question. | Exam Codes; Reference Materials p. 1 |
| Scoring | Scaled 200–800; 500 passes; passing point set with the modified Angoff method | Handbook p. 32; About the Exams |
| Where | Prometric test center or remote (ProProctor) | Handbook pp. 15, 19; Schedule |
| When | April 1–30 and October 1–31 | Handbook p. 13 |
Exam-day rules that change your strategy (Candidate Handbook pp. 19 and 26–27):
- Breaks lock what you've seen. After a break, you can't get back to any question you've already viewed, including flagged or unanswered ones. The clock keeps running, and you have to tell the proctor before you go. So before any break, answer and review everything you've opened.
- Pacing: 180 minutes ÷ 115 questions is about 1 minute 34 seconds per question on average (our arithmetic, not a CIDQ limit). Some vignettes and exhibit items may need more time than a brief recall item. Breaks and review use this same 180-minute budget.
- Calculator: only the on-screen calculator, unless a handheld one is an approved accommodation.
- Scratch work: scratch paper at a test center; an on-screen whiteboard if you test remotely.
- Check-in: the name on your ID must match your MyNCIDQ name exactly. Arrive (or log in) 30 minutes early. Your appointment runs 30 minutes longer than the exam for check-in, the tutorial, and a survey.
Recent IDPX pass rates, as published by CIDQ (About the Exams). Spring 2026 was the first administration on the new blueprint.
| Spring 2026 | Fall 2025 | Spring 2025 | Fall 2024 | Spring 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60% | 65% | 61% | 56% | 63% |
CIDQ's displayed table does not supply candidate counts or a first-time/repeat breakdown. These administration-level rates do not predict an individual result or establish why rates changed.
Results: CIDQ's About the Exams page estimates official score reports about six to eight weeks after the exam window closes; that is not a guaranteed release date. CIDQ didn't offer preliminary results for Spring 2026 and says it will release them following the Fall 2026 administration (About the Exams).
Old IDPX vs 2026 IDPX
If an IDPX study resource says 175 questions or 4 hours, it describes the pre-2026 format shown in CIDQ's historical exam information, PDF p. 44. Check the version on anything you study from.
| Row label | Before 2026 | 2026 onward |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 175 questions, 4 hours | 115 questions (15 unscored), 3 hours |
| Third NCIDQ section | PRAC (Practicum), with case studies | IDIX (Implementation); no case studies; vignettes in all three sections |
| Organizing approach | CIDQ describes similar content tested at differing cognitive levels | Phase-based focus on construction administration and project management |
| Item types | Multiple choice | Multiple choice, drag and place, fill in the blank, hot spot, vignettes |
| Dropped topics | — | BOMA calculation methods and business structures; high-level usable-versus-rentable-area knowledge remains |
Sources: Candidate Handbook, p. 19; Blueprint FAQ, Q1, Q7–Q10, Q15.
Older material isn't worthless. Keep material that matches the cited contract or code edition and the current blueprint. Check every chapter against the 2026 blueprint, and drop what CIDQ removed.
One firm line: CIDQ's Candidate Agreement prohibits studying from recalled or "actual" exam content and requires you to report it if you come across it (Candidate Handbook, pp. 42 and 46). Sites selling "real IDPX questions" put your certification at risk.
Eligibility, fees, and scheduling
| Question | Short answer | Official page |
|---|---|---|
| Who can take the IDPX? | On the standard education pathways, candidates need qualifying education and 3,520 to 7,040 verified work hours, depending on the pathway. The Alternative Review Process has separate requirements; the range is not universal | Eligibility; Handbook p. 6 |
| How do I apply? | Route 1 covers all three sections at once. Route 2 starts with an IDFX-only application; after the applicable education and work-experience requirements are complete, a second application (Part 2) covers IDIX and IDPX. | Apply |
| What does it cost? | IDPX exam fee $365 USD, plus the relevant application fee ($235 for Route 1; $150 for Route 2, Part 2). These are not the total costs of all three sections or every eligibility route | Handbook p. 13 |
| When do I pay and schedule? | January 3–March 31 for April; July 1–September 30 for October. Fees don't carry over to a later window. | Schedule |
| Can I retake it? | Yes, in a later window within your eligibility period, but not twice in the same window | Schedule |
| How long do I have? | Route 1: 10 administrations to pass all three sections. Route 2, Part 2: 10 administrations for IDIX and IDPX. Eligibility starts with the first administration after approval; the IDFX-only period is separate. Expiry without completing the required sections voids passed sections | Eligibility; Handbook pp. 11, 33 |
Passing the IDPX alone doesn't earn the NCIDQ Certificate; you need all three sections. The NCIDQ Certificate is also not a license to practice. Your state or provincial board decides that (Candidate Handbook, p. 8).
Free official CIDQ resources
- IDPX blueprint: the full topic list; use it as your checklist.
- Candidate Handbook: every policy in this guide comes from here or CIDQ's site.
- Study Materials page: CIDQ's own IDPX practice questions, a demo exam for the item types, and study group listings.
- Exam code contents list: which code sections the exam can draw on.
- Exam reference list: CIDQ's representative references and the standard AIA, ASID, and IIDA forms. Use its code-edition section for the exam's stated editions; the list is not a requirement to obtain every reference.
Sources and verification
By Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team
AI assistance was used to draft and source-check this guide, including checking the original questions, calculations, and answer-key consistency. The source check covered CIDQ's current exam documents and the cited AIA, ICC, GAO, and WBDG material. This is not documented review by an NCIDQ-certified designer or another qualified professional. See our methodology.
Last verified: October 13, 2026. This covers exam format, domains and weights, code editions, fees, windows, scoring, and the policies cited.
- CIDQ, IDPX Exam Blueprint (2026 and forward)
- CIDQ, NCIDQ Candidate Handbook 1225 (pp. 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 19, 23, 26–27, 32–33, 42, 46)
- CIDQ, NCIDQ Exam Blueprints 2026 FAQs (Q1, Q4–Q5, Q7–Q10, Q15)
- CIDQ, Exam Codes contents list (rev. 9/2025)
- CIDQ, Exam Reference Materials (rev. Nov. 3, 2025)
- CIDQ, About the Exams, Schedule, Eligibility, Study Materials
- AIA, A201–2017 General Conditions of the Contract for Construction (sections cited in each question; publicly posted copy with an additions/deletions report limited to project and party identification)
- AIA Contract Documents, "Construction Change Directives vs. Change Orders", "Substantial Completion vs. Final Completion", and G716 RFI instructions
- International Code Council, 2021 Application and Administration of the I-Codes (slides 95, 138–144)
- U.S. GAO, Schedule Assessment Guide, Best Practice 6
- WBDG Commissioning Committee, Determining Project Performance Requirements
- CIDQ, historical exam information in the 2025 IIDA Wisconsin packet (PDF p. 44; historical format only)
Castleport Test Prep is an independent exam prep publisher. We aren't affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ). Exam and credential names are used to identify their subjects, and trademarks belong to their respective owners. The practice questions on this page are original and unofficial; they are not NCIDQ exam questions. Contract examples follow the specified AIA A201–2017 provisions; actual contracts and local requirements may differ.