NEWEST CERTIFIED FIRE PLAN EXAMINER I
(CFPE-I) CERTIFICATION EXAM OFFERED BY
NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION
(NFPA) | COMPLETE EXAM Q&A WITH
RATIONALES
1. A plan examiner receives a site plan showing a
three-story office building. The designer proposes a
single exit stairway for each floor. The occupant load
per floor is 60 people. According to NFPA 101, what
is the minimum number of exits required per floor for
this occupancy?
A) 1 exit
B) 2 exits
C) 3 exits
D) 4 exits
Correct answer: A
Rationale: NFPA 101 Section 7.4.1.2 requires 2 exits
for occupant loads above 500, and 1 exit for 500 or
fewer. 60 people is well below 500.
2. A mixed-use building contains a restaurant (A-2) on
the first floor and office space (B) on the second
,floor. Which NFPA document primarily governs the
means of egress for this building?
A) NFPA 1
B) NFPA 13
C) NFPA 72
D) NFPA 101
Correct answer: D
Rationale: NFPA 101, the Life Safety Code, contains
the core requirements for means of egress,
regardless of occupancy classification.
3. During plan review, you notice a fire barrier
separating two occupancies is only rated for 1 hour.
The occupancy separation table in NFPA 101
requires 2 hours. What is the most appropriate
action?
A) Approve the barrier because 1 hour meets the
minimum for building construction
B) Request a 2-hour fire barrier design
C) Approve with a condition to increase the rating
after occupancy
D) Ignore the discrepancy because the building is
sprinklered
Correct answer: B
,Rationale: Fire barriers must meet the minimum
rating required by code for occupancy separation;
underrating is a nonconformity.
4. A new warehouse is classified as S-1 and is not
equipped with an automatic sprinkler system. The
proposed travel distance from the farthest point in
the storage area to the nearest exit is 250 feet. NFPA
101 permits a maximum travel distance of 200 feet for
unsprinklered S-1 occupancies. Does the design
comply?
A) Yes, because the building is low-hazard
B) Yes, if the building is single-story
C) No, the travel distance exceeds the limit
D) No, only if the building exceeds 50,000 sq ft
Correct answer: C
Rationale: NFPA 101 limits travel distance to 200 feet
for unsprinklered S-1 occupancies.
5. A plan reviewer is evaluating a building where the
owner has added a mezzanine. The mezzanine area is
2,500 sq ft, and the room below is 10,000 sq ft. What
is the maximum allowable mezzanine area without
requiring a second means of egress from the
mezzanine?
, A) 1,000 sq ft
B) 1,500 sq ft
C) 2,000 sq ft
D) 2,500 sq ft
Correct answer: D
Rationale: NFPA 101 allows a mezzanine to have up
to one-third of the floor area of the room below.
10,000 ÷ 3 = 3,333 sq ft, so 2,500 sq ft is within the
limit.
6. A hotel building has a 200-foot-long dead-end
corridor on the fourth floor. The building is fully
sprinklered. According to NFPA 101, what is the
maximum allowable length of a dead-end corridor in a
sprinklered hotel?
A) 20 feet
B) 30 feet
C) 40 feet
D) 50 feet
Correct answer: D
Rationale: NFPA 101 permits a dead-end corridor
length of 50 feet in sprinklered hotels (R-1).
(CFPE-I) CERTIFICATION EXAM OFFERED BY
NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION
(NFPA) | COMPLETE EXAM Q&A WITH
RATIONALES
1. A plan examiner receives a site plan showing a
three-story office building. The designer proposes a
single exit stairway for each floor. The occupant load
per floor is 60 people. According to NFPA 101, what
is the minimum number of exits required per floor for
this occupancy?
A) 1 exit
B) 2 exits
C) 3 exits
D) 4 exits
Correct answer: A
Rationale: NFPA 101 Section 7.4.1.2 requires 2 exits
for occupant loads above 500, and 1 exit for 500 or
fewer. 60 people is well below 500.
2. A mixed-use building contains a restaurant (A-2) on
the first floor and office space (B) on the second
,floor. Which NFPA document primarily governs the
means of egress for this building?
A) NFPA 1
B) NFPA 13
C) NFPA 72
D) NFPA 101
Correct answer: D
Rationale: NFPA 101, the Life Safety Code, contains
the core requirements for means of egress,
regardless of occupancy classification.
3. During plan review, you notice a fire barrier
separating two occupancies is only rated for 1 hour.
The occupancy separation table in NFPA 101
requires 2 hours. What is the most appropriate
action?
A) Approve the barrier because 1 hour meets the
minimum for building construction
B) Request a 2-hour fire barrier design
C) Approve with a condition to increase the rating
after occupancy
D) Ignore the discrepancy because the building is
sprinklered
Correct answer: B
,Rationale: Fire barriers must meet the minimum
rating required by code for occupancy separation;
underrating is a nonconformity.
4. A new warehouse is classified as S-1 and is not
equipped with an automatic sprinkler system. The
proposed travel distance from the farthest point in
the storage area to the nearest exit is 250 feet. NFPA
101 permits a maximum travel distance of 200 feet for
unsprinklered S-1 occupancies. Does the design
comply?
A) Yes, because the building is low-hazard
B) Yes, if the building is single-story
C) No, the travel distance exceeds the limit
D) No, only if the building exceeds 50,000 sq ft
Correct answer: C
Rationale: NFPA 101 limits travel distance to 200 feet
for unsprinklered S-1 occupancies.
5. A plan reviewer is evaluating a building where the
owner has added a mezzanine. The mezzanine area is
2,500 sq ft, and the room below is 10,000 sq ft. What
is the maximum allowable mezzanine area without
requiring a second means of egress from the
mezzanine?
, A) 1,000 sq ft
B) 1,500 sq ft
C) 2,000 sq ft
D) 2,500 sq ft
Correct answer: D
Rationale: NFPA 101 allows a mezzanine to have up
to one-third of the floor area of the room below.
10,000 ÷ 3 = 3,333 sq ft, so 2,500 sq ft is within the
limit.
6. A hotel building has a 200-foot-long dead-end
corridor on the fourth floor. The building is fully
sprinklered. According to NFPA 101, what is the
maximum allowable length of a dead-end corridor in a
sprinklered hotel?
A) 20 feet
B) 30 feet
C) 40 feet
D) 50 feet
Correct answer: D
Rationale: NFPA 101 permits a dead-end corridor
length of 50 feet in sprinklered hotels (R-1).
