Building exams

If you are required to sit a BPC exam, you will be notified by email of your exam date, time and duration (exam duration varies across exams).

All registration exams for building practitioner classes are undertaken in person at the BPC's Head Office.

Which registration classes require exams?

BPC exams – what to expect

Exams are:

• supervised
• undertaken at a BPC exam venue under exam conditions
• are undertaken on a BPC laptop with access to permitted reference materials.

Knowledge and skill required

Your exam is comprised of questions and activities that require you to demonstrate that you have relevant and current working knowledge of:

• Australian construction terminology
• Australian drawing and plan symbols
• all required areas of experience relevant to the class you have applied for
• selecting, looking up and applying information from relevant industry reference materials.

Permitted reference materials

Each exam has a list of permitted reference materials. These include Australian Standards.

To access Australian Standards, you must have:

• an active subscription, or
• purchased an online accessible version.

Before commencing your exam, you will be asked to log into your subscription/online access. You will be permitted to access your mobile phone during the log in process.

Exam platform – onboarding and preview

The BPC uses the Janison exam platform. You will be required to undertake an onboarding process prior to your exam date. This will include:

1. creating a password
2. doing an identity check (including a face scan)
3. completing a preview of the exam platform so that you are familiar with the types of questions and exam tools available to you.

Once you have confirmed your exam date, you will be sent an automated Janison email to start your onboarding.

Exam conditions and rules

Before you enter the exam venue, you must present a valid photo ID.

You will be assigned a desk set up as a ‘booth’ to reduce distraction and noise from other exam takers.

Before commencing the exam, you will:

• log into the Janison platform
• log into your Australian Standards
• remove your smart watch (if applicable) and mobile phone – you will be required to hand these to an exam supervisor prior to the commencement of the exam
• complete a declaration that you agree to the exam conditions.

You must not disrupt other exam takers. This means that you must not:

• talk (including reading questions out loud) or make noise
• stand up or walk past others once the exam has commenced
• engage in other behaviour that could disrupt other exam takers.

If you need assistance from the supervisor

Please raise your arm and wait until the supervisor reaches your desk.

BPC laptop

The BPC laptop has an online calculator and notepad.

You will not be able to access:

• internet search engines (such as Google, Bing, etc)
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) software or websites (such as ChatGPT, etc)
• other non-approved websites.

What are permitted to have on your desk during the exam

You are permitted to bring:

• prescription reading glasses
• a beverage/drink
• medicines (such as an asthma inhaler, pain relief, etc).

No other items are permitted, including:

• note pads and writing implements (pens and pencils)
• quick reference guides, notes, ‘cheat sheets’, or other written information
• electronic devices capable of receiving, transmitting, recording, or transcribing text, images, audio, video, or accessing AI, including but not limited to:
  • mobile phones
  • tablets
  • cameras
  • headphones, microphones, and/or earbuds
  • smart calculators
  • smart glasses
  • smart watches
  • smart pens.

Exam misconduct

Breaching exam rules constitutes exam misconduct. If misconduct is reasonably established, the exam may be invalidated. You will not meet the exam requirements for registration, and your application may be refused.

Exam assessment questions, answers, drawings, images, figures, exercises, measurements, scenarios and any other exam materials of any kind whatsoever:

• are strictly confidential
• always remain the property of the BPC
• and must not be communicated, disclosed or shared in any way with any third party.

Before, during, or after the exam, you must not:

• copy, record, reproduce, retain, remove, disclose, distribute, publish, transmit, or share any exam materials (questions, answers, drawings, images, figures, exercises, measurements, scenarios) in any form
• seek to obtain exam materials from a third party
• record, use transcription tools, or take photographs/screenshots
• write, type, or sketch exam content during or after the exam
• discuss exam content (including images, plans, drawings) with anyone else.

While undertaking the exam

You must be considerate of other exam takers and follow the exam supervisor’s instructions.

You must not:

• talk or read questions aloud
• receive or seek help from others
• use unapproved websites, internet search engines, or AI tools
• possess or use unauthorised materials (including notes, cheat sheets, or training manuals)
• use any portable electronic devices (as described above).

Exam instructions

Request for reasonable adjustment for the exam

Reasonable adjustments will be considered on a case-by-case basis. You are still required to undertake an exam. The exam content is not changed.

Injury, disability, or medical condition that may require reasonable adjustment

Email the BPC at onlineexams@bpc.vic.gov.au within 3 business days of receiving your exam invitation with:

• a brief outline of your condition, and
• relevant evidence of your condition from your medical practitioner, specialist or other relevant practitioner that confirms your condition.

Non-medical reasons

Email the BPC at onlineexams@bpc.vic.gov.au within three business days of receiving your exam invitation with:

• a brief outline of your condition, and
• relevant evidence.

Need more information about exams?

Email us at onlineexams@bpc.vic.gov.au.