Introduction
Kern County and other California agencies recruit Building Plans Technicians using a written exam on codes, plans, and math. Here is what the job involves, what the exam may cover, and how to prepare.
Building Plans Technician is a technical civil service title that many candidates overlook. It sits inside a county or city building department, supports permit and plan review, and often uses a written exam as the deciding step. If you have construction, drafting, or plan-reading experience, it can be a practical way into public-sector work.
This guide covers what the job involves, what Kern County says its written exam may include, and how to prepare. Exam details, dates, and requirements differ by agency and recruitment, so treat the current job bulletin as the authority.
What a Building Plans Technician does
According to the Kern County class specification, the technician provides technical support in permitting and plan review. Typical duties include calculating building permit fee estimates, issuing permits, reviewing residential and minor commercial plans to check that they meet code requirements, tracking permits through the process, maintaining records and databases, and helping the public with questions about building codes and permitting.
Some positions may also include field inspections or investigations to determine compliance with applicable codes.
What the written exam may cover
Kern County has listed the written exam for this title as carrying 100% of the examination weight, with a required score of at least 70%. Its bulletins describe subject areas that may include building codes and terminology, land description, construction plans, mathematical calculations, structural components, and other related subjects. The class specification lists required knowledge of basic mathematics, building codes, construction trades, and applicable regulations.
The wording "may include" matters. Each bulletin sets its own subjects, weights, and passing score, and other agencies can test this title differently.
- Building code basics and construction terminology
- Reading and interpreting plans and blueprints
- Construction trades and structural components
- Land description
- Basic math: areas, quantities, fees, and unit conversions
- Permit and code-compliance scenarios
Minimum qualifications to check first
Kern County has listed a high school diploma or GED plus one year of experience in construction, plan preparation, plan interpretation, or drafting, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. A valid California driver's license may be required and a background check may be conducted. Confirm the requirements in the current posting before you apply, since a technical exam is easier to plan for once you know you qualify.
How to prepare
A technical written exam rewards focused review more than broad test-taking tricks. Start with the current job bulletin and note every subject it lists, then build your study plan around those items.
- Read the current bulletin and class specification, and list each subject area named.
- Review basic building terminology and the structure of the code sections your jurisdiction uses. Use the agency's own references where they are provided.
- Practice reading simple floor plans, elevations, and site plans, and pick out dimensions, notes, and symbols.
- Drill the math: area and perimeter, quantities, percentages, and unit conversions, with and without a calculator as your notice allows.
- Work through scenario questions about whether a plan or permit request meets a stated rule, and review every miss.
- Take timed practice sets closer to the exam date so pacing is familiar.
Where to find current openings
Kern County posts its recruitments on GovernmentJobs.com, including the exam date, application deadline, and examination weights. Other counties and cities that hire plans technicians publish their own bulletins, and some run continuous or promotional recruitments. Check the posting for the current status, because the same title can be open to the public in one cycle and department-promotional in another.
For general written-exam practice while you review the technical material, use the free civil service practice test and study guides on this site. They cover reading, math, and logic skills, not building-code content, so they are a supplement to the subject-specific review above.
Last reviewed: September 21, 2026 · CivilServiceExam.org
Sources
Practice before applying
Test your timing and reasoning, then prepare using realistic question formats that mirror the categories many departments commonly test.
