[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":129},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-question-maryland-contractor-simulator-building-dept-permit-rush":3},{"site":4,"simulation":15,"topic":23,"question":26,"siblings":50,"prev":127,"next":128},{"name":5,"tagline":6,"title":7,"description":8,"guideTitle":9,"guideDescription":10,"ogImage":11,"disclaimer":12,"practicePitch":13,"citationsTitle":14},"Free MHIC Training","Maryland home improvement exam prep","Free MHIC Exam Prep: Maryland Home Improvement Contractor Practice","Free, narrated MHIC exam prep: 147 real Maryland contractor scenarios, every choice explained, with the law cited where it applies.","MHIC Exam Study Guide","Every scenario in the free Maryland Contractor Simulator, written out as a practice question: the situation, your options, how each choice plays out, and the Maryland law where it applies.","/og/free-mhic-training.png","Free MHIC Training is free study material for the Maryland home improvement contractor exam. It is not affiliated with the Maryland Home Improvement Commission and is not legal advice.","The free Maryland Contractor Simulator puts you in situations like these across a 40-day contracting career, narrated, with your license on the line. No account needed.","Law and codes cited",{"slug":16,"title":17,"subtitle":18,"description":19,"maxTurns":20,"characterCount":21,"scenarioCount":22},"maryland-contractor-simulator","Maryland Contractor Simulator","Learn the law by living it.","You just got your MHIC license application approved and you're starting your home improvement business in Maryland. Navigate real contractor scenarios — contracts, permits, clients, subcontractors, and inspectors. Every choice teaches you the law through consequence, not memorization. Master all five exam areas to pass.",40,20,147,{"slug":24,"title":25},"permits-codes","Permits, Inspections & Building Codes",{"slug":27,"title":28,"description":29,"takeaway":30,"situation":31,"speaker":34,"speakerDescription":35,"speakerAvatar":36,"audioUrl":37,"choices":38,"citations":49},"building-dept-permit-rush","How do you get a building permit approved faster?","Submit a complete, accurate application the first time and ask the permit office what was missing before.","Submit a complete, accurate application the first time and ask the permit office what was missing before. Clean submissions are processed faster, while incomplete ones are rejected and go to the back of the line.",[32,33],"You need a permit approved quickly — the homeowner's family reunion is in 3 weeks and they want the deck done by then. The building department says normal processing is 2-3 weeks.","Angela Murphy, the permit clerk, says: \"I can expedite it, but the plans need to be complete and accurate. Last time you submitted, I had to send them back twice.\"","Angela Murphy","The county building department permit clerk. Knows every form, every fee, every processing timeline. Helpful if you're organized, frosty if you waste her time.","/media/characters/building_dept_clerk.png","/media/voices/building_dept_permit_rush.mp3",[39,44],{"text":40,"verdict":41,"label":42,"explanation":43},"Submit complete, accurate plans with all required details. Include structural calculations, site plan, and building code references. Ask Angela what specific items were missing last time so you don't repeat the mistake","best","Correct","The building department is not your enemy — they're your quality check. Complete, accurate submissions get processed faster. Asking Angela what was wrong last time shows professionalism and respect for the process. Permit clerks remember contractors who submit clean applications — and they remember the ones who don't. Building a good relationship with the building department is a long-term investment in your business.",{"text":45,"verdict":46,"label":47,"explanation":48},"Submit what you have and fix it later — at least it's in the queue","wrong","Counterproductive","Incomplete submissions get rejected and go to the back of the line when resubmitted. Angela already told you this happened twice before. Submitting garbage to 'get in the queue' wastes everyone's time and delays the permit further. It also marks you as a contractor who doesn't take the process seriously — which means more scrutiny on future submissions.",[],[51,54,57,60,63,66,69,72,75,78,79,82,85,88,91,94,97,100,103,106,109,112,115,118,121,124],{"slug":52,"title":53,"topic":24},"sarah-permit-question","Who is responsible for permits on a Maryland home improvement job?",{"slug":55,"title":56,"topic":24},"dave-wants-no-permit","Can you skip permits if the homeowner asks you to?",{"slug":58,"title":59,"topic":24},"dave-comes-around","How do you build permit costs into a contract?",{"slug":61,"title":62,"topic":24},"permit-exemptions","Which home projects need a permit in Maryland?",{"slug":64,"title":65,"topic":24},"property-manager-volume","Do cosmetic bathroom refreshes in rentals need permits?",{"slug":67,"title":68,"topic":24},"unpermitted-work-discovered","What happens when an inspector finds work without a permit?",{"slug":70,"title":71,"topic":24},"dave-deck-problem","What is your liability when unpermitted work fails?",{"slug":73,"title":74,"topic":24},"inspection-day","How should you handle a problem the inspector finds?",{"slug":76,"title":77,"topic":24},"permit-inspection-sequence","Why do building inspections happen in stages?",{"slug":27,"title":28,"topic":24},{"slug":80,"title":81,"topic":24},"fire-blocking-code","Where is fire blocking required under IRC R302.11?",{"slug":83,"title":84,"topic":24},"egress-window-requirement","When does a basement bedroom need an egress window?",{"slug":86,"title":87,"topic":24},"smoke-detector-requirements","Where are smoke alarms required after a renovation?",{"slug":89,"title":90,"topic":24},"gfci-requirements","Can a homeowner refuse GFCI outlets in the kitchen?",{"slug":92,"title":93,"topic":24},"handrail-dispute","When does a deck stairway need a handrail?",{"slug":95,"title":96,"topic":24},"bathroom-ventilation","Does a bathroom need an exhaust fan under the IRC?",{"slug":98,"title":99,"topic":24},"deck-ledger-connection","How must a deck ledger be attached to the house?",{"slug":101,"title":102,"topic":24},"energy-code-compliance","How is energy code compliance checked on an addition?",{"slug":104,"title":105,"topic":24},"accessibility-code-requirements","Does the ADA apply to a single-family bathroom remodel?",{"slug":107,"title":108,"topic":24},"retaining-wall-height","When does a retaining wall need an engineered design?",{"slug":110,"title":111,"topic":24},"load-bearing-wall-question","What is required before removing a load-bearing wall?",{"slug":113,"title":114,"topic":24},"building-on-easement","Can you build a deck over a utility easement?",{"slug":116,"title":117,"topic":24},"stormwater-management","When does a patio trigger stormwater management in Maryland?",{"slug":119,"title":120,"topic":24},"hoa-interference","Does a building permit override HOA approval?",{"slug":122,"title":123,"topic":24},"abandoned-project","How do you take over a job another contractor abandoned?",{"slug":125,"title":126,"topic":24},"diy-disaster-assessment","How do you assess a homeowner's failed DIY renovation?",{"slug":76,"title":77,"topic":24},{"slug":80,"title":81,"topic":24},1792184484119]