You’ve put in the hours. You know the codes, you’ve studied the standards, and you’re ready to level up your NICET certification. But on exam day, with the clock running and a tough question in front of you, the last thing you need is to spend precious minutes flipping through hundreds of pages looking for the right NFPA section.
That’s exactly the problem Fire Tech Productions created Fire Tabs to solve.
The Challenge Every Fire Protection Professional Faces
NICET certification exams at every level — Fire Alarm Systems, Water-Based Systems Layout, Inspection and Testing of Water-Based Systems, and Inspection and Testing of Fire Alarm Systems, and Special Hazards— are open-book. You’re allowed to bring your references. But an open-book exam is only as useful as your ability to find information fast. Flipping through NFPA 72, NFPA 13, NFPA 20, or the IBC (International Building Code) without a navigation system is like finding a street in an unfamiliar city without GPS. You’ll get there eventually — but not in time.
The Solution: Fire Tabs from Fire Tech Productions
What are Fire Tabs? Fire Tabs from Fire Tech Productions are labeled tabs designed to mark important and frequently referenced areas in your NFPA codes and standards, providing quick look up in the field and during the NICET exam.
Are Fire Tabs allowed in the NICET exam? Yes. According to NICET, references may have highlighted text and self-adhesive index tabs or dividers, provided they are permanently attached. Fire Tabs are designed to meet exactly this standard — permanently attached, clearly labeled, and compliant for use in the testing center. No repositionable sticky notes. No loose paper. Just clean, code-legal navigation.
Fire Tab Sets — Organized by Your NICET Subfield
Fire Tech’s Fire Tabs are designed to help you quickly navigate essential NFPA codes and standards, and all books sold by Fire Tech come pre-tabbed to save you valuable study time. Fire Tech Fire Tab sets are available by certification level and subfield, or by standard, including popular ones like:
- Fire Alarm Systems Level I Fire Tab Set — tabs for NFPA 72 and NFPA 70 (NEC)
- Inspection & Testing of Water-Based Systems Level I Fire Tab Set – Tabs for NFPA 25 Standard 2023
- IBC 2021 – International Building Code Fire Tabs
Pre-Tabbed Standards — Exam-Ready Out of the Box
Short on time? Order your references already tabbed. Some of our popular pre-tabbed titles from Fire Tech include:
- NFPA 72 2022 — National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, covering fire alarm systems plus mass notification requirements (Fire Alarm exams)
- NFPA 13 2022 — Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems (Water-Based Systems Layout)
- NFPA 25 2020 — Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems
- NFPA 20 2025 — Standard for the Installation of Stationary Pumps for Fire Protection (Fire Pump Systems)
- NFPA 16 2019 — Standard for the Installation of Foam-Water Sprinkler and Spray Systems (Special Hazards)
- NFPA 92 2021 — Standard for Smoke Control Systems, covering design, installation, and testing of smoke control systems (Special Hazards)
But we have many more.
The Field Benefit Nobody Talks About
Once your exam is done, your tabbed references don’t collect dust. Fire protection professionals rely on these same codes every day — on job sites, during inspections, and in design review. A pre-tabbed NFPA 72 or NFPA 13 in your truck turns a 10-minute code hunt into a 10-second lookup. That productivity compounds across every job.
You’re Ready. Your References Should Be Too.
You’ve invested real time and effort into advancing your fire protection career. Fire Tabs are a simple, affordable, NICET-approved upgrade to your exam strategy and your daily workflow. Whether you apply the tabs yourself or order a pre-tabbed standard shipped to your door, you walk into the testing center — and onto any job site — ready.
Browse Fire Tabs and pre-tabbed standards at Fire Tech Productions →
Before purchasing, visit nicet.org to confirm the approved reference editions for your specific subfield and certification level, OR download our free, NICET Quick Reference Guide.
