Master Code Professional Dave Larkin

It’s considered the Ph.D. of building safety codes certification. The Master Code Professional (MCP) is the highest level of designation the International Code Council offers and is the “gold standard” for demonstrating proficiency in the code profession. The Code Council has certified thousands of individuals, but only a small select number have attained this high level of achievement: just over 800 MCP professionals worldwide. Their achievements are a benefit to the code enforcement profession as well as their communities.

To obtain this level of certification requires and demonstrates a commitment to the profession, diverse knowledge of codes and a high level of self-initiative. Dave Larkin is the latest to join the elite group of Master Code Professionals. In this exclusive feature for the Building Safety Journal, we asked Dave to share his experience on obtaining the MCP designation, highlights of his professional career and any insights or advice he has concerning the industry.

Dave Larkin
Building Official
Missoula County Building Division
Missoula, Montana, United States
International Code Council member for 18 years
Montana Chapter

BSJ: What led you to pursue and obtain MCP certification?
Larkin: I sought out the MCP as a very important step toward furthering my career goals.

BSJ: How did you study and prepare for the many exams you took as a part of your MCP designation?
Larkin: I really appreciate the ICC study guides, the commentaries, and the practice tests. I kept them nearby so that I could keep the information fresh. As opportunity presented itself, I would crack open the books and continue my work whenever possible.

BSJ: What does achieving the prestigious MCP status mean to you?
Larkin: Amongst those in the industry, it is recognized as quite an accomplishment. Personally, it represents validation and confirmation of my goals.

BSJ: How would you describe the value or benefits that have come with the recognition of your MCP status?
Larkin: Ha! Well, I was just in a CEU class and the instructor noticed my MCP lapel pin, made a fuss, and asked if I was there to teach the class! We had a lot of fun and bantering the whole day.
In addition, interesting job opportunities have suddenly developed.

BSJ: What advice would you offer to those who are considering pursuing an MCP designation?
Larkin: It is extremely helpful to have a supportive job situation. I started as an interested building contractor, then kept up with my learning and acquired certifications while employed by public agencies.

BSJ: How long have you been in the industry?
Larkin: Eighteen-plus years.

BSJ: What major changes have you seen?
Larkin: Multiple disciplines. Broad knowledge of all codes and ever-increasingly intertwined codes. The average inspector is no longer just average.

BSJ: What excites you about the future of your industry?
Larkin: Solar, tiny houses, live/work units, tech changes, remote inspections, graphene, mass timbers, bamboo, nanocrystals, self-healing concrete, robotics, drones.

BSJ: What is one piece of advice that you would give to those starting out in the industry?
Larkin: Just start. Do not delay. Take responsibility for attaining your goals. Take the national tests over the local ones if you have a choice; they are more difficult, but hold national value.

BSJ: Building safety is the focal point of our mission here at the Code Council. What is the importance of building safety to you? How has ICC helped you in your career and commitment to public safety?
Larkin: We enforce a minimum standard: the code. I have had many opportunities to stop people from hurting themselves, hurting others, or hurting their wallets. These episodes have been very rewarding.

BSJ: Obtaining all those ICC certifications is quite an accomplishment. What are you going to do now that you have achieved this goal?
Larkin: I am taking my department to a new level of professionalism, this is a very fast-growing community with ever-increasingly complex building projects. We need excellence in our inspectors, and I believe in leading from the front. And my fly rod is in the truck!

BSJ: Thank you, Dave, and congratulations. You have definitely been an encouragement to us all in your pursuit of excellence.

To earn the Code Council’s elite MCP designation, a candidate must first pass 10 core Code Council exams plus a number of elective Code Council exams. Typical Master Code Professionals hold 17 or more Code Council certifications. The Master Code Professional designation requires certified individuals to complete an additional 60 hours of Continuing Education Units every three years to maintain active status.

“The Master Code Professional certification is the pinnacle of all Code Council certifications, representing a level of effort, knowledge, and dedication that elevates not only the individual achieving it but the code official profession as a whole,” said Code Council Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO.

Master Code Professionals are typically responsible for all technical and management aspects of code enforcement with duties that range from the management of a code enforcement department to the supervision of inspectors and plan reviewers.

“Congratulations to Dave on achieving this important and significant accomplishment,” said Autumn Saylor, Director of the Code Council’s Assessment Center. “I challenge and encourage all code professionals to strive for this level of achievement, and look forward to congratulating more Master Code Professionals in the future.”

To learn more on how you can join this elite group and let us help you open the door to increased professional challenges and career advancement, click here.