Electronic plan review is a digital workflow for building permits: instead of delivering paper blueprints to a counter, you upload your construction documents through your jurisdiction’s online portal, and the fire, zoning, structural, and other reviewing departments open the files on screen at the same time. The parallel review is the main reason electronic submittals move faster than paper. You also get a permanent digital record of what was submitted, what the reviewers marked up, and what was ultimately approved.
The process below follows a submittal from the first file export through final approval and the permit’s shelf life. Specific rules vary by jurisdiction, so treat your local submittal guide as the controlling document and this as the map.
Preparing Files That Won’t Get Rejected at Intake
The most common cause of delay is a submittal that fails intake screening, and the reasons almost always come down to how the PDFs were built. Review software needs clean, consistent files to function, so jurisdictions enforce formatting rules strictly.
Export, Don’t Scan
Plans must be PDFs exported directly from your CAD or drafting software, not scanned from printed sheets. A direct export produces a vector-based file that stays sharp when a reviewer zooms in to check a detail or take a measurement. Scanned drawings produce raster images that pixelate at close range and defeat digital measurement tools, and many jurisdictions reject raster PDFs outright.1City of Columbus. Street Construction E-Plan Requirements
Flatten all layers and annotations before uploading. A layered PDF can render differently depending on the reviewer’s software settings, and stray markup floating over your drawings causes confusion. Flattening locks everything into a single clean image that looks the same on every screen.1City of Columbus. Street Construction E-Plan Requirements
Naming, Orientation, and Size
Every jurisdiction has its own file naming convention, and deviating from it is a reliable way to get bounced. Some departments want files named by project address and review cycle; others want PDF page numbers to match the sheet numbers printed on the plans exactly, with no extra text or lettered pages.1City of Columbus. Street Construction E-Plan Requirements Check the local submittal guide before you upload anything.
Sheets should generally be in landscape orientation with the top of the drawing at the top of the screen. Drawings must be at a consistent scale with a scale bar on every sheet so reviewers can use measurement tools accurately. Portal upload caps vary, but most sit somewhere between 100 MB and 200 MB per file. Keep files as small as you can without losing clarity.
Professional Seals and Digital Signatures
The International Building Code requires construction documents to be prepared by a registered design professional whenever the jurisdiction’s licensing statutes call for it.2International Code Council. 2024 International Building Code Chapter 1 Scope and Administration For most projects beyond minor residential work, that means an architect’s or engineer’s stamp. On electronic submittals, the stamp takes the form of a cryptographically secured digital signature embedded in the PDF, which verifies both the identity of the licensed professional and that the document has not been altered after signing. Your jurisdiction’s guide will list the accepted digital signature formats.
Information the Application Form Asks For
Alongside the drawings, the portal collects project data that determines which code provisions apply, how much you owe, and where the project sits in the jurisdiction’s records.
Project Valuation and Fees
You will enter an estimated project valuation covering total materials and labor, including mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work. The building official has authority to reject the permit if the estimate appears too low.3International Code Council. 2021 International Building Code – Section 109.3 Permit Valuations The valuation drives your permit fee. Under the model fee schedule published by the International Code Council, the effective rate drops as project size increases, with a $40,000 renovation carrying roughly 1.2% of valuation in fees and a $1,000,000 commercial project closer to 0.6%.4International Code Council. 2021 International Residential Code Appendix AL Permit Fees Your jurisdiction can modify this schedule, add technology surcharges, or calculate fees differently, so pull the local fee table before you budget.
Occupancy Classification and Scope of Work
The form will ask for the building’s occupancy type under the International Building Code classification system. A single-family home is Group R-3, a typical office is Group B, and a restaurant is Group A-2. The classification drives the fire protection, egress, and structural requirements the reviewer will check against, so getting it wrong routes your project through the wrong set of code provisions and produces corrections that could have been avoided.5International Code Council. 2021 International Building Code Chapter 3 Occupancy Classification and Use
Your written scope of work needs to match what the drawings actually show. If the scope says “kitchen remodel” but the plans include moving a load-bearing wall, intake will flag the inconsistency and send it back. The assessor’s parcel number ties your application to the correct property, so verify it against your deed or tax notice. Contractor license numbers and proof of insurance round out the application whenever a licensed contractor is doing the work.
Energy Code Documentation
Most jurisdictions require proof that your project meets the International Energy Conservation Code. Residential projects use the U.S. Department of Energy’s REScheck software to generate a compliance report;6U.S. Department of Energy. REScheck commercial projects use COMcheck. Some jurisdictions accept the software output as a standalone attachment, and others want the compliance data embedded in the plan set itself.7U.S. Department of Energy. Compliance Toolkit Missing energy documentation is one of the most common reasons for an incomplete submittal notice.
Uploading and Paying Through the Portal
You create a secure account on the jurisdiction’s permitting portal, open an application, and begin attaching files. Most systems ask you to categorize each file as you upload, separating architectural drawings from structural calculations, mechanical plans, and supporting documents such as energy reports or soil studies. Accurate categorization routes each file to the right reviewer.
Once every file is attached and the application form is complete, the portal moves you to a payment screen. Credit card and electronic funds transfer are the standard options, and many jurisdictions add a convenience fee for credit card use. Payment triggers intake, where a technician confirms every required component is present before the application moves into formal review. You receive a confirmation receipt and a tracking number.
Tracking Review and Responding to Corrections
The portal is also your window into the review once it starts. Most systems show which departments have finished, which are still reviewing, and whether any have flagged issues. Timelines vary with jurisdiction workload and project complexity, but plan on at least a few weeks for anything beyond a simple residential permit.
When a reviewer finds a problem, the portal generates a markup pinpointing the issue on the specific sheet. These appear as digital annotations overlaid on your plans, usually with written comments explaining what needs to change and which code section applies. For resubmittals, most systems only ask for the revised sheets rather than the full plan set, and the portal tracks which cycle of review you are on so reviewers can see what changed between versions. Responding quickly and completely is the single best thing you can do to accelerate your permit. Submittals that sit with unaddressed markups tend to drop to the back of the queue when the applicant finally responds.
After Approval: Keeping Your Permit Active
When every department signs off, the portal produces a final set of approved plans with the jurisdiction’s stamp or digital endorsement. Download them. The International Building Code requires one set of approved construction documents to remain on site and be open to inspection by the building official.8International Code Council. 2024 International Building Code Chapter 1 Scope and Administration – Section 107.3.1 An inspector who arrives and finds no approved plans on site may not be able to sign off on the work.
Building officials have authority to issue a stop work order whenever construction is being performed contrary to the approved documents or in an unsafe manner.9International Code Council. 2021 International Building Code Chapter 1 Scope and Administration – Section 115 The order halts activity immediately and must state the reason and the conditions for resuming. Continuing to work after receiving one is a separate violation carrying fines set by the local jurisdiction, which in some cities run into thousands of dollars per offense.
Your permit has a shelf life. Most jurisdictions follow the model code provision requiring work to commence within 180 days of issuance or the permit expires. Extensions are often available but typically require a renewal fee and confirmation that the approved plans still comply with the current code. If the code has been updated since issuance and your permit lapses, you may need to revise the plans to meet the new requirements before a fresh permit will issue.
If You Disagree With a Reviewer
Disagreements happen. Sometimes a reviewer reads a code provision more conservatively than the language seems to warrant, or you have an alternative design that meets the code’s intent through a different approach. Start by talking to the reviewer directly. Many disputes resolve once the reviewer sees additional documentation or you understand the specific code section at issue. If that conversation does not settle it, the next step is typically the plan review supervisor or the chief building official.
When the issue cannot be resolved internally, the International Building Code provides for a board of appeals. Any person has the right to appeal a building official’s decision by filing an application within 20 days of receiving the decision. The board consists of five members qualified by experience in building construction who are not employees of the jurisdiction. Hearings are open to the public, and both you and the building official present evidence. Overturning the building official’s decision requires three concurring votes.10International Code Council. 2021 International Building Code Appendix B Board of Appeals The board can modify or reverse a decision, but it cannot waive code requirements entirely. Your appeal must argue that the code was incorrectly interpreted, that the cited provisions do not fully apply to your situation, or that your proposed alternative is equally good or better than what the code specifies.