What Drawings Do You Need for a Building Permit?

If you've never pulled a building permit before, the first phone call to your local building department can feel a little overwhelming. Someone rattles off a list of drawings you've never heard of, and you hang up unsure whether you need two sheets or twenty.

Here's the short answer: the drawings required for a building permit vary by jurisdiction, project type, and project size. A small deck in one county might need just a site plan and a framing sketch. A new single-family home in a neighboring county might require a full set of architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing drawings, each stamped by a licensed professional. This guide explains the most common drawing types you'll encounter, what each one shows, and how to figure out what your specific project actually needs.

Why There's No Single Standard List

Building permit requirements are set by local governments, not by a national agency. Your city, county, or township adopts a building code (often based on the International Building Code or a regional equivalent) and then layers its own administrative rules on top. Two towns 20 miles apart can have genuinely different submittal checklists.

Project scope matters just as much as location. Replacing a window typically requires little more than a written description and a floor plan showing the window location. Adding a bedroom above a garage might trigger requirements for structural calculations, energy compliance documentation, and stamped drawings from a licensed architect or engineer.

Before spending time (or money) on drawings, call your local building department or visit its website. Most departments publish a submittal checklist for common project types. That checklist is your starting point.

The Most Common Permit Drawing Types

Although every jurisdiction is different, the following drawing types appear on most residential and light commercial permit submittals. Understanding what each one covers helps you have a more informed conversation with your designer or architect, and helps you read the set once it's prepared.

Site Plan

A site plan is a bird's-eye view of the entire property. It shows:

• The lot boundaries and dimensions
• The location of the proposed building (or addition) on the lot
• Distances from the building to the property lines (called setbacks)
• Existing structures, driveways, and utilities
• North arrow and scale

Building departments use the site plan to confirm that your project meets zoning rules, such as minimum setbacks from property lines, maximum lot coverage limits, and required distances from easements or utility corridors.

For a modest addition or detached structure, this drawing is often the most scrutinized sheet in the set because zoning violations are caught here first.

Floor Plans

Floor plans show the layout of each level of the building as seen from above, with the roof removed. They are the backbone of most permit sets. Reviewers use them to check:

• Room sizes against code minimums (bedroom egress windows, minimum ceiling heights, bathroom clearances)
• Stairway width and rise/run dimensions
• Location and swing of doors
• Structural wall locations

For a simple remodel, a single annotated floor plan may be all that's needed. For new construction, you'll typically submit a floor plan for every level, including the basement if there is one.

Elevations

Elevation drawings show the exterior faces of the building from the front, rear, and both sides. They help reviewers check:

• Building height against zoning limits
• Window and door placements that match the floor plans
• Roof pitch
• Exterior materials (relevant for fire-rated wall requirements or historic districts)

Some jurisdictions waive elevations for interior remodels that don't touch the exterior envelope. Others require them for any permitted work.

Foundation Plan

A foundation plan shows the type of foundation (slab, crawlspace, or basement), the dimensions of footings and walls, and any reinforcement. Structural reviewers use this drawing to confirm that the foundation is sized correctly for the loads it will carry and for the soil conditions at the site.

For an addition, the foundation plan shows how the new foundation connects to the existing one.

Framing or Structural Plans

Framing plans show how the wood (or steel) skeleton of the building is laid out. They indicate:

• Beam and header sizes over openings
• Floor and roof joist spacing and span
• Point loads and how they transfer down through the structure to the foundation
• Any engineered lumber or pre-fabricated trusses

In many jurisdictions, structural drawings for new homes or additions must be prepared or reviewed by a licensed structural engineer. The engineer stamps the drawings to confirm they meet code requirements for the loads in your area (wind, snow, seismic).

Roof Plan

A roof plan is a scaled overhead view showing the shape of the roof, its slopes, and the drainage pattern. It also identifies roof penetrations (skylights, vents, chimneys) and sometimes materials. Reviewers use it alongside the elevations to verify building height and to check that valley and eave details are addressed.

Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Drawings

For projects that involve any of these systems, most building departments require drawings showing:

Mechanical (HVAC): Equipment location, duct routing, and equipment specifications. Energy code compliance is often demonstrated here.

Electrical: Panel location, circuit layout, lighting, and outlet locations. Smoke detector and CO detector placements are checked against code on the electrical plan.

Plumbing: Pipe routing (supply and drain/waste/vent), fixture locations, and connection to the public sewer or septic system.

For a simple kitchen remodel moving a sink, the plumbing plan might be a single sheet. For new construction, each trade can have multiple sheets.

A Typical Residential Checklist at a Glance

This table shows the drawing types commonly required for three different project scopes. Treat it as a general guide, not a guarantee. Always confirm with your local building department.

Drawing Type	Small Deck or Shed	Room Addition	New Single-Family Home
Site plan	Usually required	Required	Required
Floor plans	Basic sketch often accepted	Required	Required
Elevations	Sometimes waived	Required	Required
Foundation plan	Required	Required	Required
Framing / structural	Required	Required, often stamped	Required, stamped
Roof plan	Sometimes waived	Required	Required
Electrical	Often waived	Required if work involved	Required
Mechanical / HVAC	Often waived	Required if work involved	Required
Plumbing	Often waived	Required if work involved	Required

Who Prepares Permit Drawings

For small projects like a fence, a simple deck, or a utility shed, some building departments accept owner-drawn sketches as long as they contain the required information and are drawn to scale. Check with your department first.

For anything more complex, most homeowners hire a professional. Depending on your jurisdiction and project scope, that might be an architect, a residential designer, or a structural engineer. Many states require a licensed architect's stamp on drawings for buildings over a certain size or occupancy type. If you're unsure whether your project requires a licensed professional, that's another question for your local building department.

For a thorough look at which professional handles what, see Architect vs Drafter vs Designer: Who Do You Need?.

The Difference Between Permit Drawings and Construction Documents

Permit drawings are the subset of your drawing set that gets submitted to the building department for review and approval. Once approved, the stamped sheets become the legal record of what you're permitted to build.

Construction documents (sometimes called "working drawings") are often more detailed than what you submit for the permit. They include specifications, finish schedules, details, and all the information the builder needs to actually construct the project. The permit set focuses on code compliance. The construction set focuses on buildability.

If you want to understand the broader category of documents involved in a project, What Are Construction Documents? covers that in depth.

Getting the Exact List for Your Project

Here's a practical sequence to follow before you hire a designer or start drawing anything:

1. Find your local building department's website. Most post downloadable submittal checklists sorted by project type.
2. Call or visit the permit counter. Describe your project in plain terms. Ask specifically: "What drawings do I need to submit?" and "Do any of them need to be stamped by a licensed professional?"
3. Ask about format requirements. Many departments now accept digital PDF submittals. Some still require paper prints at a specific sheet size. A few require both.
4. Ask about a pre-application meeting. For larger projects, many departments offer a pre-application review where you bring concept-level drawings and get feedback before committing to a full set.

Once you have the list from your department, you'll have a much clearer scope to share with whoever prepares your drawings. That conversation tends to go faster and cost less when you arrive with the checklist in hand.

For a broader look at how the permit application, review, and inspection process unfolds from start to finish, How the Building Permit Process Works walks through each stage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I draw my own permit plans?

For simple projects such as a small deck or shed, many building departments will accept owner-drawn plans as long as they're legible, drawn to scale, and contain the required information (dimensions, materials, setbacks). More complex projects, especially those involving structural changes, new electrical service, or occupancy changes, usually require drawings from a licensed professional. Check with your local building department before investing time in drawings that may not be accepted.

How detailed do permit drawings need to be?

They need to be detailed enough for a reviewer to confirm code compliance, but they don't need to include every construction detail. A permit set typically shows dimensions, materials, structural member sizes, and system layouts. The full construction document set, which the builder uses on-site, usually goes further. Your building department's submittal checklist will specify any required minimum information.

Do permit drawings need to be to scale?

Yes, almost universally. Building departments check setbacks, room sizes, stair dimensions, and similar measurements by reading the drawings against the stated scale. "Not to scale" sketches are generally not accepted unless the department explicitly allows them for a specific simple project type. Common scales for floor plans are 1/4" = 1'-0" and 1/8" = 1'-0".

What happens if I build without submitting the required drawings?

Building without a required permit is a code violation. Depending on your jurisdiction, the consequences can include stop-work orders, fines, required demolition of unpermitted work, and complications when you later try to sell or refinance the property. Title insurance and mortgage lenders typically require that improvements be permitted. It's worth getting the permit, even when the process feels slow.

My project is small. Do I really need a full set of drawings?

Possibly not. Minor repairs and replacements (like-for-like roofing, replacing a fixture, painting) generally don't require any permit at all. Small additions or accessory structures might need only a site plan and a basic sketch. The line between "no permit needed," "permit with simple drawings," and "permit with full stamped set" depends entirely on your local rules and the nature of the work. A quick call to your building department before you start is the most reliable way to find out.