"Permit drawings" (also called construction documents or CD sets) are the drawing package you submit to your city or county to get a building permit. If the set is incomplete or unclear, the plan reviewer sends it back — and every round of corrections costs weeks.
What goes into a permit set
- Cover sheet & code analysis: project data, applicable codes (e.g. IBC 2024, CBC Title 24), occupancy and construction type.
- Site plan: property lines, setbacks, grading and drainage.
- Architectural plans: floor plans, elevations, sections, door/window schedules.
- Structural plans: foundation plan, floor and roof framing plans, sections and connection details — with structural calculations to back them up.
- MEP sheets (as required): mechanical, electrical and plumbing layouts.
- Details & notes: the general structural notes, material specs and special-inspection tables reviewers actually read.
Permit drawings vs. architectural drawings
Architectural drawings show what the building looks like. Permit drawings prove it stands up and meets code — that is the structural portion, and it is what most first-time submittals get wrong.
Who prepares and stamps them
Drafting can be done by an experienced team anywhere — but the structural sheets must be reviewed and sealed by a licensed PE of record in the project's state. At MAHAR SOLUTION, our engineers produce the full CD set and coordinate sealing through the state-licensed PE of record. See our engineering services for the full scope.
Why permit sets get rejected
- Missing structural calculations (the #1 reason).
- Details that don't match the plans ("see detail" pointing nowhere).
- Wrong code edition referenced on the cover sheet.
- No special-inspection table where the code requires one.
A complete first submittal is always cheaper than a fast one. Get your set done right — we respond within 24 hours.