Most homeowners and contractors focus entirely on preparing the site plan. They submit it — and then go quiet, waiting to hear back, unsure of what’s actually happening on the other end.
I’m Engineer Wasim of Site Plans Online USA. Understanding the review process helps you anticipate what to expect, why delays happen, and how to avoid the mistakes that send plans back.
How Building Departments Organize Plan Review
Most US building departments operate on a sequential review model. When you submit a permit application, including your site plan, it enters a review queue. A plan reviewer is assigned based on project type.
For straightforward residential projects (such as pools, fences, sheds, and decks), the review is often handled by a single reviewer who checks both zoning compliance and basic building code compliance. For commercial projects, reviews typically involve multiple reviewers — zoning, building, fire, public works — each checking their area in sequence or concurrently.
What the reviewer is looking at:
The plan reviewer uses your site plan to answer specific questions:
- Is the proposed project within the required setbacks from all property lines?
- Does the total impervious surface stay within the zoning maximum?
- Are all existing structures accounted for?
- Is the drawing drawn to scale with a graphic scale bar?
- Are the required project-specific elements present — pool barrier notes, ADA parking, drainage notation?
If the answer to any of these is “no” or “I can’t tell,” the plan gets a correction notice.
Review Timelines by State and City
Review timelines vary more than most applicants expect.
Fast-turnaround markets (2–10 business days):
- Most small cities and townships in Texas, North Carolina, and Georgia
- Many Florida county building departments require simple residential
- Sacramento, CA, for standard residential
- Many suburban municipalities in the Southeast and Midwest
Moderate timelines (2–4 weeks):
- Most mid-size US cities for residential permits
- Tampa, Jacksonville, Orlando for standard residential
- Standard residential in San Jose, Sacramento, and Denver
Slower timelines (4–10 weeks):
- Los Angeles (LADBS) standard plan check: 4–8 weeks
- San Diego (DSD): 4–8 weeks residential, longer for commercial
- San Francisco: varies significantly based on scope
- New York City: notoriously slow, 6–16 weeks common
- Any project with environmental, coastal, or historic review overlays
Florida-specific: Under HB 267 (F.S. 553.792, 2024), Florida building departments must approve or provide corrections within 30 business days for residential, 60 business days for commercial. If they miss the deadline, the permit is considered approved. Many Florida counties are now running closer to 5–15 business days for simple residential.
What Triggers a Correction Notice
A correction notice (also called a “plan check comment,” “comment letter,” or “marked-up plans”) is the building department’s way of telling you what’s missing or wrong.
The most common triggers:
- Missing setback dimensions — reviewer can’t confirm compliance
- Scale missing or incorrect — the reviewer can’t verify any measurement
- Existing structures not shown — common for pools, additions, garages
- Impervious surface not calculated — common for pool decks, patio additions, driveway expansions
- Title block incomplete — missing APN, preparer license, date
- Pool barrier height incorrect — California requires 5 ft, Florida requires 4 ft, both are frequently mis-noted
- PE stamp missing — required for commercial and some residential work, depending on jurisdiction
- Wrong submission format — PDF format errors, file naming issues (especially Orange County FastTrack and LADBS ePlanLA)
For a breakdown of every rejection reason: Why Site Plans Get Rejected
How Corrections Are Issued
Digital corrections come in a few forms,s depending on your building department’s portal:
PDF with markups (red ink): The reviewer marks up a PDF of your submitted plan in red — circling missing elements, adding notes, and flagging dimensions. This is the most common format. See: City Plan Red Markups for how to read and respond to these.
Written comment letter: A separate document listing each correction by number. Common in California (LADBS, San Diego DSD, San Jose).
Online portal comments: Some jurisdictions (Philadelphia eCLIPSE, Orange County FastTrack) post comments directly in the permit portal, attached to the application record.
How to Respond to Corrections
When you receive a correction notice:
- Read every item — understand what’s being asked before making any changes
- Use our Permit Rejection Analyzer to understand what each comment means in plain English
- Address every single item — partial responses trigger another round of review
- On resubmission, cloud (draw a revision bubble around) every change on the plan
- Include a response letter itemizing how each correction was addressed — many building departments require this
Florida response deadline: 10 business days under F.S. 553.792
Other states: Typically 30–90 days, sometimes indefinite — but don’t wait. Every day without a permit is a delayed project start.
If your plan was returned: Send us your correction notice. We prepare corrected drawings within 12–24 hours.
What Happens When the Plan Is Approved
Once the plan passes review, you receive your building permit — typically as a digital document with a permit number. In some jurisdictions, you also receive approved (stamped) plan sets that must be kept on-site during construction.
The permit authorizes the work described in the application. Work must conform to the approved plans. Changes to the scope during construction often require permit amendments or revised plan submittals.
