A permit set is the package of architectural drawings, calculations, and code references a building department reviews before issuing a building permit. It is the foundation of every construction project that touches an inspector — and if it is wrong, it can slow your whole job down.
What is in a permit set? The answer is more practical than most people expect. Here is what we draw, and what we do not.
What a commercial permit set typically includes
- A cover sheet with the project address, owner, preparer, and a drawing index.
- A code analysis sheet — occupancy classification (per IBC chapter 3), construction type, allowable area calculation, occupant load, egress, and accessibility summary.
- A site plan showing the building footprint, setbacks, parking, and any zoning-relevant geometry the AHJ needs.
- Floor plans (existing + proposed when the work is interior remodel or TI).
- Reflected ceiling plan with lighting, MEP, and fire-rating callouts.
- Exterior elevations — every face of the building that is changing.
- Building sections through the meaningful conditions — enough to show how the building goes together; complex buildings need more.
- Wall, floor, and ceiling assembly schedules — usually with UL listings called out for fire-rated assemblies.
- Door and window schedules with sizes, ratings, and hardware groups.
- Detail sheets for the conditions plan-check actually cares about: stair / handrail compliance, fire separation, accessibility clearances, vapor barriers in cold-climate states.
- Code references where they matter, citing the section for each requirement shown.
What our drawings do NOT include
- Structural calculations and structural design — those come from a licensed structural engineer of record, and many AHJs require them with the permit submittal.
- Stamped MEP design (those come from licensed M, E, and P engineers; we coordinate with them and do not seal drawings).
- Geotechnical reports, surveys, and existing-condition documents — the owner provides them; when the AHJ requires a geotechnical report, it goes in with the permit application.
- Specifications book (CSI MasterFormat) — usually a separate construction-document deliverable, though some AHJs ask for specifications on larger projects.
- Bid pricing, schedules, or anything other than what the building department needs to verify code compliance.
Why "permit-ready" matters more than "complete"
A drawing set can be technically complete and still get sent back. Every AHJ has its own submittal checklist: cover-sheet content, sheet numbering, required code-analysis tables, required documents. A set that follows the checklist is easier to review; one that ignores it can be returned as incomplete before review starts.
The shortest path between a sketch and an issued permit is a drawing set that meets the code and follows the AHJ's submittal checklist.
When you hire a drafting firm — us or anyone else — the question worth asking up front is: "Have you filed in this AHJ before, and do you have their submittal checklist?"