Architecture
Permit Set Drafting
Code-compliant permit sets for residential, commercial, renovation, and tenant improvement work: site plan, floor plans, elevations, and a code summary organized to your jurisdiction checklist.
Overview
What is a Permit Set?
A permit set is the package of architectural drawings a building department reviews before issuing a construction permit. It carries enough detail for a plan examiner to confirm the design meets the local building and zoning code: the site layout, the building itself, and a summary of how the project complies. It holds less than the full construction set, only the code-facing drawings needed to get the project approved.
A clean permit set moves through review with fewer comments. We organize the sheets to the local submission checklist, annotate them for the reviewer, and keep the code summary tied to the drawings so every requirement is easy to verify.
We prepare permit sets for new construction, additions, remodels, tenant improvements, and accessory dwelling units. Where a building permit submission also needs structural and MEP sheets, we coordinate the architectural set with those disciplines so the full package stays consistent.
At a glance
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Prepared to
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Local building & zoning code
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Best for
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Building permit submissions
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Covers
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Site, plans, elevations & code
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Delivery
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PDF · DWG · RVT
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Source
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Sketches, design & survey
What we deliver
What's included in a Permit Set
Every permit package includes the construction documents your municipality requires, annotated for the plan examiner and organized to your jurisdiction submission checklist.
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Site Plan
Illustrates property boundaries, setbacks, easements, driveways, utilities, grading, landscaping, and the proposed building location.
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Floor Plans
Detailed layouts showing room dimensions, walls, doors, windows, fixtures, furniture, and circulation paths.
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Exterior Elevations
Accurate building elevations illustrating exterior finishes, heights, rooflines, windows, doors, and architectural features.
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Building Sections
Cross-sectional views showing floor levels, structural components, wall assemblies, ceiling heights, and construction details.
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Code Summary
Occupancy, construction type, area, and code data annotated and keyed to the sheets.
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Door & Window Schedules
Full schedules listing sizes, materials, types, hardware, glazing, and installation references.
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General Notes & Details
Construction notes, symbols, abbreviations, and standard details needed to read the drawings accurately.
Know the difference
Permit set or construction documents?
The two packages do different jobs: a permit set gets the project approved, and a construction document set gets it built.
Permit SetConstruction Documents
PurposeGet the project approvedBuild the project
Reviewed / used byBuilding department, plan examinerContractor and the trades
Level of detailCode-facing essentialsFull construction detail
Typically includesSite plan, floor plans, elevations, code summaryEverything in the permit set, plus details, schedules, and specs
Project stageBefore construction startsFor tender and construction
Many projects need both. We can carry the same project from permit approval through to a full construction document set.
Why it matters
Why is a Permit Set necessary?
Permit drawings show that a construction project complies with local building regulations before work begins. A complete permit set reduces approval delays and costly revisions, and gives contractors clear guidance during construction.
A plan examiner uses the set to confirm the project is safe and compliant before a shovel hits the ground. A well-organized set gets a smooth first review; a disorganized one can draw weeks of back-and-forth comments.
Proper documentation also makes it easier for architects, engineers, reviewers, and project stakeholders to communicate, so approval goes more smoothly and the project carries less risk.
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A permit set holds the drawings an authority must review and approve before construction can legally start.
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It shows code compliance clearly, so the plan examiner can verify occupancy, egress, and area at a glance.
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A clean, complete set means fewer plan-check comments and faster resubmission cycles.
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It gives owners, contractors, and lenders a shared, approved scope to price and build from.
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It coordinates site, architectural, and code information into one consistent package.
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The approved set becomes the record baseline for construction and later revisions.
Where it applies
Industries We Serve
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01
Architects & Design Firms
Overflow drafting that turns your design intent into a submission-ready permit set on schedule.
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02
Residential Developers
Permit sets for single-family, multi-family, and subdivision housing across jurisdictions.
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03
Commercial Builders
Office, retail, and mixed-use permit documentation coordinated with the design team.
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04
Homeowners & Renovations
Clear permit drawings for additions, remodels, and accessory structures.
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Retail & Restaurant
Tenant improvement and fit-out permit sets prepared to landlord and city requirements.
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Real Estate & Property
Documentation for approvals, due diligence, and building department submissions.
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General Contractors
Build-ready permit sets that keep the approval and construction timeline moving.
How it works
Our End-to-End Process
01
Confirm the Checklist
We pin down the jurisdiction, code year, and the exact sheets the submission requires.
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Draft the Set
We build the site plan, floor plans, elevations, and sections to your standards.
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Add Code & Notes
We annotate the code summary, schedules, and general notes against the sheets.
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Quality Check
Every sheet is checked for dimensions, coordination, and submission compliance.
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Deliver & Support
We issue the submission set and incorporate plan-check comments through approval.
Why Arcengine
Why Choose Us
Architectural Drafting Experts
A trained team that prepares permit sets across residential and commercial projects.
Code-Aware Documentation
Drawings prepared to the International Building Code, International Residential Code, and your local amendments and submission checklist.
Fast, Reliable Turnaround
Efficient workflows that keep your approval timeline on track.
Works to Your Standards
Your title blocks, layers, and CAD or BIM standards, followed exactly.
Plan-Check Support
We incorporate examiner comments and resubmissions through approval.
Confidential & Secure
Your drawings and project data handled securely and privately.
Explore more
Our Other Services
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
A typical permit set includes a site plan, dimensioned floor plans, exterior elevations, the main building sections, a code summary, and general notes, arranged to your jurisdiction submission checklist.
Send design drawings or sketches, the site survey or plot plan, the jurisdiction, and the applicable code year. We confirm the submission checklist before drafting.
Yes. Drawings are prepared to the governing building code and local submission requirements, annotated for permit review. Engineering stamps stay with your engineer of record.
Yes. We incorporate plan examiner red-lines and resubmission comments into a clean, revised set for the next review cycle.
Submission-ready PDF plus native DWG or RVT, to your title blocks, layers, and CAD standards.
Yes. We work to your title blocks, templates, layers, and naming rules. You approve a sample sheet before full production.
Yes. We prepare permit sets for new builds, additions, tenant improvements, and renovations, coordinated with existing conditions where needed.
Yes. All project files and drawings are kept strictly confidential and managed securely.
Outsourcing cuts drafting costs, speeds up delivery, and puts experienced drafters on the work while your in-house team stays on design and project management. Many projects also need a construction document set: the fuller package the contractor builds from, with complete details, schedules, and specifications. We can carry the same project from one to the other.
Get in touch
Permit-ready, submission-ready
Send your design drawings, sketches, or site survey. We will confirm the jurisdiction and checklist, then return a clean permit set in PDF, DWG, and RVT.