What Drawings Do I Need for a Building Permit?
A building permit typically requires a site plan, floor plans, elevations, structural plans with calculations, and MEP layouts — the exact set depends on your project type and jurisdiction. The rule of thumb: the drawings must show everything the plan checker needs to verify code compliance.
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The core set
Most permits start with a site plan showing the building footprint, setbacks, and drainage; floor plans with dimensions, room labels, and egress paths; and exterior elevations. Structural plans cover foundations, framing, and details, backed by calculations. These four pieces form the backbone of nearly every submittal.
MEP and specialty sheets
Electrical plans with panel schedules and load calculations, plumbing plans with fixture and gas layouts, and mechanical plans with equipment schedules are required for most projects beyond simple structures. Energy compliance documentation is required in many states. Special items — pools, retaining walls, fire sprinklers, commercial kitchens — each add their own sheets.
Why completeness matters
The most common reason permits stall is an incomplete submittal: missing calculations, no energy forms, vague details the reviewer can't verify. Every missing item becomes a correction cycle measured in weeks. Before submitting, walk the set against your city's submittal checklist — most building departments publish one.
The bottom line
Expect site, architectural, structural, and MEP drawings plus calculations and energy forms, tuned to your project and city. Check the submittal checklist first — a complete package is the fastest permit.