Plan Check
The building department's code review of your drawings before it will issue a permit.
Quick Answer
Plan check is the review a building department performs on submitted construction drawings and documents to confirm they comply with adopted building, fire, energy, and accessibility codes. Reviewers issue comments the design team must resolve before the jurisdiction issues a building permit. It acts as a gate between completed design and the start of construction.
The Full Picture
Plan check, often called plan review, is the step in the permitting process where a jurisdiction examines the drawings and supporting documents before allowing work to start. The reviewers, who may be municipal staff or third-party firms, compare the submission against the locally adopted codes, which typically include a building code, fire code, energy code, and accessibility requirements, along with local amendments and zoning rules.
The process is usually iterative. The applicant submits a set, the jurisdiction reviews it, often with several disciplines looking at it separately, and returns written comments. The design team revises the drawings or responds to each comment and resubmits. This cycle repeats until every comment is cleared and the permit can be issued. Review times and the number of cycles vary widely by jurisdiction, project type, and the quality of the original submission.
Plan check is not a quality review of the design in general. It looks for compliance with code and local rules, and it does not guarantee that drawings are coordinated, buildable, or complete. Approval does not shift responsibility for code compliance away from the design professionals of record.
For preconstruction teams, plan check is a schedule risk that has to be planned for. Many contractors build permit review time and likely comment cycles into the preconstruction schedule, and they push for a code and completeness check of the drawings before submission, since avoidable comments are the most common cause of resubmittals. Some jurisdictions also offer expedited, phased, or third-party review options that change the timeline.
Real Examples
Common Misconceptions
People assume: Plan check approval means the drawings are correct and coordinated.
Actually: Plan check tests code compliance against what the reviewer can see. Coordination errors, missing scope, and buildability problems are not its purpose, and the design team of record remains responsible for compliance.
People assume: Plan check and the building permit are the same thing.
Actually: Plan check is the review step; the permit is the authorization issued afterward. Fees, zoning approvals, and other agency sign-offs may also be needed before the permit is released.
Does MeltPlan Solve This?
Partially — adjacentMeltPlan does not act as the building department or submit permits. MeltPlan Code is an AI-first building code research assistant that helps teams look up and interpret code requirements and identify compliance gaps, which supports checking a set before it goes to plan check.
Research code requirements before you submit for plan check →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between plan check and plan review?
The terms are generally used interchangeably. Plan check is the more common phrase in California and some western states, while plan review is used more widely elsewhere. Both describe the jurisdiction's review of drawings for code compliance.
How long does plan check take?
It depends heavily on the jurisdiction, project size, and complexity. Simple projects may clear in days or weeks, while large commercial projects can take months, particularly with multiple comment cycles. Check the local building department for current published timelines.
Who performs plan check?
Typically the local building department's plans examiners, who may include specialists for structural, fire, mechanical, electrical, and accessibility review. Some jurisdictions contract third-party plan review firms or allow applicants to use them.
What happens if plan check comments are not resolved?
The jurisdiction will not issue the building permit until the comments are addressed to its satisfaction. The design team must revise the documents or provide written responses and resubmit for another review cycle.
Can plan check be sped up?
Often yes. Submitting complete, coordinated drawings, pre-checking code requirements, meeting with the reviewer, and using any expedited or third-party review programs the jurisdiction offers can reduce comment cycles.