Permitting
Permitting services built around real building department requirements.
Every jurisdiction reviews construction differently. CADTRI researches the specific requirements of your building department, then prepares permit-ready drawings and documentation built to that standard, not a generic template.
What Permitting Services Cover
More than a stack of drawings.
A permit application is only as strong as the research behind it. Permitting services cover the full path from raw project scope to an issued permit: confirming what the building department actually requires, producing drawings and code compliance documentation to that standard, submitting the package, and responding to plan check comments until the permit is approved.
Coverage
40+ States
Jurisdiction Research
Included Every Project
Plan Check Support
Included Through Approval
How It Works
The building permit process, step by step.
Every jurisdiction has its own checklist and review cadence, but the underlying path a project takes to an issued permit follows the same five stages.
Jurisdiction and Zoning Research
Before anything is drawn, we confirm the applicable code edition, zoning classification, setback and coverage limits, and the specific submission checklist used by the building department with authority over the property.
Drawing Preparation and Code Compliance
Site plans, floor plans, elevations, sections, and supporting code compliance documentation are produced to the exact format the reviewing department expects, coordinated across every discipline involved in the project.
Application Submission
The complete package, drawings, forms, and supporting documentation, is assembled and submitted through the jurisdiction's required process, whether that is an online portal, an in-person counter, or a third-party plan review service.
Plan Check Review
A plan reviewer checks the submission against applicable building, zoning, energy, and life safety codes. Projects are approved outright, approved with conditions, or returned with correction comments that must be resolved before approval.
Approval, Issuance, and Inspections
Once corrections are resolved and the application is approved, the permit is issued and construction can begin. Field inspections continue throughout the project to confirm the completed work matches the approved drawings.
Permitting Services We Provide
A permit package for every project type.
From a first-time ADU application to a multi-round correction response, these are the permit-specific services CADTRI delivers most often.
Common Pitfalls
Why permit applications get rejected.
Most correction notices trace back to a handful of recurring issues. Catching these before submission is the difference between a first-pass approval and a multi-round correction cycle.
Incomplete Submission
Missing forms, signatures, or checklist items required by the specific building department can stop an application before a reviewer opens the drawings.
Zoning Non-Conformance
Setback, height, FAR, or lot coverage figures that were not verified against the current zoning ordinance before submission.
Uncoordinated Drawings
Dimensions or references on one sheet that contradict another discipline's drawings, a common structural and architectural coordination gap.
Outdated Code Edition
Plans prepared to a code cycle the jurisdiction no longer enforces, a frequent issue when drawings are reused from an earlier project.
Missing Energy Compliance Documentation
Energy code forms that do not match the specifications shown on the architectural drawings, or are missing from the package entirely.
Incomplete Structural Documentation
Missing engineering calculations, connection details, or an engineer's stamp where the project scope requires one.
Ambiguous Scope of Work
A project description that does not clearly match what the drawings show, which slows review and invites additional scrutiny.
Accessibility Gaps
Missing or incomplete accessibility documentation on commercial, mixed-use, and other public occupancy projects.
Where We Work
Permitting, researched by jurisdiction.
No two building departments review a project the same way. Here is a look at what shapes permitting in our primary markets, and how we handle everywhere else.
Florida
Coastal and high-velocity hurricane zones carry wind load and impact-resistance requirements that affect structural detailing, window and door specifications, and roof design well beyond baseline code minimums.
Structural CoordinationTexas
Permitting authority sits with individual cities and counties rather than a single statewide code, so adopted code editions, energy requirements, and submission formats vary by jurisdiction.
Permit Set PreparationNorth Carolina
Projects are reviewed under the North Carolina State Building Code, with additional local zoning and historic district review layered on top depending on the municipality.
Historic District SubmissionsNationwide
Every jurisdiction outside our primary markets gets the same jurisdiction-specific research before drafting begins. CADTRI supports permitting projects in 40+ states.
About CADTRIFrequently Asked
Permitting services, explained.
- What does a permitting service actually do?
- A permitting service prepares and manages the technical documentation a building department requires to approve construction, including drawings, code compliance forms, and jurisdiction-specific submission materials, and stays engaged through plan check until the permit is issued.
- How long does it take to get a building permit?
- Timelines vary widely by jurisdiction and project scope. Simple residential permits can be issued over the counter in days, while more complex commercial or discretionary projects can take several weeks to a few months. Jurisdiction research at the start of a project gives a realistic estimate specific to the reviewing department.
- Do I need an architect to get a building permit?
- Not always. Many jurisdictions allow non-structural residential permits to be prepared by a qualified drafting service, while others require a licensed architect or engineer's stamp depending on project scope, occupancy, and local regulations. We confirm the requirement for your specific project and jurisdiction before drafting begins.
- What is the difference between permit drafting and permit expediting?
- Permit drafting produces the technical drawings and documentation a building department requires. Permit expediting manages the submission and follow-up process with the department. CADTRI handles both: producing the permit-ready drawing set and remaining available to respond to plan check comments through approval.
- Can you help if a permit application was already rejected?
- Yes. We review the correction notice, identify exactly what the plan checker is requesting, revise the drawings, and prepare a formal response package for resubmission.
- Do you provide permitting services nationwide?
- Yes. CADTRI supports permitting projects across more than 40 states, with concentrated experience in Florida, Texas, and North Carolina. Every project starts with jurisdiction-specific research regardless of location.
From the Blog
Go deeper on permitting.
What Is a Permit Set? A Contractor's Guide
The components of a complete permit drawing package, explained.
Read ArticleHow to Respond to Plan Check Corrections
Organizing a resubmittal so the reviewer can close it in one pass.
Read ArticleWhat Is a Pre-Application Meeting in Construction?
What happens before a formal permit application goes in.
Read ArticleADU Permit in California: Timeline and Requirements
A worked example of a full residential permitting timeline.
Read ArticleReady to start your permit application?
Tell us your project scope and location and we will confirm the jurisdiction requirements, deliverables, timeline, and fee before work begins.