Permitting · Corrections
Plan check corrections, and how to clear them
A correction letter is a list of questions about your drawings. These pages explain what each common question is really asking for, which sheets have to change, and what else in the set to re-check, with the wording from the cities that publish their lists.
The corrections plans examiners issue again and again come from the same places: an incomplete code analysis, egress that does not add up, rated assemblies without listed details, accessibility clearances, and sheets that disagree with each other. Clear each one by answering in writing, naming the sheet that changed, and checking every other sheet the change touches.
By topic
Common corrections
Each page explains the comment, shows how published city lists word it, lists the sheets to revise, and gives an example response.
| Correction | What the reviewer wants | Published city lists |
|---|---|---|
| Code analysis | Occupancy, construction type, allowable area, occupant load, and sprinkler basis stated on the cover sheet and consistent with the plans. | Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, San Jose, Seattle, New York City, Denver, Portland, Phoenix, Boston, Austin, Chicago |
| Occupant load and egress width | Occupant load tabulated by space, and exit, door, corridor, and stair widths sized for that load. | Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, San Jose, Seattle, New York City, Denver, Portland, Phoenix, Boston, Austin, Chicago |
| Travel distance and common path | Measured travel paths to exits, and the distance before two routes are available, compared with the code limits. | Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, New York City, Denver, Austin, Chicago |
| Number and separation of exits | Enough exits for the occupant load of each space and story, placed far enough apart that one fire cannot block both. | Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, New York City, Denver, Phoenix, Boston, Austin, Chicago |
| Stairs, handrails, and guards | Dimensioned stair sections and handrail and guard details showing heights, openings, extensions, and structural loads. | Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, New York City, Denver, Portland, Phoenix, Austin, Chicago |
| Fire-rated assemblies | The rating each wall, floor, and roof needs, a tested or listed design for each, and plans that show the ratings consistently. | Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, San Jose, Seattle, New York City, Denver, Portland, Phoenix, Austin, Chicago |
| Rated openings and penetrations | Doors, glazing, dampers, and penetrations in rated assemblies shown with the protection each needs. | Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, Seattle, New York City, Denver, Austin, Chicago |
| Fire separation distance | Distances from exterior walls to the lot line, with the wall ratings and opening areas those distances allow. | Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Denver, Portland, Austin, Chicago |
| Accessible toilet rooms | Enlarged toilet room plans and elevations dimensioning turning space, fixture clearances, grab bars, and mounting heights. | San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, New York City, Portland, Phoenix, Austin, Chicago |
| Path of travel in alterations | For alterations, the route from the site arrival point to the altered area, and the restrooms, phones, and fountains serving it. | Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, San Jose, Seattle, Portland, Phoenix, Boston, Austin, Chicago |
| Special inspection | A statement of special inspections listing each material and system that needs inspection, and structural observation where required. | Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, San Jose, Seattle, New York City, Denver, Portland, Phoenix, Boston, Austin |
| Deferred submittals | The systems designed later by others, such as fire sprinklers or trusses, listed on the cover sheet with the approval they need. | San Francisco, San Diego, San Jose, Seattle, Denver, Portland, Phoenix, Boston, Austin, Chicago |
| Sheet coordination | Detail references that resolve, and plans, sections, schedules, and consultant sheets that describe the same condition the same way. | Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, New York City, Denver, Portland, Phoenix, Boston, Austin, Chicago |
By city
City plan check guides
Who reviews a permit set, which code edition applies, how to submit and respond, and what each department’s published lists ask for.
Los Angeles plan check
City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety. Counter and Regular Plan Check, ePlanLA, and the 2026 correction sheets.
Open the city guideSan Francisco plan check
Department of Building Inspection. OTC and in-house review, site permits and addenda, and Bluebeam resubmittals.
Open the city guideSan Diego plan check
Development Services Department. Rapid, Standard, and Express review, estimated review days, and cycle issues.
Open the city guideSan Jose plan check
San José Building Division (Planning, Building and Code Enforcement). Standard Plan Review, STAR, SJePlans, and published review days.
Open the city guideSeattle plan check
Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections. Review categories, correction response plan sets, and screening standards.
Open the city guideNew York City plan check
NYC Department of Buildings. Standard plan exam and Pro Cert, DOB NOW objections, and appointments.
Open the city guideDenver plan check
City and County of Denver, Community Planning and Development (CPD). Express and Standard Plan Review, E-Permits, and the Site Development Plan process.
Open the city guidePortland plan check
City of Portland Permitting & Development. The Single PDF Process, Oregon’s statewide codes, and Checksheet corrections.
Open the city guidePhoenix plan check
City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department. SHAPE PHX and ProjectDox, the 2024 PBCC, and the state’s two-review limit.
Open the city guideBoston plan check
City of Boston Inspectional Services Department. Short-form vs. long-form permits, the 780 CMR code, and Tier I/Tier II fire plan review.
Open the city guideAustin plan check
City of Austin Development Services Department. Austin Build + Connect, tiered review timelines, and the Master Comment Report.
Open the city guideChicago plan check
City of Chicago Department of Buildings. E-Plan submission, Chicago’s own numbered codes, and Certified Plan Corrections.
Open the city guideUse these pages
From a correction letter to an approved set
Group the comments
Sort the letter by discipline and by root cause. Several numbered comments often trace back to one missing piece, such as an incomplete code analysis.
Find the dependent sheets
For every change, list the other sheets that show the same condition: plans, sections, schedules, details, and consultant drawings.
Respond to every item
Write a response for each numbered comment that names the sheet and detail, cloud the change, and resubmit the complete set the city asks for.
Questions, answered
Plan check correction FAQs
What is a plan check correction?
It is a written comment from a plans examiner saying what the drawings must add, change, or clarify before a permit can be issued. Cities call them corrections, comments, cycle issues, or objections. Each needs a written response and a revised, clouded sheet.
Why do the same corrections appear in every city?
Most US cities adopt a version of the International Building Code, so the underlying requirements for egress, fire-resistance, and accessibility are similar. What changes is the edition, local amendments, and the paperwork each department wants on the sheets.
Do these pages replace the city’s own correction list?
No. They paraphrase published lists and explain how to clear a comment. Always work from the correction letter you received and the department’s current checklist for your project type.
Find the corrections before the plans examiner does
Upload the drawing set. We read the local amendments that governments publish online, and link each potential issue to its sources for your team to verify.