The list
Each deferred portion of the design listed on the construction documents under IBC Section 107.3.4.1.
Plan check correction · General
Plan check correction: list deferred submittals on the cover sheet
When the set leaves a system to a later design, such as fire sprinklers or pre-engineered trusses, the reviewer needs to know that it was deferred on purpose and approved to be.
The comment asks you to list every part of the design that will be submitted later for separate review, on the cover sheet, so the building official can approve the deferral. Clear it with a deferred submittals list that names each system and notes that the design professional will review it before it goes to the department.
Read the comment
What the plans examiner is asking for
Building official approval
Deferral approved by the building official, which the list lets the reviewer grant during plan check.
Design professional review
A note that the registered design professional will review deferred documents before submittal to the department.
Enough information now
Performance criteria and loads for the deferred system on the main set, such as truss loads or sprinkler design criteria.
Published correction lists
How city lists word this correction
Published lists ask for a deferred submittal list on the title sheet, or name the systems to be deferred. Paraphrased from each department’s own published list; the lists do not rank items by how often they are issued.
| City | What the published list asks for | Code cited | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | Include a list of deferred submittals, and the addenda schedule when one applies, on the cover sheet. | — | Residential Pre-Plan Check checklist - Plans: Cover Sheet |
| San Diego | The architect or engineer of record must list deferred items on the construction documents; only components in the bulletin's Table 1 are deferrable without building official approval. | — | Information Bulletin 188, Deferred Submittals (Table 1 and listing requirement) |
| San Diego | If prefabricated trusses are deferred, permit plans still need a truss layout, shear transfer details compatible with the trusses, and a summary of truss design loads. | — | Project Submittal Manual Section 2, checklist items 12.0-12.3 (Truss Plans and Calculations) |
| San Jose | The design professional of record lists deferred items on the drawing cover sheet and approves those documents before City submittal; installation waits for Building Division approval. | — | Form #319 Deferred Submittal Form (12/09/2020), p. 2, Requirements for Deferred Submittals |
| San Jose | Deferred packages must be stamped by a registered design professional and marked reviewed by the professional of record; single-family dwellings and shear wall holdown systems are not accepted as deferred. | — | BDN 02 Deferred Submittals Review Procedure (Feb. 1, 2023) |
| Seattle | Curtain walls, post-tensioned systems, prefabricated stairs, plated wood trusses and storage racks 6 ft+ need post-permit shop drawings, stamped by the designer and reviewed by the engineer of record. | SBC 106.5.2.2; SBC 202 (registered design professional) | Screening Standards - Post-Permit Submittals (Index 16), Shop Drawing Requirements |
| Denver | Every item to be deferred (typically specialty engineering such as precast concrete, trusses, shop-fabricated stairs or fire alarm systems) must be listed together in the project's initial code analysis and referenced on the relevant discipline sheets; each deferred item still needs its own permit and inspection before a certificate of occupancy will issue. | — | Commercial Building Permit Guide, Deferred and Phased Construction section |
| Portland | Roof/floor trusses, I-joists, manufactured guardrail systems and specialized stairways may be deferred, but geotechnical-related items -- excavation/shoring plans, helical anchors, retaining walls, deep foundations other than micropiles, and shallow foundations -- may not; every deferred sheet and calculation cover page needs an Oregon-registered design professional's seal. | OSSC 107.3.4.1 | Deferred Submittal Guidelines, Eligible/Ineligible Items and Sealing |
| Portland | The Engineer or Architect of Record must review deferred submittal drawings and calculations and add a notation such as 'No Exceptions Taken,' 'Approved' or 'Reviewed' directly on the drawings; 'Revise and Resubmit' or 'Rejected' notations, or stamps on transmittal letters alone, are not accepted. | OSSC 107.3.4.1 | Deferred Submittal Guidelines, Review Stamps |
| Phoenix | Structural notes must identify every deferred submittal item, such as joists, trusses or alternate stairs, and the roof framing plan must include the loading and reactions assumed for those deferred elements. | IBC 107.3.4.1, 107.3.4.2 | Plan Review Checklist, Structural, items 1 and 4 |
| Boston | Fire alarm and special-suppression system plans (Tier II) are a separate submittal reviewed by the Fire Department, distinct from the Tier I architectural plans ISD uses to issue the building permit, and must reference acceptance by the Tier I design professional of record. | — | Boston Fire Department ePlan Submittal Requirements, General Content Requirements item 1 |
| Austin | List deferred submittal items on the City's Deferred Submittal Request Form signed by the Registered Design Professional in Responsible Charge; the engineer or architect of record must review and annotate the deferred documents and submit them as a permit revision before that work begins. | — | Architectural Plan Review Commercial Checklist, Section A item 4 |
| Chicago | A project needing a variance from the Chicago Electrical Code can request Administrative Relief to obtain the permit subject to a later review and approval of shop drawings, such as for electrical switchgear, instead of holding up the entire permit for that item. | — | Standard Plan Review - Project Submittal Checklist (rev. 5/13/10), Electrical Items Required, Administrative Relief Request Letters |
Sources reviewed September 12, 2026. Code sections are as cited on each list and follow that city’s adopted code. Confirm the current list and edition with the department.
Revise the set
What changes on the drawings, and what else to re-check
A deferred system still has to fit the main set. Put its criteria where the later designer will find them.
| Change | Sheets to revise | Also re-check |
|---|---|---|
| Deferred list added | Cover sheet | Specification sections for delegated design, general notes on each discipline’s sheets |
| Truss or joist deferred | Structural framing plans; design loads | Mechanical equipment weights, bearing details |
| Fire sprinklers deferred | Cover sheet; fire protection notes | Code analysis sprinkler basis, ceiling heights, riser room location |
| Guardrails or storefront deferred | Architectural details; design criteria notes | Structural attachment, wind and live load criteria |
Close the comment
A response the reviewer can verify
An illustrative example written for this guide, not a real project or a city’s wording. Name the sheet, the detail, and the change, so the recheck does not start with a search.
Comment
List all deferred submittals on the title sheet. Deferred submittals require approval by the building official.
Response
Revised as requested. Deferred submittals list added to G0.01: fire sprinkler system, fire alarm system, pre-engineered wood roof trusses, and exterior metal guardrails. Each will be reviewed by the architect and engineer of record before submittal. Truss design loads are on S2.01; guard load criteria are on A5.02.
Before you submit
Catch it before the plans examiner does
List early
Decide what will be deferred during design and put the list on the cover sheet from the first submittal.
Give criteria
Show design loads and performance criteria for each deferred system on the main set.
Keep the set consistent
Check that notes on every discipline’s sheets refer to the same deferred systems.
Groundbook compares the drawings, schedules, and specifications with the adopted code and local amendments, and links each potential issue to the sheets and sections behind it. We read the amendments governments publish online and use licensed model codes only where a license allows it. Your team verifies each finding; the jurisdiction makes every approval decision. See the pre-permit review and drawing-to-code review.
Questions, answered
Deferred submittals: questions
What systems are commonly deferred?
Fire sprinkler and fire alarm systems, pre-engineered trusses, curtain wall and storefront, and guardrails are commonly deferred, subject to the building official’s approval.
Can deferred work start before the deferred submittal is approved?
Generally no. Under IBC Section 107.3.4.1, the deferred portion is not installed until its documents are approved by the building official.
Does deferring a system reduce plan check comments?
It moves the detailed review of that system to later, but the main set still needs the criteria and space for it. Reviewers comment when those are missing.
Keep going
Related corrections and city guides
Special inspection
A statement of special inspections listing each material and system that needs inspection, and structural observation where required.
Read this correctionCode analysis
Occupancy, construction type, allowable area, occupant load, and sprinkler basis stated on the cover sheet and consistent with the plans.
Read this correctionStairs, handrails, and guards
Dimensioned stair sections and handrail and guard details showing heights, openings, extensions, and structural loads.
Read this correctionSan Francisco plan check
How DBI reviews a permit set and what its published lists ask for.
Open the city guideSan Diego plan check
How DSD reviews a permit set and what its published lists ask for.
Open the city guideSan Jose plan check
How San Jose reviews a permit set and what its published lists ask for.
Open the city guideRespond to plan check comments
Response letter format, six response types, and a free response log.
Read the guideFind 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.