What Documents Do I Need for a Residential Building Permit Under IRC 2018?

Quick Answer

IRC 2018 Section R106.1 requires applicants to submit construction documents — plans, specifications, and other data — sufficient for the building official to determine whether the proposed work complies with the code. For new construction, this typically means site plans, floor plans, elevations, sections, and structural calculations. For minor projects, a simplified description or sketch may suffice. Requirements vary by project scope and local jurisdiction.

What R106.1 Actually Requires

IRC 2018 Section R106.1 states: Construction documents, special inspection and structural observation programs, and other data shall be submitted in two or more sets with each permit application. The construction documents shall be prepared by a registered design professional where required by the statutes of the jurisdiction in which the project is to be constructed. Where special conditions exist, the building official is authorized to require additional construction documents to be prepared by a registered design professional. R106.1.1 specifies information required on construction documents: the work location; the intended use and occupancy of the structure; dimensions and details sufficient to verify compliance with the code. R106.1.2 provides that the building official may waive the submission of construction documents if the nature of the work applied for is such that construction documents are not necessary to obtain compliance with this code. R106.3 governs plan review: the building official shall examine the construction documents and shall ascertain by such examination whether the construction indicated will be in compliance with the provisions of this code and other pertinent laws or ordinances. R106.3.1 addresses approval of construction documents: when the building official issues a permit, the construction documents shall be approved, in writing or by stamp, as approved. R106.3.2 specifies that previous approvals do not prevent the building official from requiring corrections of errors in construction documents discovered during construction. R106.4 requires that one set of approved construction documents be retained by the building official and one set be kept at the building site, available to the inspector, until completion of the project.

The minimum content of construction documents for new residential construction typically includes: a site plan drawn to scale showing lot dimensions, existing and proposed structures, setback dimensions from property lines, and driveway and utility locations; floor plans at a minimum of 1/4 inch scale showing room dimensions, door and window locations, and designated uses; exterior elevations on all four sides; building cross sections showing wall assembly, floor and roof framing depths, insulation locations, and ceiling heights; and a foundation plan showing footing size, depth, reinforcing, and anchor bolt layout. For structural elements not covered by the IRC's prescriptive tables — such as long-span beams, cantilevered floors, or point-loaded columns — engineering calculations prepared by a licensed structural engineer must accompany the drawings. Electrical plans for new construction should include a panel schedule, circuit locations, and notation of AFCI and GFCI protection. Many jurisdictions have published plan submittal checklists on their websites that make the minimum required content explicit.

Why This Rule Exists

Construction documents are the medium through which the building official verifies, before construction begins, that the proposed work will comply with the IRC. Without plans, the building official cannot perform the pre-construction code review that is the primary purpose of the permit process. Plans also create a legal record of what was approved, which protects both the owner and the jurisdiction if disputes arise during construction or in future transactions. The requirement to keep an approved set on site ensures that inspectors can verify that field work matches the approved plans, not just that it appears to meet code in a general sense. Plans also communicate design intent to subcontractors, reducing field errors.

What the Inspector Checks at Rough and Final

At every inspection stage, the field inspector verifies that work in progress matches the approved construction documents. The permit card and approved plan set must be on site and accessible at R106.4. If work deviates from the approved plans — a beam size was changed in the field, a window was relocated, or a room was enlarged — the inspector will note the discrepancy and typically require a plan revision or change order to be submitted and approved before the work can continue. At rough framing inspections, inspectors check structural member sizes against the framing plan. At rough-in inspections, MEP work is checked against the electrical plan, plumbing diagram, and mechanical layout. At final, the completed building is compared to the approved elevations and floor plans. Red flags include missing plan sets on site, obvious deviations from approved drawings, and field modifications to structural elements without engineer-of-record approval.

What Contractors Need to Know

Contractors should ensure that approved plans are on site at all times during construction per R106.4. Inspectors who arrive and cannot find the approved plan set may decline to perform the inspection, causing delay. For projects where a registered design professional prepared the plans, any field modifications must go back to the design professional for approval before implementation — unauthorized changes to engineered structural elements violate R106.3.2. Contractors should also understand that approved construction documents do not limit the inspector's authority to require compliance with provisions that may not be explicitly shown on the plans. R106.3.2 makes clear that prior plan approval does not prevent the building official from requiring corrections to errors discovered during construction. For projects that do not require full architectural drawings — minor remodels, decks, or sheds — the building official has discretion under R106.1.2 to waive some document requirements, but this waiver should be obtained in writing before submitting a simplified application.

Contractors who self-prepare construction documents for simple projects should understand the threshold at which professional seals are required. Most IRC 2018 states require a licensed architect or engineer to seal plans for new single-family homes above a certain size — typically 1,500 square feet or more in some states, or for any multi-story structure. Even when not legally required, engineer-sealed structural calculations significantly reduce the plan reviewer's time to approve structural elements, because the reviewer can rely on the engineer's stamp rather than independently verifying every span table and connection. For custom structural elements such as large LVL beams, cantilevered decks, or open-web truss systems, engineering calculations are almost universally expected even where not technically required by state law. Submitting plans without required or expected engineering documentation is the most common cause of plan review corrections that delay permit issuance.

What Homeowners Get Wrong

Homeowners often believe that any sketch or hand-drawn plan will satisfy R106.1. In practice, building departments have minimum standards for plan quality and content, and hand-drawn plans that lack dimensions, section details, or structural information will be rejected. Most jurisdictions require plans to be drawn to scale with dimensions for structural elements. A second common error is believing that a contractor's verbal description of the project is sufficient for permit issuance. R106.1 requires written construction documents. A third misconception is that permit-exempt work never requires plans. While R106.1.2 allows the building official to waive some document requirements, the waiver is the building official's discretion — it is not the applicant's right. Homeowners applying for a deck permit, for example, should expect to provide a site plan showing the deck's location relative to property lines and the house, plus a framing plan showing joist size, span, and ledger connection details per Chapter 5.

Homeowners who obtain their own permits as owner-builders frequently underestimate the drawing quality required. A site plan drawn in a word processor or on lined notebook paper without proper scale or dimensioned setbacks will not be accepted. Most building departments now accept digital submittals in PDF format and many publish free drawing templates for common project types such as detached garages, sheds, and basic decks. Using the jurisdiction's own template, when available, significantly reduces plan review rejection rates because the template is already formatted to the department's expectations. For more complex projects, homeowners who are not experienced draftspersons should have their contractor or a design professional prepare the drawings rather than attempting to produce acceptable plans without that background.

State and Local Amendments

States enforcing IRC 2018 vary widely in their construction document requirements. Texas municipalities often have detailed submittal checklists specific to the building type and project scope. Georgia requires a licensed architect or engineer to seal plans for certain project categories that exceed square footage or structural complexity thresholds. Virginia has detailed plan submittal requirements in its Uniform Statewide Building Code that supplement R106.1. North Carolina similarly has state-level guidance on residential plan submittals. In IRC 2021, R106 was not substantively revised, but the 2021 edition's greater emphasis on energy compliance documentation (blower door test thresholds, continuous insulation details) means that IRC 2021 permit submittals often include more detailed energy documentation than IRC 2018 submittals in the same jurisdictions. Always check the local plan submittal checklist — it will define the minimum required documents more specifically than the base IRC 2018 text.

When to Hire a Licensed Contractor

For new construction and significant additions, a licensed architect or engineer should prepare the construction documents. Many IRC 2018 states require design professional seals on plans for structures above a certain size or complexity. Even where not legally required, professionally prepared plans significantly reduce plan review rejection rates and field inspection failures. Contractors who self-perform design work should be aware that they may be practicing architecture or engineering without a license if they prepare structural calculations or complex construction documents. For simple projects — sheds, decks, basement finishes — a contractor familiar with local plan submittal requirements can often prepare acceptable construction documents without a design professional, but verification with the local building department is advisable.

Common Violations Found at Inspection

• Approved plan set not present on site during inspection; inspector declines to proceed, causing delay.
• Field modifications to structural members (beam sizes, header spans) not reflected in revised approved plans.
• Plans submitted without required structural calculations for long-span beams, point loads, or cantilevered framing.
• Site plan omits required setback dimensions from property lines, preventing verification of fire separation compliance.
• Electrical plan submitted without panel schedule showing circuit sizing and AFCI/GFCI protection locations.
• Plan revision submitted after work is complete rather than before field modification, triggering retroactive review.
• Plans prepared by homeowner without design professional seal when jurisdiction requires PE or architect seal for the project type.
• As-built deviations from approved plans discovered at final inspection, requiring plan revision and reinspection.