Plan Review, Permits, and Inspection Procedures
The Review Workflow
Plan review and permitting follow a defined sequence: pre-application, submittal, completeness review, technical review, permit issuance, construction inspection, and final approval with certificate of occupancy. Candidates must know what each stage produces, who holds responsibility, and how revisions and deferred submittals are handled.
Submittal Content
A complete submittal includes construction documents, a code analysis, occupancy and construction type, life safety plans, egress calculations, and fire protection documentation. Complex projects may require special inspection programs, structural observation, and third-party review. Know the difference between a permit, a plan review approval, and a certificate of occupancy.
Inspections and Approvals
Inspections are staged to match construction milestones: foundation, framing, rough-in, insulation, and final. Special inspections cover items the building official cannot fully verify, such as welded connections or firestop installation. Final approval requires that all required inspections be complete and that the building matches approved plans.
Worked Example
A contractor installs a rated corridor wall before the rough-in inspection is signed off. The rule of thumb: concealment of work before required inspection is a violation, and the inspector may require opening the assembly to verify. The sequence is inspect, approve, then conceal.
Traps to Watch
Questions confuse a plan review approval with a permit, assume a certificate of occupancy can be issued before final inspections, or ignore deferred submittal tracking.