CBC 107.2.1: Information on Construction Documents

California Building Code Section 107.2.1 requires every set of construction documents submitted with a building permit application to be dimensioned, drawn on suitable material, clear enough to show the location, nature, and extent of the proposed work, and detailed enough to demonstrate that the project conforms to the building code and every other applicable law.¹ The 2025 edition of the California Building Code took effect January 1, 2026, and the core language of this section carries forward from prior editions.² What the section actually demands, and how plan reviewers apply it, is where most permit delays come from.

Format and Presentation Standards

The code requires construction documents to be “dimensioned and drawn on suitable material.”¹ Dimensioned means every relevant measurement appears on the drawings: wall lengths, ceiling heights, setbacks from property lines, window sizes, structural member spacing. A reviewer who has to guess at a measurement will send the plans back. Suitable material historically meant durable paper or vellum that could survive folding and markup, but digital submissions have largely replaced that.

Electronic documents are permitted where approved by the building official.¹ Most California jurisdictions now accept PDF uploads through online portals, but acceptance is not automatic. Each department sets its own technical specifications for file format, resolution, and layer handling. Confirm before you upload that your file type is accepted and that the resolution holds up when zoomed; a detail note that turns to mush at 200% will get flagged. Flattened PDFs, where all drawing layers are merged into a single image, are the safest default unless the jurisdiction specifically requests layered files.

Section 107.2.1 also requires “sufficient clarity” for a third party to understand the plans without guessing. That means legible line weights, consistent annotation styles, and title blocks on every sheet identifying the project address, sheet number, and preparer. Smudged, faded, or illegible drawings get kicked back before the reviewer even reaches the technical content.

Location, Nature, and Extent

Section 107.2.1 requires documents to indicate three things about the proposed work: its location, its nature, and its extent.¹ Each carries a distinct purpose at plan check.

Location means showing exactly where on the property the construction will happen. A site plan with accurate setback dimensions from property lines, easements, and existing structures is the standard way to satisfy this. Building officials use the site plan to check zoning compliance and to verify the project doesn’t encroach on public rights-of-way or neighboring parcels. An inaccurate site plan can produce something worse than a rejected permit: a completed structure that violates setbacks and faces a demolition order.

Nature describes what kind of work you’re doing. A new addition, a seismic retrofit, a kitchen remodel, and a change of occupancy all trigger different code provisions. Plans must clearly distinguish new construction from existing conditions. When you add a second story, the drawings need to show the existing foundation and framing separately from the new work so the reviewer can evaluate whether the existing structure can support the added load.

Extent covers the full scope and scale: total square footage, height, number of stories, and the boundaries of all affected areas. Getting extent right drives permit fee calculations and determines which additional codes apply. Crossing a square footage threshold can pull in California Fire Code provisions or more stringent structural requirements. If the documents understate the scope, a field inspector who finds work happening outside the approved plans can issue a stop-work order.

Demonstrating Code Conformity on the Plans

The most demanding piece of Section 107.2.1 is its requirement that construction documents “show in detail” how the proposed work will conform to the code and other relevant laws.¹ A general note on the cover sheet saying the project complies with all applicable codes will not satisfy a plan reviewer. Compliance has to be shown through specific technical details: material grades, structural calculations, fire-resistance ratings for wall and floor assemblies, and similar data a reviewer can check against the code.

Energy Code Compliance

California’s Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Title 24, Part 6) update on a three-year cycle and carry their own documentation requirements.³ For residential projects, the primary compliance document is the Certificate of Compliance (CF1R), which identifies the minimum energy performance specifications selected by the designer. That form must be incorporated into or attached to the building plans. Depending on the compliance path (prescriptive or performance), the documentation may include worksheets for area-weighted U-factors, solar heat gain coefficients for windows, or cool-roof solar reflectance values. A plans examiner uses these documents to verify the design meets energy standards; field inspectors use them to confirm the right materials were actually installed.

CALGreen Requirements

The California Green Building Standards Code (Title 24, Part 11), known as CALGreen, is the nation’s first mandatory green building code and adds its own layer of required plan details.⁴ Construction documents must show compliance with mandatory measures covering water efficiency, site drainage, EV charging infrastructure, indoor air quality, and construction waste management. For residential projects, specific items that must appear on the plans include:

Water fixture flow rates: toilets at 1.28 gallons per flush or less, showerheads at 1.8 gallons per minute or less, and kitchen faucets at 1.8 gallons per minute or less.
EV charging preparation: electrical panels must identify overcurrent protective device spaces reserved for future EV charging, labeled “EV CAPABLE.”
Site drainage: plans must show how the grading or drainage system will keep surface water from entering the building.
Indoor air quality: adhesives, sealants, paints, carpet systems, and composite wood products must meet specified VOC limits, and those materials should be called out on the plans.

A separate residential occupancies application checklist, or an equivalent accepted by the local enforcing agency, typically accompanies the plans to document conformance with these measures.

Accessibility Standards

For commercial projects and certain multifamily residential buildings, construction documents must demonstrate compliance with California’s accessibility requirements under Title 24, Chapter 11B. These provisions are designed to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act and California’s own amendments, which in many cases go further than federal standards.⁵ Plans need to show accessible routes, door clearances, restroom layouts, slope measurements, and signage locations with exact dimensions. The 2025 code cycle brought updates including revised detectable warning requirements at blended transitions, new door signal device standards for multifamily dwelling units with mobility features, and increased clear floor space at showers in adaptable units.⁶

Who Can Prepare the Documents

Not every project needs a licensed architect or engineer to draw the plans, but the dividing line trips up a lot of owners. California Business and Professions Code Section 5537 lets unlicensed individuals prepare plans for the following residential projects:⁷

Single-family homes of wood-frame construction, no more than two stories and a basement.
Multifamily buildings up to four dwelling units, wood-frame, no more than two stories and a basement. The exemption does not cover clustering multiple four-unit buildings into larger apartment or condo complexes.
Garages and similar accessory structures tied to the residences above, subject to the same height limits.
Agricultural and ranch buildings of wood-frame construction, unless the building official finds the project poses an unusual risk to public safety.

There’s an important catch. If any part of an otherwise exempt structure deviates from the prescriptive wood-frame construction requirements in Title 24, the building official must require a licensed architect or registered engineer to prepare the plans for that portion, stamped and signed.⁷ A steel moment frame in an otherwise conventional house triggers this rule for the structural components even if the rest of the plans can be owner-prepared.

Commercial buildings, multifamily projects over four units, and any structure outside the residential exemptions generally require a licensed design professional. The building official can also require professional preparation for any project where special conditions exist, regardless of whether an exemption would otherwise apply. On larger projects with multiple engineers and subconsultants, the building official can require the owner to designate a registered design professional in responsible charge to coordinate all portions of the documents.⁸

What Happens After You Submit

Once you submit, the building official or staff acting under their authority examines the documents to verify the proposed construction complies with the code and other applicable laws.⁹ Plan check is where the details required by 107.2.1 get tested: proper dimensions, clear scope, and technical evidence of code compliance. When the reviewer finds deficiencies, they issue a correction notice, and each correction-and-resubmittal cycle can add weeks. Responding with a point-by-point letter that references the exact sheet and detail where each item was fixed keeps the reviewer from having to hunt for changes.

Once the building official is satisfied, the documents are approved with a written notation or stamp reading “Reviewed for Code Compliance.” One approved set stays with the building department; one goes back to the applicant. That returned set must be kept at the job site and made available for inspection at all times.¹⁰ Any deviation from the approved plans found during a field inspection, even something minor, can trigger a stop-work order and require revised plans to go back through plan check.

Phased Approvals and Deferred Submittals

You don’t always have to wait for the full project to clear plan check before breaking ground. The building official can issue a permit for a foundation or other portion of a building before the full set of construction documents has been approved.¹¹ This is common on large commercial projects where foundation design is finalized well before upper-floor details. The trade-off: you proceed at your own risk. If changes required during review of the remaining plans affect work already completed, the cost of reworking that construction falls on you.

Certain design elements can also be deferred for later submission with prior approval. Deferred submittals are portions of the design not included in the initial permit application, such as engineered truss shop drawings, curtain wall details, or fire sprinkler system layouts produced by specialty subcontractors after the general permit issues. All deferred items must be listed on the approved plans in a conspicuous location.⁸ Before installation, the design professional in responsible charge must review each deferred item, confirm it’s compatible with the overall building design, and the building official must approve it. Installing deferred items without following that sequence is a reliable way to earn a stop-work order.

Keeping Your Own Copy of the Approved Plans

The building official must retain at least one set of approved construction documents for a minimum of 180 days after the permitted work is completed, or longer if state or local law requires.¹² That 180-day floor is a code minimum. Many jurisdictions keep approved plans on file for years or indefinitely, and some make basic permit information available to the public online. Full architectural drawings are often restricted from public download because of copyright protections, security concerns for certain building types, and the design professional’s intellectual property.

Keep your own copy of the approved plans permanently. You’ll want them for future renovations, so the next designer knows what’s behind the walls, for insurance claims, and for property sales where a buyer’s inspector or lender may want to confirm work was permitted and approved. Counting on the building department to still have your plans years down the road is a gamble, particularly in jurisdictions that only meet the 180-day minimum.

1
International Code Council. 2022 California Building Code, Title 24, Part 2 – Section 107.2.1
2
International Code Council. 2025 California Building Code Volumes 1 and 2, Title 24, Part 2
3
California Energy Commission. Building Energy Efficiency Standards
4
Building Standards Commission. CALGreen
5
California Department of Rehabilitation. Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations
6
Building Standards Commission. 2025 Part 2 Chapter 11B Accessibility to Public Buildings
7
California Legislative Information. California Business and Professions Code Section 5537
8
International Code Council. 2022 California Building Code, Title 24, Part 2 – Section 107.3.4
9
UpCodes. Section 107 Submittal Documents – Section 107.3
10
UpCodes. Section 107 Submittal Documents – Section 107.3.1
11
UpCodes. Section 107 Submittal Documents – Section 107.3.3
12
UpCodes. Section 107 Submittal Documents – Section 107.5