Who Approves Plans For Construction?

Who Approves Construction Plans? Here’s a Simple Breakdown

Ever wondered who’s actually responsible for approving construction plans before a project begins? In this blog, I’ll give you a quick and simple breakdown so you can clearly understand the process from start to finish.

Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)

The main entity that approves construction plans is called the Authority Having Jurisdiction, or AHJ. This is typically your city or county, though sometimes it can be state or even federal especially when dealing with large government or military projects.

The AHJ enforces the building codes in its area and ensures your plans comply with those local regulations. So, whether your project is residential, commercial, or industrial, you’ll need their approval before breaking ground unless your project falls under one of the rare exemption cases.

The Approval Process

Once your drawings are ready, they must be reviewed and permitted by the AHJ. After approval, your project falls under the supervision of local inspectors. They’ll ensure the work follows the permitted plans, and eventually, they’ll issue a temporary certificate of occupancy and later a full certificate of occupancy once everything passes inspection.

Construction Drawings

The design team, together with the engineers, owner, and construction manager, prepares multiple sets of construction drawings. Ideally, trade partners are involved early on to ensure coordination and accuracy. Once finalized, these drawings are submitted to the city for review. After approval, you’re off to the races!

Deferred Submittals

Sometimes, not all parts of the design are complete when the main permit is submitted. In such cases, a deferred submittal process is used. Here’s how it works:

• The designer, owner, and general contractor coordinate the remaining portions of the design.
• A trade partner completes the engineering and detailed drawings.
• The final documents are then submitted to the city for review and approval.

Once approved, work can proceed on those deferred items.

Regular Submittals

Regular submittals are for materials, assemblies, or equipment already approved under the main building permit. However, details such as product type, dimensions, installation data, and assembly specifications must still be reviewed.

The trade partner and general contractor review these before sending them to the design team. Once the architect or engineer signs off, the materials can be ordered and installed.

Final Thoughts

So, who approves construction plans? It all comes down to the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), the governing body responsible for ensuring your project meets all local building codes. Understanding this process helps you plan ahead, avoid costly delays, and keep your project running smoothly.

Key Takeaway

Every successful construction project starts with AHJ approval. Knowing how and when to navigate the permitting and submittal processes can save time, money, and unnecessary stress.