Guide · Oct 30, 2026
How to Respond to Plan Review Comments and Resubmit Revised Sheets
By Eli Gewirtzman, Owner · Last checked Oct 30, 2026
Almost every permit gets comments on the first review. The building department sends a correction list (some call it plan check corrections, review comments or a correction letter), and you have to fix the drawings and send them back. A clear response gets you approved faster. A messy one can cost another round.
answer every comment in a numbered response letter that matches the reviewer’s numbering. For each one, say what changed and which sheet it’s on. Mark every change on the drawings, usually with a cloud and a revision number. Keep the same sheet numbers. Then resubmit the way your building department asks, usually by upload for electronic review, or with the originally reviewed set for paper review. Your department’s own instructions always win.
For what goes in the first submission, see permit set printing and our building permit application checklist.
What building departments actually ask for
The wording differs by city, but the requests are similar. Three examples from official sources:
| Department | What it says |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles (LADBS), plan check correction sheet | “Provide a written response or reference to details pursuant to the corrections. Location of any revisions on the plans shall be identified as part of your responses.” For paper plans: “Bring the originally checked set of plans and calculations at the time of your appointment with this plan correction sheet.” (LADBS correction sheet PDF) |
| Atlanta, Department of City Planning | “Applicants have an opportunity to respond to those comments and upload new drawings as needed for review.” And: “If a project requires more than 3 reviews, additional fees or meetings with staff may apply.” (Atlanta Permitting Process Overview) |
| San Antonio, Development Services (IB 103) | “Most important however, revised sheets submitted MUST use the same sheet number.” (San Antonio IB 103 PDF) |
Your building department may differ. Read the instructions on your own correction list or portal before you resubmit.
Step 1: Read every comment before changing anything
- Get the full list, plus any marked-up drawings. Many portals let you download the reviewer’s markups.
- Note which reviewer wrote each comment (building, zoning, fire, structural and so on). One change can affect another discipline’s review.
- If a comment isn’t clear, ask the reviewer before you redraw. Guessing wrong can mean another round.
Step 2: Fix the drawings, and mark what changed
Common practice on US plan sets:
- Cloud the change. Draw a revision cloud around each changed area.
- Tag it. Put a revision number (often in a small triangle, called a delta) next to the cloud.
- Update the revision block. Add the revision number, date and a short description in the title block.
- Keep the sheet number. A revised A-201 stays A-201. San Antonio puts it in capitals: revised sheets “MUST use the same sheet number.”
- Don’t sneak in other changes. Changes the reviewer didn’t ask for may need to be called out too, and can restart parts of the review. Atlanta notes that if, for example, the building size or placement changes, zoning review may need to happen again.
Step 3: Write the response letter
Keep it simple and match the reviewer’s numbering exactly:
| Comment # | Reviewer’s comment (short) | Response | Sheet / detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Provide guard height at deck | Guard height added, see detail 4 | A-501, cloud 1 |
| 2 | Show smoke alarm locations | Smoke alarms added at all bedrooms and hallway | A-101, cloud 1 |
| 3 | Provide beam calc for B2 | Calc added, pages 7–9 | Calcs, S-201 |
The examples are made up to show the format. They aren’t code advice. Answer every comment, even when the answer is “no change needed, see note 3 on A-001” and why. LADBS, for example, wants the location of every revision identified in the responses.
Step 4: Resubmit the way they ask
- Electronic review: upload the revised sheets and the response letter through the portal. Some departments want the full set re-uploaded, others only revised sheets. Follow the portal’s rules on file names and sheet numbering.
- Paper review: bring or send what the correction list asks for. In LA that includes the originally checked set and the correction sheet. Print the revised sheets at the same size as the rest of the set.
- Count the rounds. Atlanta warns that more than 3 reviews can bring extra fees or meetings, so a complete response the first time saves money as well as time.
Step 5: After approval, print the set that goes to the job
Once the plans are approved, the stamped set is what inspectors work from. Atlanta, for example, says “It will be the responsibility of the applicant to have a paper copy of plans on site for any downstream inspections.” See approved plan set printing for the field set.
What revised sheets cost to print
Printing only, before shipping, at $1.95 per sheet in black and white and $3.75 in color, the same price at all sizes (17×22 to 36×48), on 20 lb bond paper:
| Example | Sheets | Printing | With code WELCOME20 (20% off your first order) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 revised sheets, 1 copy, B&W | 3 | $5.85 | $4.68 |
| 6 revised sheets, 2 copies, B&W | 12 | $23.40 | $18.72 |
| 10 revised sheets, 1 copy, B&W | 10 | $19.50 | $15.60 |
| Approved 16 B&W + 2 color sheets, 2 job-site copies | 36 | $77.40 | $61.92 |
WELCOME20 takes 20% off printing on a first order. Students get 25% off printing with STUDENT25. One regular promo code per order. Price your own set with the plan printing cost calculator.
What we do and don’t do
We print your PDF from your file. We don’t draw, check or change plans, we don’t write response letters, and we can’t tell you what your reviewer wants. Plan changes go to your designer, and permit questions go to your building department. To print only the changed sheets, see print revised sheets.
FAQ
How do I respond to plan review comments?
Write a numbered response that matches the reviewer’s list. Say what changed and where, cloud and tag each change on the drawings, and resubmit the way your department asks.
What is a plan check correction letter?
It’s the building department’s list of items to fix before your plans can be approved. Cities call it different things: corrections, comments or review notes.
Should revised sheets keep the same sheet number?
Yes, in most departments. San Antonio’s IB 103 says revised sheets “MUST use the same sheet number.”
Do I resubmit the whole plan set or only revised sheets?
It depends on the department. Some want the full set, others only revised sheets plus the response letter. Check your correction list or portal instructions.
What is a revision cloud?
A wavy outline drawn around a change on a drawing, usually with a revision number next to it, so the reviewer can find the change fast.
How many rounds of plan review are normal?
It varies. Some departments charge for extra rounds. Atlanta, for example, says more than 3 reviews can mean additional fees or meetings with staff.
Printing it
When the revised PDF is ready, upload it on the order page, choose the same size as the rest of the set, black and white or color, and the number of copies, and check out. Orders placed before 3 PM ET on business days ship the same day, to all 50 states. If we make a mistake, we reprint and ship it free of charge.
Order by 3 PM ET, ships same day. Delivery timing depends on the shipping service and destination. See the terms for business-day and holiday details.