Standard Plans are designed by private engineers to accommodate various site conditions and they are reviewed and approved by the Department of Building and Safety. As these plans are privately owned, property owners interested in building a structure with a Standard Plan must contact the owner of the plan to purchase a copy.

Possession of a Standard Plan, however, does not waive the necessity for a building permit. To obtain a building permit, in addition to a wet-stamped and signed copy of a Standard Plan, plans indicating how the Standard Plan will be adapted to a specific site must then be brought to one of our offices along with the necessary details indicating how and where the structure will be built in a specific location. The Department will review all of the plans and issue a building permit once it is verified that the construction complies with all applicable portions of the Building code and Zoning code.