If your city, county, or HOA asks for a permit site plan, it usually means they need a clear drawing that shows your property layout and where your proposed project will be located. A permit site plan helps reviewers understand the existing conditions, proposed work, property lines, setbacks, access, utilities, and other site details before construction begins.

A good permit site plan does not need to be confusing. For many residential projects, it is a clean overhead drawing that shows the property boundaries, existing structures, proposed improvement, distances from property lines, driveway, walkways, yard areas, and other important features that help explain the project.

What Is a Permit Site Plan?

A permit site plan is a drawing that shows how a proposed project fits on a property. It is usually drawn from a top-down view and includes the lot boundaries, existing buildings, proposed work, setback dimensions, access points, and important site features.

The International Residential Code says construction documents submitted with a permit application should be accompanied by a site plan or plot plan showing the size and location of new construction, existing structures on the site, and distances from lot lines. Source: International Code Council – IRC R106.2 Site Plan or Plot Plan.

In simple terms, a permit site plan answers three questions: what is already on the property, what is being proposed, and where is the proposed work located?

Homeowners can also review our permit site plan checklist for a quick overview of the information commonly needed before submission.

1. Property Lines and Lot Dimensions

Property lines are one of the most important parts of a permit site plan. They show the legal boundary of the lot and help reviewers understand where the project is located in relation to the edges of the property.

A permit site plan should show the front, rear, and side property lines. It should also include lot dimensions when available. These dimensions help reviewers check spacing, setbacks, and the overall property layout.

Do not assume that a fence, hedge, driveway edge, or landscape border is the property line. Those features may be close to the boundary, but they are not always exact. If you have a survey, plat map, or parcel map, it can help make the site plan more accurate.

A drafted site plan is not the same as a licensed boundary survey. Our guide comparing a site plan and survey explains when verified boundary information may be required.

2. Existing Structures

A permit site plan should show the structures that already exist on the property. This usually includes the main house, garage, shed, deck, patio, pool, driveway, walkways, and other permanent or important site features.

Showing existing structures helps reviewers understand the current lot layout before they review the proposed work. It also helps separate what is already built from what is being added or changed.

The City of Elk Grove says a site plan is required when exterior work is proposed on a residential property, and its sample site plan guidance includes items such as existing structures, proposed work, setbacks, easements, and distances to property lines. Source: City of Elk Grove – Sample Residential Site Plan.

3. Proposed Work

The proposed project should be easy to find on the plan. Reviewers should not have to guess what is new and what already exists. A good permit site plan clearly labels the proposed improvement and shows its size and location.

Common proposed projects shown on permit site plans include:

• Sheds
• Decks
• Fences
• Pools and spas
• Detached garages
• Carports
• Patio covers
• Home additions
• Driveway extensions
• Accessory dwelling units
• Retaining walls
• Mechanical equipment pads

The proposed work should include clear dimensions, such as length, width, square footage, or distance from the house and property lines. If the project has stairs, posts, gates, parking areas, roof overhangs, or utility connections, those may also need to be shown depending on the project type.

Project-specific guidance is available for shed permits, deck permits, fence permits, and pool permits.

4. Setbacks from Property Lines

Setbacks are the required distances between structures and property lines. They are one of the most common reasons permit offices ask for a site plan.

A permit site plan should show how far the proposed project is from the front, side, and rear property lines. For example, a shed may need to show the distance from the rear property line and side property line. A deck may need to show its distance from the house, side yard, and rear yard. A driveway may need to show its distance from the property line and nearby driveway openings.

Setback rules vary by city, county, zone district, project type, lot size, and special property conditions. A site plan helps show the measurements, but the local permit office decides whether the project meets the applicable rules.

5. Distance Between Structures

Some permit reviews need to know the distance between the proposed work and existing structures. This is especially common for sheds, detached garages, ADUs, decks, pools, additions, and mechanical equipment.

For example, a site plan may show the distance from a proposed shed to the house, from a pool to a deck, or from a detached garage to the rear property line. These measurements help reviewers check safety, access, building separation, drainage, and zoning standards.

Garage and addition projects often need more detailed spacing information. See our guides on garage permit site plans and home addition site plans.

6. Yard Areas

A permit site plan often labels the front yard, rear yard, and side yards. These labels make the drawing easier to understand and help reviewers know which setback rules may apply.

Yard areas are especially useful when the project is near the front of the house, next to a side property line, or in the backyard. A fence, deck, shed, pool, addition, or patio cover may be reviewed differently depending on whether it is in the front, side, or rear yard.

7. Driveways, Walkways, and Access

A good permit site plan should show how people or vehicles access the property. This may include the driveway, sidewalk, walkway, alley, curb cut, parking area, gate, or path to the proposed project.

Driveway and access information is especially important for garages, carports, driveway widening, ADUs, parking pads, fences with gates, and backyard structures. Reviewers may need to see whether the proposed work blocks access, changes a driveway, crosses a sidewalk, or affects street or alley frontage.

The City of Bellevue describes a residential site plan as a drawing of what is existing and proposed on a lot, and notes that streets, rights-of-way, easements, property lines, and setback distances should be accurately shown. Source: City of Bellevue – Residential Site Plan.

When the proposed work changes vehicle access, review our articles on driveway permit site plans and driveway widening permit requirements.

8. Driveway and Parking Areas

If the project affects parking or vehicle movement, the site plan should show the driveway and parking layout. This may include the driveway width, parking pad dimensions, garage access, carport location, or curb cut location.

Parking and driveway details help reviewers understand whether vehicles can safely enter, exit, and park on the property. They can also help identify drainage, paving, setback, and right-of-way issues before work begins.

These details can be particularly important for a carport permit or an ADU permit, where parking and access may be part of the zoning review.

9. Sidewalk, Street, Alley, and Road Labels

A permit site plan should usually show the street in front of the property. If the lot has an alley, corner frontage, sidewalk, or public right-of-way, those should be labeled too.

These labels help reviewers understand the property’s orientation and access. A street, sidewalk, or alley may affect where a driveway, fence, garage, ADU, or other project can be placed.

Fort Worth explains that important site plan elements can include property boundaries, land topography, proposed and existing structures, easements, setbacks, and roadways. Source: City of Fort Worth – Site Plans.

10. North Arrow and Scale

A permit site plan should include a north arrow and scale whenever possible. The north arrow shows orientation. The scale helps reviewers understand distance and layout.

Without a scale, it can be difficult to confirm that the plan is accurate. Without a north arrow, the plan can be harder to compare to maps, surveys, aerial imagery, and permit records.

The City of Portland says building permit applications must have a complete and accurate site plan. Source: City of Portland – Drawing a Site Plan.

11. Easements When Known

An easement is an area where another party may have rights for utilities, access, drainage, or other purposes. If an easement is known, it should be shown on the site plan because it may limit where you can build.

Common easements include utility easements, drainage easements, access easements, and sewer easements. A shed, fence, pool, garage, addition, or ADU may be restricted if it overlaps an easement.

If you have a survey, title report, subdivision plat, or recorded document showing easements, provide it before the site plan is prepared.

12. Utilities When Provided

Some permit site plans need to show utilities, especially when the project involves digging, posts, foundations, pools, detached structures, additions, ADUs, or new utility connections.

Utilities may include:

• Water service
• Sewer line
• Gas line
• Electric service
• Storm drainage
• Mechanical equipment
• Utility meters

Utility locations are often approximate unless they are based on a survey, utility record, or field verification. Before digging, homeowners and contractors should contact the appropriate utility marking service and verify utilities in the field.

The Town of Chapel Hill lists utilities, easements, existing hard surfaces, setbacks, proposed work, and existing conditions among residential site plan requirements. Source: Town of Chapel Hill – Site Plan Requirements.

13. Drainage, Slopes, and Hard Surfaces

Some permit site plans need to show drainage direction, slopes, grading, paved surfaces, or stormwater features. This is more common for driveways, pools, additions, retaining walls, patios, ADUs, and larger projects that change how water moves across the lot.

Even for a simple residential site plan, it can help to show existing and proposed hard surfaces such as driveways, patios, walkways, parking pads, and concrete areas. These features can affect drainage, lot coverage, and site layout.

Drainage and grade information can be especially important for retaining wall site plans, where wall location, elevation and water flow may all affect review.

14. Landscaping, Trees, Fences, and Site Features

Not every tree, shrub, or landscape bed needs to be shown on every site plan. But important site features should be included when they affect the project.

Examples include:

• Large trees near the project area
• Fences and gates
• Retaining walls
• Patios and walkways
• Pool equipment
• Mechanical units
• Drainage swales
• Accessory structures

These details help show the real layout of the property and reduce confusion during review.

What May Not Be Included on a Basic Permit Site Plan

A basic permit site plan is useful for many residential projects, but it does not replace every professional document. Depending on your project and local requirements, you may still need:

• A boundary survey
• An engineer-stamped plan
• Architectural drawings
• Structural calculations
• Grading or drainage plans
• Energy compliance forms
• Septic or well documentation
• Floodplain documents
• HOA-specific exhibits

Some permit offices accept a simple site plan for small projects. Others require a survey or stamped drawings. Always check the exact requirements for your city, county, or HOA before submitting.

Common Permit Site Plan Mistakes

Many site plan delays happen because the drawing is missing basic information. Common mistakes include:

• Not showing property lines
• Using the fence line as the property line
• Leaving out the existing house or garage
• Not labeling the proposed work clearly
• Forgetting setback dimensions
• Not showing distance between structures
• Leaving out the driveway, sidewalk, street, or alley
• Not showing easements or utilities when known
• Not including a north arrow or scale
• Submitting a blurry screenshot or rough sketch

Our guide explaining why site plans get rejected or delayed covers these common correction requests in more detail.

What Permit Reviewers Check First

Before studying every note and dimension, reviewers commonly look for the basic property layout, proposed project, setbacks and access.

The drawing should make it easy to answer:

• Where are the property lines?
• What structures already exist?
• What work is proposed?
• How large is the project?
• How far is it from the property lines?
• How is the project accessed?
• Are easements, utilities and drainage shown when relevant?

Read our guide on what permit reviewers check first on a site plan before submitting your application.

Final Thoughts

A permit site plan should clearly show how a proposed project fits on a property. The most common items include property lines, lot dimensions, existing structures, proposed work, setbacks, distances between structures, driveways, walkways, parking areas, streets, sidewalks, north arrow, scale, easements, utilities when provided, and important site features.

The exact requirements depend on your local permit office and project type. A small shed may need a simple site plan, while an addition, ADU, pool, retaining wall, or driveway project may need additional information.

Sources

• International Code Council – IRC R106.2 Site Plan or Plot Plan
• City of Bellevue – Residential Site Plan
• City of Fort Worth – Site Plans
• City of Portland – Drawing a Site Plan
• City of Elk Grove – Sample Residential Site Plan
• Town of Chapel Hill – Site Plan Requirements