What happens after you submit: the city permit review timeline

Once your drawings are submitted, review moves out of my hands and into the city's queue — but the process itself follows a set path. Here's what typically happens between submittal and the stamped set you build from.

The first look — 7 to 10 days

Before your project gets a real review, the city does an initial intake pass — checking that the submittal is complete and assignable to a reviewer. That first look typically takes 7-10 days.

If anything is missing, this is where it comes back before the clock on full review even starts — one more reason a clean, complete submittal package matters.

Fees, then the queue

Once your submittal is accepted, the city bills its review fees. You pay those, and only then does the project actually enter the review queue behind everyone else's.

This step is easy to overlook when you're estimating a timeline — the fee payment isn't a formality, it's the gate that starts your place in line.

Three review cycles, up to 21 days each

From there, expect up to three rounds of review, each running as long as 21 days. Each cycle ends with redlines — the reviewer's markups and a narrative explaining what needs to change.

You respond with a narrative of your own addressing every comment, plus a full re-upload of the redlined set showing the corrections. Skipping or shortcutting a response is the most common way one review cycle turns into two.

Approval and stamped plans

Once you clear all three cycles, the city issues final approval. You'll pay any remaining permit fees, and the city issues your stamped, approved plans — the set everything gets built from.

Get two full copies of the approved set made for your contractors. The original stamped set belongs at the job site only while inspections are underway — the rest of the time, it stays safe with you or your prime contractor.

Questions about where your project stands?

Twenty minutes on the phone, no charge, and you'll know exactly where things stand and what happens next. Book a free call — 480-688-3638.

See also: ADU requirements · As-built drawings (free) · Remodel permit rules · Services