Commercial Plan Review

Is a license required to obtain permits?

A license is not required to obtain building permits for commercial projects.

However, a license is required for other trade permits such as for fire alarms, fire sprinklers, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work. Additionally, a bond is required for sidewalk/culvert/driveway permits.

What are the requirements?

Before submitting your building plans for review visit the Planning and Development Department, Subdivisions Section for a development plat review. Additionally, it is advised that you visit the Taps & Meters Section to ensure there is available water and wastewater for your project.

You may contact Planning at 832.394.8849 and Taps & Meters at 832.394.8888 for more information.

To obtain a permit the following documentation is required (but not limited to):

• Building Permit Application
• COMcheck Report
• Letter of utility availability for water, waste water and storm drainage. Application may be picked up from the Taps & Meters Section.
• Legal description of property (this may be obtained through the tax office, deeds, closing papers, etc.)
• Storm drainage plans
• Development plat approval from the Department of Planning & Development. (Pick up application on the 1st floor)
• Submit plans electronically  through ProjectDox  including( but not limited to): 
  • Survey
  • Plot Plan based on Survey
  • Floor Plan:
    • Structural detail (all details)
    • Electrical (added loads, line diagrams, load analysis)
    • Plumbing plan
    • Heating, ventilation, & AC
• Engineer's seal (when required)
• Health equipment details with plan of elevation (food establishments only)
• Fire alarm systems (when required)
• Electronic locks (if installed)
• Soil report

Download the Commercial Plan Review Prerequisites checklist.

• Traffic Form #OCE-0001

How to apply for a building permit

• Commercial EPR User Guide

See our flowchart of a standard Commercial Plan Review process.

Effective Tuesday, October 1, 2019, all new commercial projects must be submitted online. Minor projects which qualify for the One-Stop program will remain paper-based. After October 1, paper plans will be accepted for existing phased projects, such as:

• Site work, foundation, concrete superstructure with core shell and build-outs to follow
• Site work and garage - new apartments where some phases have been submitted

These types of projects may continue to be paper-based until the remaining phases have been submitted and approved. 

Effective November 1, 2019, plan revisions and deferred submittals must be submitted online. Reference drawings for the revision should be scanned and submitted electronically along with the revision.

What is COMcheck?

COMcheck is a nationally recognized software program to show compliance for International Energy Code Compliance for commercial building projects. Since 2016, a COMcheck report has been required on all commercial plan reviews. However, reports submitted are frequently incomplete.

Beginning April 15, 2021, plans submitted with incomplete COMcheck reports will be rejected at pre-screen.

To help the development community adjust to the new procedure, Building Code Enforcement hosted an online workshop to explain the:

• Inspection checklist which follows the compliance certificates
• Importance of the comment section
• Requirements for Plan Review approval

A new COMcheck guideline was developed to help the development community avoid frequently missed items.

Workshop presentation

 Download a copy of the presentation slides and watch the recording of the workshop:

For questions, please contact Commercial Plan Review, 832.394.8810 or email [email protected] 

Last update: March 1, 2021