Third-Party Plan Review

A plan review conducted by a private engineering or code compliance firm rather than municipal staff, authorized by the jurisdiction to review building plans and verify code compliance on its behalf.

What Is Third-Party Plan Review?

Third-party plan review is when a local jurisdiction authorizes a private company — typically an engineering or code consulting firm — to review building plans for code compliance instead of (or in addition to) its own staff. The jurisdiction retains authority over permit issuance and final approval, but delegates the technical review work to the third-party firm. This is increasingly common as jurisdictions face staffing shortages and workload backlogs.

Why Jurisdictions Use Third-Party Review

The primary driver is capacity. Many building departments lack sufficient plan reviewers to handle permit volumes within reasonable timeframes, especially during construction booms. Third-party review allows jurisdictions to scale review capacity without hiring permanent staff. Some jurisdictions also use third-party reviewers for specialized expertise — complex structural systems, high-rise buildings, or unusual construction types that exceed in-house capabilities.

How It Works for Applicants

In some jurisdictions, applicants can choose to use a third-party reviewer from an approved list to accelerate their review. In others, the jurisdiction routes plans to third-party firms automatically when internal review queues are too long. The applicant typically pays the third-party firm's fee directly, which is separate from (and in addition to) the standard permit fee. Third-party review often significantly reduces review time compared to overloaded municipal review queues.

Typical Timeline

Third-party plan review typically takes 1 to 4 weeks, which is often 30-60% faster than municipal in-house review for the same project. Simple commercial tenant improvements may be reviewed in 3-7 business days. Complex new construction may take 2-4 weeks. The speed advantage is the primary reason applicants choose this route, even though it comes with additional cost (typically $2,000-$15,000+ depending on project size).