Complete Checklist for Permit-Ready Design Sets in Riverside

Published February 7th, 2026

In Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, the path from project concept to construction hinges on one critical factor: the quality and completeness of your permit-ready design sets. Developers and contractors often face costly delays due to resubmittals triggered by incomplete documentation, inconsistent code references, or overlooked local amendments. Navigating the complex landscape of state codes combined with unique county and city requirements demands more than just technical skill - it requires a strategic, detail-oriented approach that anticipates plan check hurdles before they arise.

Investing time upfront to produce comprehensive, code-compliant design packages not only accelerates the permitting process but also reduces uncertainty and costly revisions. Understanding the common pitfalls and aligning every sheet with jurisdiction-specific expectations is essential. This checklist will guide you through the necessary components and coordination steps that keep your project on track and your approvals predictable, saving both time and resources in these highly regulated markets. 

Understanding Riverside And San Bernardino County Building Codes And Permit Requirements

Permit-ready design sets for Riverside and San Bernardino projects start with one basic fact: each county, and often each city within it, enforces its own combination of state codes, local amendments, and zoning rules. The technical baseline is similar, but the way plan reviewers interpret and apply those rules is not.

Both counties draw heavily from the California Building Code, Residential Code, Electrical Code, Mechanical Code, Plumbing Code, Fire Code, and Energy Code, along with the Green Building Standards Code. Local ordinances then modify items such as fire protection thresholds, structural detailing, and site development standards. A permit-ready package has to call out the correct code year and acknowledge any adopted local amendments on the cover sheet and in general notes.

Zoning is where many submittals stall. Jurisdictions use zoning to control land use, setbacks, height, lot coverage, and parking. Often, the zoning map and municipal code sit outside the building department, yet plan check will still hold the set to those standards. Common trouble spots include:

• Placing new work or additions inside front or side-yard setbacks
• Exceeding maximum building height or lot coverage
• Missing required on-site parking counts or dimensions
• Incorrect assumptions about use (for example, treating an office as storage)

Accessory dwelling units add another layer. Riverside ADU design compliance, for example, must reconcile state ADU law with local standards on size, height, setbacks, fire separation, and parking. Similar tensions appear in San Bernardino when an ADU or junior ADU crosses into hillside, flood, or high fire zones.

Plan check expectations shape how complete permit-ready construction plans for Riverside and San Bernardino need to be. Reviewers look for coordinated architectural, structural, civil, MEP, energy, and Title 24 documents, with consistency from sheet to sheet. They expect clear egress diagrams, accessibility routes, and fire-resistance details where required, not deferred as field decisions.

Most resubmittal cycles trace back to gaps in zoning analysis, misapplied local amendments, or vague code references. Tailored permit-ready sets anticipate those issues, align drawing notes with the correct county standards, and present a clear code path that a reviewer can follow without guesswork. 

Core Components Of A Complete Permit-Ready Design Package

A permit-ready package for Riverside and San Bernardino projects reads as one coordinated story. Each discipline reinforces the same scope, dimensions, and code basis. Treat the following items as required, not optional.

Cover Sheet And General Information

• Title Sheet (A0.0): Project name, address, APN, owner, designer, occupancy group, construction type, sprinkler status, and sheet index.
• Applicable Codes: List current California codes, referenced standards, and local amendments; include code year and jurisdiction.
• Code Data Block: Occupant loads, allowable area and height, fire-resistance requirements, egress width calculations, and building separation distances where relevant.
• Zoning And Site Summary: Zoning designation, setbacks, lot coverage, building height, parking counts, and any special overlay zones noted.
• Drawing Conventions: North arrow, scale for each view, graphic scale bars, and standard abbreviations.

Architectural Drawings

• Existing And Demolition Plans (A1.x): Scaled at 1/8" or 1/4" = 1'-0", clearly keyed to demolition notes and scope boundaries.
• Floor Plans (A2.x): Dimensioned wall layouts, room names and uses, door and window tags keyed to schedules, finishes, and ceiling heights.
• Egress And Life Safety Plans: Paths of travel, exit widths, swing directions, travel distances, occupant loads by space, and required signage and emergency lighting.
• Roof Plan: Drainage flow, slopes, scuppers, overflows, roof access, equipment locations, and parapet heights.
• Exterior Elevations (A3.x): Finish materials, floor and roof elevations, building heights relative to grade, door and window head/sill heights.
• Building Sections And Wall Sections (A4.x): Keyed to plans, showing floor-to-floor heights, roof assembly, insulation locations, fire-resistance ratings, and weather protection details.
• Schedules And Details: Doors, windows, finishes, accessibility details, stair and guard details, and typical flashing, all coordinated with notes and specifications.

Structural Plans

• Foundation Plan (S1.x): Footing sizes, slab thicknesses, reinforcing, hold-downs, anchor bolts, and reference to soil design criteria.
• Framing Plans (S2.x): Roof, floor, and shear wall layouts; member sizes; connection tags; and shear transfer elements aligned with architectural grids.
• Structural Details (S3.x And Above): Typical connections, shear wall and drag details, posts and beams, ledger and hanger conditions, and any special anchorage.
• Structural Notes: Design criteria (loads, wind, seismic parameters), material strengths, inspection requirements, and reference standards.

Civil And Site Plans

• Site Plan (C1.x Or A1.x): Property lines, setbacks, easements, topographic information if required, building footprint, driveways, walks, and on-site parking with dimensions and striping.
• Grading And Drainage: Existing and proposed contours or spot elevations, drainage patterns, inlets, discharge points, and compliance with on-site stormwater requirements when triggered.
• Utility Plan: Domestic water, fire water where required, sewer, gas, and electrical service routing, including points of connection and meter locations.
• Site Accessibility: Accessible paths from public way and parking to building entries, ramps, slopes, landings, and detectable warnings.

MEP Drawings

• Mechanical Plans (M Sheets): Equipment locations and schedules, duct layouts, diffusers, returns, combustion air, and required clearances, with sections where clear.
• Plumbing Plans (P Sheets): Fixture layouts, waste and vent diagrams, water supply sizing, gas piping routing and sizing, and cleanout locations.
• Electrical Plans (E Sheets): Power and lighting plans at 1/8" or 1/4" = 1'-0", panel schedules, single-line diagram, load calculations, and circuitry for life-safety systems.
• Coordination Notes: Penetrations through rated assemblies, roof openings, and equipment weights clearly communicated to architectural and structural sheets.

Energy And Green Compliance

• Title 24 Energy Documentation: Compliance forms incorporated into the set, with mandatory measures and prescriptive or performance path clearly indicated.
• Energy Diagrams: Insulation R-values by assembly, fenestration performance, mechanical efficiency ratings, and lighting controls keyed back to plans and schedules.
• CALGreen Notes: Construction waste management, low-VOC materials, plumbing and irrigation efficiency, and any local reach code items summarized and referenced.

Cross-Discipline Coordination Checks

• Consistent Dimensions: Grid lines, room sizes, and structural spans agree across architectural and structural sheets.
• Aligned Openings: Doors, windows, and penetrations maintain the same sizes and tags on floor plans, elevations, schedules, and structural details.
• Rating Continuity: Fire-resistance ratings shown in plans, sections, wall types, and MEP penetration details without conflict.
• Unified Code References: The same code editions and local amendments appear in general notes, life-safety plans, and calculations, with no mixed versions. 

Special Considerations For Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) In Riverside And San Bernardino

Accessory dwelling units sit at the intersection of state ADU law, local zoning, and standard residential building codes. They use many of the same technical sheets as a house, but reviewers treat them as a distinct occupancy with their own triggers for parking, fire separation, and utility service.

Both counties rely on California's state ADU regulations, then overlay local limits on unit size, height, placement, and appearance. A permit-ready ADU set starts with a zoning check that confirms:

• ADUs are allowed in the base zone and any overlay zones on the parcel
• Maximum ADU floor area and height for the lot and primary dwelling
• Required setbacks for new detached structures, conversions, and additions
• Parking rules, including when no additional space is required

Many jurisdictions in these counties now offer Permit Ready ADU or pre-approved plan programs. Those programs typically standardize architectural layouts, structural systems, and energy packages. The design work shifts toward tailoring the site plan and civil scope: exact ADU placement, grading, drainage, utility routing, and conformance with local hillside, flood, or high fire overlays where they apply.

Compared with a typical residence, ADU design sets carry a tighter checklist around access and services. At minimum, a permit-ready ADU package should document:

• Site zoning verification, including lot area, coverage, and all setbacks
• Driveway access, on-site parking calculations, and any new or modified curb cuts
• Utility coordination, showing water, sewer, gas, and electrical tie-in points and meter approach (separate or shared)
• Clear separation between the primary dwelling and ADU for fire-rating, sound, and privacy where required
• Private open space and usable yard areas, where local ordinances call for them
• Compliance notes tying project data back to state ADU statutes and local implementing ordinances

These projects often rise or fall on the thoroughness of the site plan and code summary rather than the floor plan itself. When the drawings spell out how zoning, state ADU provisions, and local amendments align, reviewers move faster, corrections stay narrow, and resubmittal cycles shorten. 

Common Pitfalls And How To Avoid Permit Resubmittal Delays

Most resubmittal cycles in these counties trace back to the same categories of issues: incomplete information, fuzzy narratives, and missed local checklist items. The technical work may be sound, but the package does not tell a clear, verifiable story from cover sheet through details.

Frequent Triggers For Corrections

• Incomplete Zoning And Site Data: Missing overlay zones, incorrect setbacks, or unverified parking counts create immediate holds.
• Uncoordinated Sheets: Room names, dimensions, or wall locations that differ between architectural and structural drawings lead reviewers to question the whole set.
• Vague Or Conflicting Notes: General notes that reference outdated codes, or plan callouts that contradict schedules, force reviewers to flag the discrepancy.
• Missing County-Specific Checklist Items: Omitted CALGreen notes, energy forms, or accessibility references that local intake staff expect on every submittal.
• Deferred Life-Safety Information: Egress paths, fire-resistance details, or accessibility routes left for "future coordination" rarely pass first review.

Practical Ways To Reduce Resubmittals

A disciplined internal check before submittal does more to avoid permit resubmittal delays than any last-minute rush. Treat plan check as a quality gate, not a drafting correction service.

• Build A County-Specific Checklist: Start from published Riverside and San Bernardino permit guidelines, then layer in your own recurring correction items. Use that list every time.
• Run A Sheet-To-Sheet Coordination Pass: Verify that grids, dimensions, door and window tags, fire ratings, and code references match across disciplines.
• Trace The Code Story: Follow one path of egress, one fire-rated wall, and one utility run through every relevant sheet to confirm continuity.
• Leverage Third-Party Plan Check Insights: When you receive outside review comments on any project, capture the patterns and fold them into future templates and standard notes.
• Separate "Design Intent" From "Permit Set": Lock scope, details, and calculations before stamping sheets as permit-ready, rather than sketching through plan check.

Teams that adopt this methodical, checklist-driven approach start to see permit review as confirmation of quality instead of an extended design phase, with fewer surprises and tighter approval timelines.

Successfully navigating the permit process in Riverside and San Bernardino requires more than just technical know-how - it demands a comprehensive, county-specific checklist that ensures every detail aligns with local codes, zoning rules, and plan check expectations. By rigorously applying the components and coordination strategies outlined, you can significantly reduce delays, minimize resubmittals, and avoid costly frustration. With over 20 years of experience, Meleika Lee and Associates specializes in delivering fast, coordinated, and code-compliant permit-ready design sets tailored to these unique jurisdictions. Our multidisciplinary expertise streamlines your project's path from concept to permit approval, helping developers and contractors maintain momentum and confidence throughout the process. To maximize your project's success and accelerate approvals, explore professional design and permitting support that prioritizes clarity, quality, and speed.