Guide

How to Get Plans Stamped by an Engineer: Step by Step

Most permit delays come from missing information, not slow engineers. Follow these steps to get your drawings sealed quickly and accepted the first time.

By the PE Engineer engineering teamUpdated October 11, 20264 min read

Key takeaways

Start by confirming exactly which sheets or calculations your building department wants sealed.
Send complete information up front: address, scope, drawings, photos and any plan-check comments.
The engineer must be licensed in the state where the project is built.
An engineer will review and may revise drawings before sealing. That review protects your permit.
Simple stamps and letters often take a few business days; full plan sets take longer.

Step 1: Confirm what needs a stamp

Do not guess. Look at the permit checklist, the counter staff’s notes or the plan-check correction letter. It usually says which items need an engineer: structural drawings, calculations, a truss package, a foundation design, an MEP plan or a letter.

Knowing the exact requirement keeps the scope, and the fee, as small as possible. If the requirement is unclear, call the building department or send it to us and we will interpret it.

Step 2: Gather your information

The faster an engineer can understand the project, the faster it gets sealed. Collect:

Project address, which sets the code edition and the wind, snow, seismic and frost values
Scope in a few sentences: what is being built, removed or changed
Existing drawings or sketches, even hand drawings with dimensions
Photos of the existing structure, framing or site
Manufacturer documents for trusses, metal buildings, equipment or racks
Soils report or survey if one exists
Plan-check comments, if the project was already submitted

Step 3: Choose an engineer licensed in your state

A building department only accepts a seal from an engineer licensed in the project’s state. Ask any engineer which state licenses they hold, and verify the license on the state board’s website.

Also make sure the engineer handles your type of work: a structural engineer for a beam, a mechanical engineer for HVAC, and so on. PE Engineer covers structural, architectural and MEP drawings in all 50 states, with each set sealed by an engineer licensed where it is built.

Step 4: Get a fixed-fee proposal

A clear proposal lists the deliverables, the fee, the turnaround and what is excluded, such as site visits or surveys. It should also say whether plan-check revisions are included. Ours include revisions within the original scope.

Cost depends on the size and complexity of the work, whether calculations are needed, whether drawings must be created or only reviewed, and how quickly you need them. A single truss stamp costs far less than a full addition set.

Step 5: Review, revisions and sealing

If you already have drawings, the engineer checks them against code and the loads involved. Expect questions and, sometimes, required changes: a larger beam, an extra hold-down, a deeper footing. This is normal, and it is the reason the department trusts the seal.

If you need drawings created, the engineer and drafting team prepare them, run the calculations and check the set before sealing. You receive a sealed PDF set ready to submit, plus calculations where required.

Step 6: Submit and answer plan check

Submit the sealed set. If the reviewer sends comments, forward them right away. Your engineer should answer each comment in writing, revise the affected sheets and reseal them. Our guide to responding to plan check corrections explains how to keep that round short.

How long does it take?

Truss package or third-party review and stamp: often a few business days, with rush options
Beam, header or structural letter: often a few business days once photos and measurements are in
Addition, garage or ADU plan set: typically one to two weeks
Commercial or multi-discipline sets: scheduled when quoted

Missing information is the biggest cause of delay. Sending everything in step 2 up front can save days.