Plan review that starts with a complete set, not a resubmittal
The single biggest drag on plan review is incomplete submittals. PermitDesk validates the submitted documents against the checklist for the permit type before an application reaches an examiner, so the sets that land in the review queue are complete and the ones that are not go back to the applicant with a specific list, not a vague rejection.
What plan review struggles with
Examiners lose days opening submittals only to find a missing sheet, an unsigned form, an outdated plan, or the wrong document entirely. Each incomplete set becomes a round-trip: reject, wait, re-open, re-check. The review that should take an hour stretches across weeks of back-and-forth, and applicants experience the process as opaque and slow.
How PermitDesk handles it
Before an application enters plan review, PermitDesk runs a document-validation pass against the required-document checklist for that permit type. It confirms the expected documents are present, flags what is missing or illegible, and holds the application until the set is complete, notifying the applicant with the exact items outstanding. Only complete sets reach the examiner's queue, so review time is spent reviewing, not triaging.
Where the AI helps, and where it does not
The validation is a completeness and presence check that assists the examiner: it verifies the checklist and flags gaps. It does not judge whether a plan meets code, and it does not approve or deny. The examiner performs the substantive review and makes the decision; a reviewer can waive or require any item, and every action is logged.
File-based, no rip-and-replace
PermitDesk does not replace your plan-review tools or markup workflow. It sits in front of them, making sure a complete, validated set is what arrives, and exchanges records with your systems over standard file transfer or API. Full technical detail is in the technical guide.
Common questions
Does it check plans for code compliance?
No. It is a completeness and document-validation layer: it confirms the required documents are present and flags gaps. Code review stays with your examiners.
Can the checklist differ by permit type?
Yes. Each permit type carries its own required-document checklist, so a residential addition and a commercial build are validated against different sets.
What happens to an incomplete submittal?
It is held before review, and the applicant receives a specific list of the missing or illegible items, rather than a generic rejection, which cuts resubmittal cycles.
See document validation run on sample submittals
A short working demo on sample data shaped like your own permit types and checklists.
Request a demo