Can structural plans be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally recognized under the federal ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and by UETA in most states, provided intent, consent, attribution, and record retention requirements are met.

Are electronic seals accepted by authorities?

Many licensing boards and local authorities accept electronic or electronic-imaged seals when they meet state board rules; confirm with the state professional licensing board and local building department before submitting.

What if plans lack a required professional seal?

The plan reviewer may reject the submission, withhold permits, and require resubmittal; absence of required seals can expose professionals to disciplinary or civil liability.

How long should plans be retained?

Retain final stamped plans for the project life plus several years; follow federal minimums (e.g., IRS three years) and industry rules such as OSHA and local agency requirements.

Who can sign as Engineer of Record?

Only a licensed professional engineer holding the appropriate state license may sign and stamp structural plans as Engineer of Record; license requirements vary by state.

Is notarization required for structural plans?

Not generally required for standard permit submissions, but some jurisdictions or specific documents may request notarized affidavits or acknowledgements; verify local requirements.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Construction Structural Plans

Construction Structural Plans

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CONSTRUCTION STRUCTURAL PLANS AGREEMENT

This Agreement is made and entered into as of by and between Client Name: located at and Engineer/Consultant Name: located at .

WHEREAS

WHEREAS, Client requires structural engineering design, calculations, and sealed plans for the Project described as: Project Name: located at .

WHEREAS, Engineer is a licensed structural engineer authorized to prepare structural plans and to affix professional stamp and signature as required by law; and

WHEREAS, the parties desire to set forth their respective rights, obligations, deliverables, fees, and limitations of liability with respect to the preparation, delivery, and certification of structural plans for the Project.

SCOPE OF WORK

Engineer shall provide the following services in a professional manner consistent with prevailing industry standards for structural engineering services:

Detailed Scope (deliverables, tasks, and exclusions) Deliverables (select all that apply)

Stamped and signed structural drawings (hard copy)

Structural calculation package (sealed)

Digital files (PDF and CAD)

Other deliverables

STRUCTURAL PLANS DETAILS

Number of sheets: Date of Plans:

Engineer's License No.: State of License:

Engineer shall affix professional stamp and signature to those documents required by applicable law. Engineer is responsible only for the design documents prepared by Engineer and not for construction means, methods, or contractor performance.

PAYMENT TERMS

Total Fee Payment Schedule / Milestones

Invoices are due within days of invoice. Late payments accrue interest at per month (or the maximum permitted by law).

All fees are exclusive of taxes, permit fees, and third-party review fees; such costs shall be reimbursed by Client upon presentation of reasonable documentation.

TERM AND TERMINATION

This Agreement commences on Start Date: and shall continue until End Date: unless earlier terminated in accordance with this section.

Either party may terminate for convenience upon days' written notice. Termination for cause may be effected if the other party materially breaches this Agreement and fails to cure within 14 days after written notice.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Each party shall maintain in confidence all non-public information disclosed by the other party that is designated as confidential or that reasonably should be understood to be confidential given the nature of the information and the circumstances of disclosure ("Confidential Information"). Confidential Information does not include information that is or becomes public without breach, independently developed, or rightfully received from a third party.

Neither party shall disclose Confidential Information to third parties except to employees, contractors, or consultants who have a need to know and are bound by confidentiality obligations at least as protective as those herein.

CHANGES AND EXTRA WORK

Client may request changes to the Scope of Work. Engineer shall provide a written change order describing additional services, schedule impacts, and a fee adjustment. No additional work shall commence until the parties execute a written change order.

INDEMNIFICATION AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

Client agrees to indemnify and hold Engineer harmless from claims, liabilities, losses, and expenses arising from Client's use of the plans, except to the extent caused by Engineer's negligent acts, errors, or omissions. Engineer's total aggregate liability for any claim arising out of this Agreement shall be limited to the total fee paid to Engineer for the services under this Agreement, except for liability resulting from Engineer's willful misconduct or fraudulent acts.

GOVERNING LAW

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of without regard to its conflicts of law rules.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This Agreement, together with any attached exhibits and executed change orders, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior oral and written agreements. Any amendment must be in writing and signed by both parties.

ENGINEER CERTIFICATION

The Engineer certifies that the structural plans and calculations prepared under this Agreement have been prepared by a registered professional engineer and, to the best of Engineer's knowledge, are in conformance with applicable codes and standards as of the date of issue. Engineer's seal and signature shall be applied to required documents at the time of submittal.

Engineer Signature for Certification: Date of Certification:

Attachments and Supporting Documents

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

By signing below, the parties acknowledge they have read this Agreement, understand its terms, and agree to be bound by its provisions.

Client:

By:

Date:

Engineer:

By:

Date:

What Construction Structural Plans Are and what they include

Construction Structural Plans are the engineered drawings and supporting calculations that define a building or structure's load-resisting systems, material specifications, connection details, and construction sequencing. They show foundations, framing, shear walls, beams, columns, and roof systems and include design criteria, applicable codes, and references to geotechnical reports. Authorities, contractors, fabricators, and inspectors use these plans to review compliance with building codes, estimate materials and labor, coordinate trades, and permit construction. Accurate structural plans reduce rework and clarify responsibilities during construction.

Why precise structural plans matter for projects

Clear structural plans promote public safety, speed permitting reviews, coordinate contractors and fabricators, and reduce change orders and liability exposure. They also document load paths, member sizes, connections, and material grades needed for inspection and approval.

Primary users and stakeholders of structural plans

Several roles rely on Construction Structural Plans for design, review, permitting, and construction oversight.

Structural engineers and engineers of record responsible for analysis, calculations, and stamping the plans.
General contractors and specialty subcontractors (concrete, steel, wood) who build per the details and coordination notes.
Local building department plan reviewers and inspectors who verify code compliance and approve permits.

Each stakeholder depends on accurate plans to allocate risk, schedule inspections, and confirm the building will perform as designed.

Essential elements every professional set of structural plans contains

A professional set organizes technical information so reviewers, fabricators, and builders can find details, calculations, and governing requirements without guesswork.

Foundation Plan

Shows footing sizes, slab details, depth, anchorage, and relationships to geotechnical recommendations for bearing capacity and settlement control.

Framing Plan

Layout of beams, joists, rafters, and load-bearing walls with member sizes, spacing, and directional load paths indicated for each floor and roof level.

Connection Details

Welds, bolts, anchor patterns, plates, and reinforcement splice details with fabrication tolerances and field installation notes.

Load Calculations

Summary of design loads, load combinations, tributary areas, and critical member checks demonstrating compliance with applicable codes.

Material Specifications

Grades of steel, concrete strengths, fastener types, and corrosion protection requirements tied to referenced standards and product approvals.

General Notes and Legends

Code edition, design criteria, referenced standards, revision history, and keys for symbols and abbreviations used across sheets.

Step-by-step: preparing structural plans for submission

Follow a consistent workflow to assemble, review, and submit plans to reduce review cycles and expedite permitting.

01

Gather inputs: Collect geotechnical report, architectural drawings, and code references.
02

Perform calculations: Complete member checks, load combos, and foundation sizing.
03

Assemble sheets: Compile plans, details, notes, and index in order.
04

Submit for review: Send to authority having jurisdiction with required signatures and seals.

Typical online workflow settings for plan preparation and e-submission

Configure your cloud workflow to automate field population, control revisions, and secure submissions to plan review portals.

Field name and intended configuration	Field \| Configuration
Template name used for routing	Project Info Template \| Auto-fill from project record
Conditional display rules	Structural revision field \| Show when revision > 0
Signer authentication method	Engineer, contractor \| Email link or SMS OTP
Storage and retention setting	Cloud storage \| Retain 7 years per policy

Digital signing, file formats, and integrations to support plan workflows

Use a platform that supports common plan formats, integration with project systems, and secure signer authentication.

File formats: PDF and PDF/A, DOCX for source files
Integrations: Procore, NetSuite, Salesforce, Google Workspace
Security: TLS in transit, AES-256 at rest

Confirm the chosen platform supports electronic seals, audit trails, role-based access, and retention controls to meet local licensing and permitting requirements.

Where to send structural plans for review and approval

Route completed plans to the permit authority, project stakeholders, and fabricators using tracked electronic delivery and a retained audit trail.

Building department: Submit plans to the local authority having jurisdiction for plan check and permit issuance.
Engineer of Record: Provide stamped copies to verify the design and for field reference.
General contractor: Share final reviewed plans for procurement, coordination, and sequencing.
Fabricators: Send connection and shop-drawing packages for pre-fabrication approval.

Typical timeframes and scheduling expectations for plan reviews

Review and inspection timelines vary widely by jurisdiction and project complexity; allow extra time for revisions and third-party reviews.

Initial plan review:

Commonly 2–8 weeks depending on jurisdiction and workload

Revision turnaround:

Variable; respond promptly to reduce additional review cycles

Permit issuance:

After all approvals and fees are paid, timing varies by office

Inspection scheduling:

Book early; inspections often require 48–72 hours notice

Record retention start:

Retention clock begins at plan approval or project completion

Common mistakes that delay approvals or increase cost

Omitting sealed calculations for critical members, which typically triggers reviewer hold and resubmission.
Mismatched revision numbers or missing revision clouding that causes confusion in the field and rework.
Unclear connection details or unspecified fastener grades that force submittal of shop drawings and change orders.
Using the wrong code edition or failing to list design criteria, which can result in plan rejection.

Consequences of incomplete or noncompliant structural plans

Permit denial: Rejection of application

Rework costs: Change orders and added expense

Project delays: Schedule disruption and liquidated damages

Liability exposure: Professional and contractor claims

Inspection failure: Work stoppage and correction orders

Legal penalties: Fines or enforcement actions

Typical eSignature vendor pricing and feature snapshot for plan workflows

Compare common vendor starting prices and key features relevant to structural plan signing and secure delivery; signNow is listed first for parity with other providers.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial, no card	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No envelope cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

Frequently asked questions about Construction Structural Plans

Answers to common concerns about signing, sealing, retention, and submission of structural plans in the United States.

Need help? Contact support

Can structural plans be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures are legally recognized under the federal ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and by UETA in most states, provided intent, consent, attribution, and record retention requirements are met.
Are electronic seals accepted by authorities?
Many licensing boards and local authorities accept electronic or electronic-imaged seals when they meet state board rules; confirm with the state professional licensing board and local building department before submitting.
What if plans lack a required professional seal?
The plan reviewer may reject the submission, withhold permits, and require resubmittal; absence of required seals can expose professionals to disciplinary or civil liability.
How long should plans be retained?
Retain final stamped plans for the project life plus several years; follow federal minimums (e.g., IRS three years) and industry rules such as OSHA and local agency requirements.
Who can sign as Engineer of Record?
Only a licensed professional engineer holding the appropriate state license may sign and stamp structural plans as Engineer of Record; license requirements vary by state.
Is notarization required for structural plans?
Not generally required for standard permit submissions, but some jurisdictions or specific documents may request notarized affidavits or acknowledgements; verify local requirements.

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