Vancouver Building Permit Drawing Set: What Your Application Must Include

If you’re applying for a building permit for a new custom home in Vancouver, the City expects a complete drawing set and the right supporting documents on the first submission. At minimum, you’ll need a current legal survey, a coordinated site plan, architectural plans that satisfy zoning and the Vancouver Building By‑law (VBBL), plus the correct letters, energy documents, and schedules. Submitting vector PDFs, keeping drawings separate from forms and reports, and following the City’s submission checklist prevents avoidable rejections and weeks of delay. We design the permit set, coordinate consultants, and package the submission so you can design once and build once. See how we do this in our architectural design process.

What Goes In A Vancouver Building Permit Drawing Set

Your drawing set is a scaled, coordinated package that proves compliance with both zoning and the VBBL. Think of it as your project in evidence: plans, sections, elevations, and details that stand on their own without extra explanation. The clearer and more consistent the drawings, the faster the review. Use a cover sheet to declare use, occupancy, key statistics, and the sheets included. This gives reviewers a reliable map of the package.

Drawings You’ll Almost Always Need

Expect to include: a site plan with grades, setbacks, and services; floor plans with dimensions and room uses; elevations with height datum; at least one building section with clear envelope layers; typical wall, roof, and slab details; and a window/door schedule. Where spatial separation matters, reference the applicable VBBL tables on the sheets or in a code summary note. Vancouver publishes a sample drawing package for one‑ and two‑family dwellings that shows the expected clarity and sheet structure; use it as a style benchmark, not a template.

Documents That Travel With The Set

Your drawings are not the only requirement. Include a recent legal survey (BCLS), energy compliance documents from your Energy Advisor (pre‑permit checklists and reports), and Letters of Assurance (Schedules A/B) when registered professionals are required. Structural notes and calculations should match the architectural details. Landscape, arborist, or geotechnical materials may be required; submit them as separate files where the City asks for stand‑alone packages. The City’s Application Forms & Checklists page outlines which non‑drawing documents must accompany the set.

Quick Reference — Sheets, What They Show, Who Prepares

Sheet/Document	What It Must Show	Prepared By
Legal Survey	Lot lines, bearings, dimensions, easements, existing grades, significant trees, adjacent constraints	Registered BCLS
Site Plan	Siting, setbacks, FSR/coverage calcs, grades, driveway, services, tree protection notes	Designer/Architect
Architectural Plans	Floor plans, elevations with heights, sections, envelope details, window/door schedule, code summary	Designer/Architect
Structural	Foundation, framing, lintels/beams, lateral system, key details; supporting calcs	Structural Engineer
Energy Docs	Pre‑permit checklists, model outputs (as required), EA sign‑off; as‑built at close‑out	Certified Energy Advisor
Schedules/Letters	Schedules A/B (as required), geotech letters if triggered	Registered Professionals

Tip: Use the City’s sample drawing package to calibrate sheet order and labelling. Submit drawings as vector PDFs, and separate them from forms, reports, and landscape files.

Digital Submission Standards The City Looks For

File Format And Separation

Vancouver’s checklists are explicit: use vector format PDF for drawings and do not submit scanned CAD drawings. The City also asks applicants to submit all drawings separately from non‑drawing documents such as forms, schedules, and reports. Landscape drawings are typically submitted as their own file. Following these standards reduces triage questions and accelerates intake.

Consistency And Scale

Keep sheet sizes consistent, include north arrows and graphic scales, and maintain legible line weights. If you revise, issue a clearly labelled revision package rather than piecemeal pages. Small formatting choices matter: consistent title blocks, sheet numbers, and cross‑references allow reviewers to navigate quickly. The City’s “Get a building permit” page outlines the staged steps, from determining if a separate development permit is needed to final issuance, so align your submission with that sequence.

Zoning Proof Versus Building‑Code Proof

Zoning Compliance On The Drawings

Your drawings must prove zoning in plan, section, and elevation. Show setbacks with dimensions, calculate floor space ratio (FSR) and site coverage, and identify any district‑specific clauses that apply. Place a concise zoning summary on the cover sheet, including height calculations and any relaxation requests. If you’re in an RS district, be ready to demonstrate form‑of‑development items in the plans and elevations rather than in separate notes.

VBBL Compliance In Details

Code compliance shows up in your details. Provide envelope sections with assemblies labelled and referenced to the VBBL, and include spatial separation references where limiting distance is tight. Stair geometry, guards, and smoke separation need to be evident on plans and sections. Don’t bury compliance in general notes; put the proof where reviewers expect it. The current Vancouver Building By‑law (2025) is your baseline; cite it in your code summary for clarity.

Energy And Zero‑Carbon Documentation With Your Permit

What The City Expects At Permit

For Part 9 homes, include your Energy Advisor’s pre‑permit materials and the provincial Step Code checklist that matches your building and permit date. Your municipality may also adopt a Zero Carbon Step Code emissions level; confirm if both apply. Make sure the window and mechanical specs in your drawings match the energy model inputs; mismatches often trigger resubmissions. The province maintains the Part 9 Energy & Zero Carbon Step Code checklist that local officials use.

Close‑Out Requirements To Plan Now

Plan and budget for a mid‑build blower‑door test when the shell is closed. It is the cheapest way to protect your final test. At completion, your Energy Advisor provides the as‑built model and checklists for occupancy. If window or equipment substitutions occur during construction, re‑run the model before installation to avoid last‑minute corrections. For an owner‑friendly primer, see BC Energy Step Code: A Practical Guide For Custom Homes.

When You Need More Than The Basic Set

Geotech, Trees, And Services

Certain sites trigger geotechnical reports and letters—slopes, soft soils, or proximity to water can require professional involvement. Street trees, root protection, and servicing work may add Engineering requirements, which must be reflected on the site plan and, where directed, as stand‑alone submissions. Early coordination avoids redesigns when utility routes or tree protection zones shift.

Laneway, Infill, Or Multiplex Variations

Laneway and infill homes use a similar sheet structure, but City checklists for these building types differ. Multiplex projects have distinct submission rules and energy documentation. Don’t recycle a single‑family package across these typologies. If timelines are tight, map the permit path by building type and match your package to the correct checklist up front.

Packaging, Naming, And Submission

How We Package A One‑Pass Submission

We build a clean, consistent sheet set with a cover page showing zoning and code summaries, then issue vector PDFs for drawings. Forms, schedules, energy reports, and any landscape files are kept separate per City instruction. Sheet numbers, cross‑references, and detail keys are aligned across disciplines so reviewers can verify without back‑and‑forth. This discipline is a major reason first‑round approvals move faster.

Submitting And Paying

Use the City’s online portal, follow the current submission checklist for your building type, and pay the required fees at intake. Incomplete or mis‑packaged applications are commonly held at the door. If a separate development permit is required, complete that step first or confirm whether a combined path applies to your project. The City’s Get a building permit page outlines the sequence and links to checklists.

Common Rejection Reasons (And How We Prevent Them)

Format, Completeness, And Coordination

The most common delays come from format and completeness problems: scanned drawings instead of vector PDFs; missing surveys; drawings mixed with forms; or energy and structural documents that don’t match the architectural set. We prevent those by owning the packaging standards, validating cross‑discipline coordination, and using the City’s checklist as a submission gate. That way, the intake team has everything needed to start review.

Specs Changing After Modelling

Another frequent issue is late substitutions. Swapping window specs or mechanical equipment after the energy model is approved often forces revisions and new letters. Our rule is simple: hold performance specs once set, and if a change is unavoidable, loop the Energy Advisor before you buy so the model stays valid. That protects your schedule and your budget.

How We Handle Your Vancouver Permit Set Without Delays

Design Once, Build Once

We integrate zoning and VBBL requirements directly into the drawings, keep the energy model aligned with the specifications, and manage Letters of Assurance and consultant schedules. The goal is to reduce decisions late in the process, not push them there. That’s how you avoid multiple resubmissions.

Proven Delivery

Versa Homes uses a fixed‑price contract, a detailed schedule with pre‑booked trades, and a client portal with 24/7 access, daily logs, and progress photos. We back your date with a Move‑In Date Commitment, and your home with Versa Shield 3‑6‑11 coverage. The result is steady progress from intake to issuance.

Ready to package a complete drawing set the City will accept? Start with Architectural Design and we’ll map your permit path.

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