Deck permit drawings: what to submit

Published October 3, 2026 · TraceBIM permit guides

Decks look simple, but a deck holds people above the ground, so building departments take them seriously. Many deck failures happen at the connection to the house or at the guards. That is why a deck permit set focuses on how the deck is supported, how it connects to the house, and how people are kept from falling.

This guide is general information, not legal, code or engineering advice. Permit rules differ between states, counties and cities and change over time. Always confirm requirements with your local building department.

Do you need a permit?

Often, yes. Many jurisdictions require a permit for decks that are attached to the house, decks above a certain height off the ground, decks over a certain size, or decks that serve a door. Some exempt small, low, freestanding platforms. The thresholds differ from place to place, so check with your local building department before deciding you don't need one.

Replacing deck boards on an existing frame may not need a permit in some areas, while rebuilding the frame or footings usually does. Again, confirm locally.

The drawings you'll typically need

• Site plan: where the deck sits on the lot, its size, and its distance to property lines.
• Deck plan: the deck's outline with overall dimensions, stairs, and the door it connects to.
• Framing plan: a top view of the structure under the boards. It shows posts, beams (the large members the joists sit on), joists (the parallel members the boards sit on), their sizes, spacing and span directions.
• Footing plan and detail: where the footings (the concrete supports in the ground) go, their size and depth.
• Ledger detail: for attached decks, how the ledger board (the board fastened to the house that carries one side of the deck) is attached, including fasteners and flashing to keep water out of the house wall.
• Elevation or section: a side view showing the deck height above grade, posts, beam, joists, guard height and stairs.
• Guard detail: the railing system, its height and the spacing of the openings.
• Stair detail: rise and run of the steps, handrail, and the landing at the bottom.
• Materials notes: lumber species and grade, treatment for ground contact, hardware and fastener types.

Some building departments publish a deck guide with standard details you can follow. If yours does, use it. It tells you exactly what they expect to see.

What plan checkers commonly look for

• The ledger connection. How the deck is fastened to the house, and whether the house can accept it. Ledgers usually cannot be fastened to brick veneer or to a cantilevered floor without special design.
• Flashing at the ledger so water does not rot the house framing.
• Footings. Size and depth. In cold climates footings commonly must go below the local frost depth.
• Spans. Whether joists and beams are sized for the distance they cover.
• Post-to-beam and post-to-footing connections, usually with metal connectors.
• Guards. In many jurisdictions a deck more than about 30 inches above the ground needs guards. Reviewers check guard height and that the gaps between balusters are small enough to stop a child from slipping through.
• Stairs. Consistent step heights and depths, a handrail where required, and lighting at the stairs in some codes.
• Lateral bracing so the deck does not sway or pull away from the house.

Treat the figures above as typical, not universal. Confirm every height and size with your local building department.

Common reasons submissions get sent back

• No ledger detail, or a ledger attached to something that cannot support it.
• Joist or beam sizes missing, or spans that exceed what the size can carry.
• Footing size and depth not shown.
• Guard height or baluster spacing not noted.
• Stairs drawn without rise and run dimensions.
• No distances to property lines on the site plan.

How to make the drawings yourself with TraceBIM

TraceBIM is a web app (it works on an iPad too) that turns a rough sketch or a plain description into professional drawings. You do not need to know drafting software or drafting vocabulary.

1. Sketch or describe your space

   Measure the area and the height from the ground to the door threshold. Then sketch the deck, or describe it: "12 by 16 foot deck attached to the back of the house, about 4 feet off the ground, stairs down on the left side."

2. Let the AI draft the drawings

   TraceBIM's AI drafts floor plans, elevations and sections from what you gave it, with dimensions, standard drawing symbols and a title block on each sheet.

3. Review and adjust

   Check the dimensions and heights, add your lumber sizes, spacing and footing notes (from your local deck guide, a span table, or a professional), and mark guard and stair heights. Ask the AI for changes in plain language, or edit directly.

4. Export a PDF set

   Export the sheets as a PDF and submit them with your application, or hand them to your contractor, designer or engineer.

Be realistic about what the app does and does not cover. TraceBIM makes the drawings. Some things on the checklist above come from elsewhere: a property survey, energy compliance forms, product data sheets and, when required, engineering calculations or a professional's stamp. TraceBIM's Studio plan is free during early access, no credit card is needed, and every new workspace comes with starter AI credit.