What a correction means

Modified on Fri, 7 Aug at 8:56 PM

CorrectionsCONCEPT

Applicant · Contractor · Design-Professional

01	What a correction means

Your application has come back with comments. Here's what that means, what it doesn't mean, and what happens next.

On this page

In short
Why it happens
What it doesn't mean
What happens now
Why it sometimes takes more than one round
If a comment doesn't make sense

In short

A correction means a reviewer has questions or needs changes before they can approve your project. Your application is still active. It has not been denied, and you haven't lost your place or your fees.

Most projects go through at least one round of corrections. It is a normal part of plan review, not a sign that something went wrong.

Why it happens

Reviewers are checking your project against the codes and standards that apply to it. When something is unclear, missing, or doesn't yet meet a requirement, they note it and send it back rather than guessing at what you meant.

Common reasons:

A detail isn't shown clearly enough on the drawings
A required document wasn't included, or an older version was attached
Something needs to change to meet a code requirement
Two documents don't agree with each other
A reviewer needs more information to make a decision

Several departments may review your project, so you may receive comments from more than one at once.

What it doesn't mean

It doesn't mean your project was denied. Denial is a separate outcome, and it's clearly labeled as such.

It doesn't mean you did something wrong. Corrections happen on projects prepared by experienced architects and contractors. It's how the review conversation works.

It usually doesn't mean paying again. Responding to corrections is normally part of the review you've already paid for. Some organisations do charge for additional review cycles or for changes in project scope — your project page shows anything owed, and the office handling your application can confirm what applies to you.

It doesn't mean starting over. Your application, documents, and history stay exactly where they are. You're updating what's already there.

What happens now

1	You'll be notified by email, and your project page will show that a response is needed.
2	Read all the comments first, before changing anything. Some relate to each other, and one change may resolve several.
3	Address each one. Some need a revised document; others just need an explanation.
4	Resubmit. Your response goes back to the same reviewers.
5	Review continues from where it left off. Reviewers check your responses and either approve, or send another round if something remains open.

Step-by-step instructions are in Responding to corrections.

Why it sometimes takes more than one round

If a second round arrives, it usually means either a response didn't fully resolve the original comment, or resolving one issue surfaced a related one.

Two things reduce the odds:

Respond to every comment, including the ones you think don't apply. A comment left without a response reads as unaddressed, and it'll come back. If you disagree or think it's not relevant, say so and explain why — that's a valid response.

Say what you changed and where. "Updated" is hard for a reviewer to verify. "Added the guardrail detail on sheet A-4" lets them check it in seconds. Reviewers move faster through clear responses, which shortens your timeline too.

If a comment doesn't make sense

Ask. Reviewers would much rather clarify than receive a resubmittal that misses the point — that costs you both another round.

Contact the office at the phone number shown on your portal or the email address shown on your portal, their published hours. Have your project or permit number ready, and point to the specific comment you're asking about.

If your project was prepared by an architect, engineer, or contractor, send them the comments as well. Many are technical and are addressed fastest by whoever produced the drawings.

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