Address the reviewers' comments and resubmit your plans so review can continue.
Projects, My Projects lists each of your applications with its stage. Action buttons such as Submit Revision, Request An Inspection and Pay Fees Now appear when something is waiting on you. Example from a GeoCivix demo portal. Names are hidden, and your local portal may look a little different.
- Getting corrections is normal. It is not a rejection or a mark against you, and it doesn't mean you did something wrong. Most projects — including ones designed by experienced architects — go through at least one round. Reviewers must note anything they can't confirm.
- Download the current correction letter and the marked-up plans from your portal. Work from those, not from your own copies.
- Whoever prepared the drawings usually needs to make the changes. If you hired an architect, engineer, or contractor, send them the correction letter today rather than trying to interpret it yourself.
- Check whether a response deadline applies. If one does, it's shown on your correction letter or project page. If you can't meet it, ask the office before it passes — extensions are commonly granted when you ask early and rarely when you ask late.
01 | Steps |
1 | Read the whole correction letter once before doing anything. Each comment normally cites a code section or a plan sheet. Some comments are requests for information, not design changes — those are often quick wins. Reviewer comments are under Issues. Open each one to read it, and use Reply if you need to respond. |
2 | Sort the comments. Which are simple clarifications you can answer in writing? Which require the drawings to change? Which do you not understand? |
3 | Ask about anything unclear before you redraw. Contact the office handling your application — the phone number, email address and opening hours are shown on your portal — and quote the comment number you're asking about. A five-minute question is cheaper than a wasted review cycle. |
4 | Make the changes on the original drawing files. Update the revision block or date on affected sheets so reviewers can see what moved. |
5 | Write a response letter — sometimes called a comment response or correction response. List every comment in the reviewer's order and, under each, state what you did and where to find it. For example: "Comment 4 — Added header schedule on sheet S-2." This matters most for a quick next cycle. A resubmittal with no response letter forces the reviewer to re-check everything from scratch. |
6 | If you disagree with a comment, explain why rather than simply pushing back. Where you think it's based on a misreading, say so and point to the evidence: the sheet, the detail, the code section. |
7 | Export a complete, flattened set of the revised plans — not just the changed sheets, unless the office has asked for partial sets. Follow the format requirements shown on your portal and see Uploading your files. |
8 | Open the application in the portal and use the option to resubmit or upload revised documents. Attach the revised plans and your response letter. When corrections are requested, select Submit Revision on your project page to send revised files. |
9 | Complete the resubmittal action so the application is returned to the review queue. Uploading files alone may not notify anyone — this step is what restarts the review. |
10 | Check your project page for any amount due. Resubmitting is normally part of the review you've already paid for, but some organizations charge for additional cycles — if you're unsure, ask the office rather than assuming. When fees are due, Pay Fees Now appears on your project page. |
02 | What happens next |
Your resubmittal goes back to the reviewers — usually the same ones. They check the items they raised, and they also check anything your changes affected. Turnaround for a second cycle is often shorter than the first, but not always; it depends on how many review teams have to look again.
You'll then either receive approval, or a shorter set of comments.
Why cycles repeat. This frustrates people most, so here is why it happens. A second round of comments usually happens for one of four reasons: a comment was answered partially; a change to fix one comment created a new conflict elsewhere in the drawings; a different reviewer looked at it on this pass than on the last one; or the response didn't make clear where the fix landed, so the reviewer couldn't verify it. Only the last one is a communication problem, and it's the one you have the most control over — which is why the response letter matters so much.
If you're on your third cycle and feel like you're going in circles, stop resubmitting and ask for a conversation with the reviewer instead. Most offices will do this, and fifteen minutes on the phone routinely resolves what three rounds of paperwork couldn't. Contact the office handling your application to arrange it — the phone number, email address and opening hours are shown on your portal.
03 | If something goes wrong |
Reach them using the contact details on your portal. Have your application number and the comment number ready.
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