Uploading your files

Modified on Fri, 7 Aug at 8:56 PM

DocumentsHOW-TO

Applicant · Contractor · Design-Professional · Citizen

01	Uploading your files

Attach your drawings, site plans, and supporting documents to an application so the office handling your application can review them.

Before you start

Your files saved on the device you're using — not only in a cloud drive that requires a separate sign-in.
The format requirements for the office: the format requirements shown on your portal.
Accepted file types: the file types listed on the upload screen. Maximum file size: the size limit shown on the upload screen.
A stable internet connection. Large uploads over a weak mobile signal fail more often than anything else on this page.

Steps

1	Open your application and go to the section for documents or attachments.
2	Check which document types are being requested. Applications often list specific slots — site plan, floor plan, structural, product data — and putting a file in the right slot matters. A reviewer looking for a site plan will not go hunting through a file named `scan001.pdf`.
3	Name your files clearly before uploading. Use a name a stranger could understand: the document type, and a date or revision if relevant. Follow the naming convention shown on the upload screen if the office specifies one. Avoid special characters like `#`, `%`, `&`, `/`, and very long names.
4	Flatten your PDFs. This is the step people skip and regret. A flattened PDF has its layers, comments, and form fields merged into the page image so it displays identically for everyone. Unflattened files can hide content from reviewers or break the markup tools they use. In most PDF software you flatten by using the export or print-to-PDF option rather than a plain save, or by choosing a flatten command if your software offers one.

- Do not password-protect or encrypt the files. A locked file cannot be reviewed and will be rejected. - Do not upload a PDF that's just photos of paper drawings taken on a phone unless the office has said that's acceptable. Text has to be legible when zoomed.

Keep each drawing set as one multi-page file at a consistent page size, rather than dozens of single-page files — unless you've been told otherwise. Reviewers work through sets page by page.
Select the files and upload them. Wait for each to finish. A progress indicator that stops moving is usually a connection problem, not a frozen page.
Confirm every file appears in the list after uploading, with the size and name you expect. If a file shows as 0 bytes or with a truncated name, remove it and upload again.
Save the application section before navigating away.

What happens next

Uploaded files are attached to your application and become visible to reviewers once you submit or resubmit. Uploading alone does not notify anyone — if you're adding files in response to a request, you still need to complete the resubmittal step. See Responding to corrections.

Reviewers may add markups and comments to your drawings. When they do, you'll receive the marked-up version back rather than your original — always download the current copy from the portal instead of working from your own file, so you don't miss a note.

If something goes wrong

Problem	Fix
Upload fails partway through	Check your connection and try again on a wired or strong Wi-Fi network. Very large files are the usual culprit — see below.
File is too large	Re-export the PDF at a lower image quality or a reduced resolution, or split a very large drawing set into logical parts (for example, architectural and structural). Do not reduce resolution so far that text becomes unreadable.
"File type not allowed"	Convert to an accepted type (the file types listed on the upload screen). Photos, spreadsheets, and word processor files often need to be converted to PDF first.
File uploads but reviewers say they can't open it	Ask the office handling your application first. Some faults in a PDF — untitled viewports among them — can be repaired on their side without you re-sending anything. If they can't repair it, the file is probably encrypted, password-protected, or corrupted: re-export a fresh flattened copy from the original source file.
Drawings look blank or missing elements	The PDF wasn't flattened, or layers were turned off when exporting. Re-export with all layers visible and flattened.
Text is blurry when zoomed	The file was scanned or exported at too low a resolution. Re-export from the original drawing file rather than scanning a printout.
The upload area doesn't respond	Try a different browser, and disable browser extensions that block scripts. Some pop-up blockers interfere with file pickers.

If a file still won't go up, contact them using the contact details on your portal. Have your application number, the file name, the file size, and the exact error message ready — those four things usually resolve it on the first call.

Applying for a permit · Responding to corrections · What you'll need before you start · What your application status means