(A) When permit is required. It shall be unlawful to construct, alter, remove, or demolish any building, or change the occupancy thereof from one use or use group to another; or to install or alter any equipment for which provision is made or the installation of which is regulated by this code, without first filing an application with the Building Official or his or her representative in writing and obtaining the required permit therefore; except that ordinary repairs which do not alter the appearance, safety, sanitary facilities or structural qualities of the building and which do not involve any violation of the code, shall be exempt from this provision.
(B) Form of application. Application for a permit shall be submitted in such form as the Building Official or his or her representative may prescribe.
(C) By whom application is made. Application for a permit shall be made by the owner or lessee of the property concerned, or agent of either. The licensed engineer or architect employed in connection with the proposed work may, as agent for the owner, make such application. The full names and addresses of the owner or lessee and of the responsible officers of owner and lessee if a corporate body or incorporated association shall be stated in the application. All applicants for permit shall be duly qualified under applicable laws.
(D) (1) Description of work. The application shall contain a general description of the proposed work, its location, the use and occupancy of all parts of the building or structure and of all portions of the site or lot not covered by the building, the estimated costs of the proposed work and such additional information as may be required by the Building Official or his or her representative, including but not restricted to the working drawings and specification, plot and location plans, statement, and such other information as may be required elsewhere in this code, all of which shall be submitted in triplicate.
(2) Verification of information. All facts in the application shall be subject to affirmation or oath. If, in the judgment of the Building Official or his or her representative, the reported data are incorrect, he or she shall have the right as a condition precedent to issuance of the permit to request the applicant for authority to have such data verified either by the Building Official or his or her representative or by others appointed by him or her, and when so authorized, the cost of such verifications shall be paid by the applicant.
(E) Acting on applications. All applications for permits shall be dated on receipt by the Building Official or his or her representative and examined in order of their receipt insofar as is practicable. Where work involved is of a complex character which required prolonged examination, such applications need not be taken in order. Applications which are returned without action because of being incomplete or because of violations of some of the provisions of this code shall be taken in order as of the date of resubmission.
(F) Drawings and specifications. The drawings and specifications submitted with the application for a permit shall be lettered, giving the name and address of the owner of the building, the purposes for which the building or structure is to be used, its location, and the name and address of the architect, engineer, or other person by whom the drawings and specifications were prepared. A minimum of three sets of drawings and specifications shall be submitted. When quality of materials is essential for conformity to the code, specific information shall be given to establish such quality; and in no case shall the code be cited or the term “legal” or its equivalent be used as a substitute for specific information. The Building Official or his or her representative may waive the requirement for filing drawings when the work involved is of a minor nature.
(G) Drawings. The drawings to be filed for buildings or structures shall be the general architectural drawings, consisting of a plot or location plan; a foundation and footing plan, basement plan; plans of the upper floors and roof; at least four elevations and such additional drawings as may be necessary to fully illustrate and show the type, size, and other dimensions of all structural parts and service equipment of the building; any other information required to determine compliance with this code; except as set forth otherwise in this code. All drawings shall be made by some approved photographic process that will not fade or obliterate within five years. All drawings shall be to a scale that will clearly show the work to be done, but in no event less than 1/8 inch to the foot. Surveys and similar location plans, or other plans when specifically approved by the Building Inspector may be at an approved smaller scale. All distances, heights, dimensions, thickness, and size of walls, supporting members, structural parts and opening, shall be accurately listed by legible figures and the drawings made accurate and complete. The drawing shall show all pertinent parts of the structures to be constructed and/or the service equipment and accessary mechanical, electrical, piping and duct work to be installed, including but not limited to the entire sewage, drain, soil, waste and vent pipes, location of all plumbing fixtures, hot water heaters, furnaces, steam or hot water heating boilers, power boilers, heater rooms, hot air registers, hot air riser ducts, cold air registers, steam or hot water radiators, plenum chambers, fans, ventilation ducts and flues, smoke flues, elevator hatchway enclosures, refrigerating units, gas heating outlets, electric wiring outlets including outlets for heating units, motors, generators and transformers.
(1) Special requirements of plans. The plans for each room, apartment, or part of the building or structure shall be clearly lettered, showing the purpose for which the same is designed to be used. If the room or part of the building or structure is to be used for any purpose for which the various sections of this code restrict or limit the number of persons to be assembled or accommodated therein, the plans shall be clearly lettered to indicate the prescribed limitation.
(2) Superimposed and typical plans. Nothing in this section shall be construed so as to prevent the showing of several of the floor plans superimposed over each other, providing that when there is any change or deviation in the parts, such changes and deviations shall be distinctly dimensioned and noted, and providing further that when there is a terrace, block or group of buildings or part of such terrace, block or group, it shall be shown on the block plan, and each such distinct building or part shall be classed as one building and separate permits issued accordingly.
(3) Alterations and erasures. It shall be unlawful to erase, alter, or modify any lines, figures, coloring, written or printed matter contained upon any drawing or in any specifications or statement filed with the Building Official or his or her representative after it has been approved by him or her except as follows: If during the progress of the execution of the work or prior thereto, it is desired to deviate in any manner affecting the construction or other essential or vital feature of the work from the terms of the application, drawings, specifications, or statement, notice of such intention to alter or deviate, shall be given in writing to the Building Official or his or her representative and his or her written consent shall be obtained before such alteration or deviation may be made. If such change or deviation affects the bearing or structural parts of such work or its class of occupancy, new plans and specifications therefore shall be submitted for approval. Notices of alterations and approvals therefore shall be filed with the original application for permit.