Reference · permit site plan maker guide
Permit Site Plan Scales, Sheet Sizes and Title Blocks
Choosing a scale and a sheet is the first thing a site plan has to get right: too large a scale and the lot falls off the paper, too small and the reviewer cannot read your distances. The tables below are computed from the printable area of each sheet, not copied from a chart.
Scales
Engineer scale, architect scale and metric ratios
Site plans use an engineer's scale (inches to feet in steps of 10) in the US and a metric ratio elsewhere. Architect scales such as 1/8" = 1'-0" belong to floor plans, not lots.
| Scale | Ratio | Reads as | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1" = 10' | 1:120 | 1 in on paper = 10 ft | Small lots, sheds and decks on Tabloid |
| 1" = 20' | 1:240 | 1 in on paper = 20 ft | Most house lots on Letter or Tabloid |
| 1" = 30' | 1:360 | 1 in on paper = 30 ft | Larger suburban lots |
| 1" = 40' | 1:480 | 1 in on paper = 40 ft | Acreage, long driveways |
| 1:100 | 1:100 | 1 cm on paper = 1 m | Detailed council plans, small lots |
| 1:200 | 1:200 | 1 cm on paper = 2 m | Standard council site plan on A3 |
| 1:500 | 1:500 | 1 cm on paper = 5 m | Rural lots and context plans |
On an engineer's scale, 1" = 20' means one inch on the paper stands for twenty feet on the ground — a ratio of 1:240. A metric 1:200 is close to it: one centimetre stands for two metres. Many US departments list 1" = 10' or 1" = 20' for residential work; councils commonly ask for 1:100 or 1:200.
Capacity
The largest lot each sheet holds
Viewport = sheet − 0.5 in margins − the title-block strip − 0.5 in label inset (ISO sheets use 10 mm and 12 mm). US Letter ends up 6.5 × 6.5 in either way up.
| Sheet | Viewport | 1" = 10' | 1" = 20' | 1" = 30' | 1" = 40' |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Letter 8.5" × 11" | 6.5 × 6.5 in | 65 × 65 ft | 130 × 130 ft | 195 × 195 ft | 260 × 260 ft |
| ANSI B Tabloid 11" × 17" | 12 × 9 in | 120 × 90 ft | 240 × 180 ft | 360 × 270 ft | 480 × 360 ft |
| Arch D 24" × 36" | 30 × 22 in | 300 × 220 ft | 600 × 440 ft | 900 × 660 ft | 1,200 × 880 ft |
| Sheet | Viewport | 1:100 | 1:200 | 1:500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISO A4 | 193 × 166 mm | 19.3 × 16.6 m | 38.6 × 33.2 m | 96.5 × 83.0 m |
| ISO A3 | 306 × 253 mm | 30.6 × 25.3 m | 61.2 × 50.6 m | 153.0 × 126.5 m |
Compare the longer side of your lot with the first number and the shorter side with the second. A 50 × 100 ft lot needs 100 × 50 ft of capacity: Letter at 1" = 10' only holds 65 × 65 ft, so use 1" = 20' on Letter or keep 1" = 10' and move to Tabloid.
Sheet anatomy
Where everything goes on the sheet
Preset 1 on US Letter at 1" = 20', portrait. The lot (3 × 6 in on paper) sits in the plan viewport; the title-block strip along the bottom holds the title block, the coverage table, the legend, north arrow and scale bar.
Title block
Title block fields and what to write
The title block ties the sheet to your permit file. Keep every field on one line; reviewers look here first for the address and parcel number.
| Field | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Heading | What the sheet is for | BUILDING PERMIT SITE PLAN |
| Property address | Street address of the lot | 123 Sample St, Springfield |
| Owner / applicant | Who is applying | Sample Owner |
| Parcel / APN | Assessor parcel number from the tax bill | 123-456-789 |
| Lot / block | Plat reference, needed by many HOAs | Lot 14, Block C |
| Prepared by | Who drew it (owner, contractor) | Owner |
| Date | Date of this version | 2026-11-03 |
| Scale | Stated scale; matches the graphic bar | 1" = 20' |
| Sheet | Sheet number in the set | SP-1 |
| Disclaimer | Status of the drawing | NOT A BOUNDARY SURVEY |
Line types
Standard line types on a site plan
Use the same line for the same thing everywhere, and put each one in the legend. These are the conventions the editor and the Pro PDF use.
| Swatch | Line | Convention |
|---|---|---|
| Property line | Long dash, short gap, dot — the lot boundary | |
| Zoning setback | Red dashed — the buildable envelope | |
| Existing structure | 45° hatch with a medium outline | |
| Proposed structure | Heavy outline with a soft shadow | |
| Easement | Hatched band labelled EASEMENT | |
| Water line (W) | Blue dashed, labelled W | |
| Sewer line (S) | Brown dashed, labelled S | |
| Electric line (E) | Orange dashed, labelled E | |
| Gas line (G) | Amber dashed, labelled G | |
| Dimension | Double arrow with extension ticks |
Reading it
How to read a graphic scale bar
A graphic bar is drawn at the same scale as the plan, so it shrinks or grows with the paper. That is why reviewers insist on one: a reduced photocopy is still measurable.
Lay a strip of paper along the distance you want, mark both ends, then hold the strip against the bar. If the plan was printed at the wrong size, the stated scale is wrong but the bar is still right. Always print the Pro PDF at 100 % (“actual size”), never “fit to page”.