Submittals
Deferred submittals are portions of the design submitted for review after the permit is issued. Learn how they work, when they are used, and who is responsible.
A deferred submittal is a portion of the project design that is submitted to the building official for review and approval after the main permit has been issued. Deferred submittals are used when part of the design depends on a contractor or specialty engineer who is not selected until after the permit set is complete. The structural design of a pre-engineered metal building, or the design of a fire sprinkler system are common examples.
This article explains what deferred submittals are, when they are used, who is responsible for them, and how they differ from standard submittals.
Why deferred submittals exist
Some building systems are designed by a specialty contractor or supplier rather than the architect or engineer of record. The design of these systems often cannot be completed until that contractor is under contract, which usually happens after the building permit is issued. Rather than delay the entire permit, the building code allows specific portions of the design to be deferred and submitted later.
The architect or engineer of record identifies which portions of the design will be deferred and lists them in the permit documents. The building official reviews and accepts that list as part of issuing the permit.
Common examples
Items frequently handled as deferred submittals include:
Fire sprinkler and fire alarm systems
Pre-engineered metal building structures
Curtain wall and storefront systems
Precast concrete elements
Trusses and other delegated structural components
Photovoltaic and other specialty systems
Who is responsible
Deferred submittals involve several parties:
The architect or engineer of record identifies the deferred items, reviews each deferred submittal for conformance with the overall design, and forwards it to the building official.
The specialty contractor or engineer prepares the deferred design, often stamped by a separate licensed engineer.
The building official reviews and approves each deferred submittal before that portion of the work proceeds.
The deferred portion of the work cannot be installed until the building official has approved the deferred submittal. This sequencing is important for scheduling, because a late deferred submittal can hold up the related trade.
How deferred submittals differ from standard submittals
A standard submittal is reviewed by the design team for conformance with the contract documents. A deferred submittal goes a step further. After the design team reviews it, it is also submitted to the building official for approval against the building code. The table below summarizes the difference.
Standard submittal | Deferred submittal | |
|---|---|---|
Reviewed by | Design team | Design team, then the building official |
Basis of review | Conformance with contract documents | Conformance with the design and the building code |
Approval needed before work | Design team response | Building official approval |
Identified when | During construction | In the permit documents, before the permit is issued |
Tracking deferred submittals
Because deferred submittals carry an extra approval step and a code-compliance deadline, they benefit from being tracked separately from standard submittals or flagged within the same log. Recording the design team review date, the date forwarded to the building official, and the approval date keeps the additional step visible.
Layer's Submittals Template can track deferred items alongside standard submittals, including the responsible reviewer and the dates for each approval step. For setup details, see Managing Submittals in Layer: A Getting Started Guide.
Further Resources
What Is a Submittal in Construction? covers types of submittals, the review process, and the standard responses.
What Is Submittal Review? A Guide for Architects covers the reviewer's scope during construction administration.
