Site plan drawing for permits

Draw the lot, the project, and every distance between them.

A permit site plan is a scaled, top-down drawing of the property. It should let a reviewer see what exists, what you want to build, where it will sit, and which property facts still need verification.

Check my address free

Fence, shed, and pool projects in Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Pflugerville, and San Antonio.

Residential permit site plan drawing with a lot boundary, existing residence, proposed shed, dimensions, easements, scale, north arrow, and title block — A preliminary drawing gives the reviewer context. It does not certify a boundary.

The short answer

A useful drawing answers six questions.

The permit office may ask for more, but these six parts make the property and project readable at a glance.

Property boundary

Draw the parcel outline and label the available side lengths, bearings, street frontage, and lot area.

Existing conditions

Show the house, garage, accessory structures, driveway, and other improvements that affect placement.

Proposed work

Use a distinct line or hatch for the new fence, shed, or pool, then label its exact size and material where relevant.

Location dimensions

Tie the proposal to property lines and nearby structures so a reviewer can understand where it sits without guessing.

Recorded constraints

Mark known easements, flood information, setbacks, or other mapped restrictions and state what still needs verification.

Drawing controls

Add a north arrow, graphic and written scale, title block, project address, date, legend, and clear notes.

Three real examples

The project changes. The drawing logic stays the same.

A fence is a line, a shed is a small footprint, and a pool brings its own review questions. Each still needs the lot, existing conditions, proposal, dimensions, orientation, and clear notes.

Fence site plan drawing with property lines, existing buildings, a labeled cedar fence, easements, flood information, dimensions, north arrow, scale, and title block — Example EasySitePlan output. Preliminary plan, not a survey.

Fence drawing

Show every fence segment in context.

This example labels the proposed six-foot cedar fence, total length, lot lines, structures, recorded easements, flood information, north, scale, and source cautions. The site also contains a proposed shed, so the reviewer can see both projects together.

Shed site plan drawing with a hatched proposed shed, house outline, property boundary, and dimensions to the lot lines and residence — Example EasySitePlan output. Preliminary plan, not a survey.

Shed drawing

Dimension the footprint and its location.

The proposed 10-by-12-foot shed is hatched and labeled. Distances tie it to the side and rear property lines and the residence, while the title block states the parcel source, legal description, scale, and preliminary-plan boundary.

Pool site plan drawing with a hatched proposed pool, existing residence, lot lines, street, and distances between the pool, house, and property boundary — Example EasySitePlan output. Preliminary plan, not a survey.

Pool drawing

Make the clearance pattern easy to scan.

The proposed 15-by-30-foot pool uses a clear hatch and dimension label. The sheet shows the surrounding lot, residence, street, nearest distances, scale, north arrow, and a caution where the public boundary source needs confirmation.

Seven drawing steps

Build the sheet in the same order a reviewer reads it.

01
Read the permit checklist first
Start with the reviewing office, not the drawing. Confirm whether it accepts an applicant-prepared plan and which project details it asks you to show. A fence application may ask for height and material. A pool application may add barriers, equipment, or impervious-cover information.
02
Gather the best property sources you have
Collect a recorded plat or recent survey if available, county parcel information, the current project address, an aerial image, and your proposal dimensions. Treat public parcel and aerial data as starting material, not field-verified boundary evidence.
03
Draw the lot to a stated scale
Fit the parcel on a readable sheet and state the scale, such as 1 inch equals 20 feet. Label the street and available lot dimensions. A scale bar gives the reviewer a second visual check if the page is printed or resized.
04
Add every relevant existing structure
Trace the house, garage, driveway, sheds, pools, and other improvements that affect the proposal. Label existing versus proposed work plainly. If an outline comes from aerial imagery, inspect it and correct obvious offsets before relying on the distances.
05
Place and label the proposal
Draw the fence run, shed footprint, or pool at its intended location. Add exact dimensions and the shortest useful distances to property lines and structures. Keep leaders and labels outside the geometry when possible so the plan stays legible.
06
Add easements, notes, and orientation
Trace easements from the recorded plat when they are not available as mapped data. Add north, a legend, title block, source notes, and any caution the reviewer should see. Do not silently omit a constraint because its exact location is uncertain.
07
Cross-check the sheet before submission
Compare the drawing with the permit checklist line by line. Verify the proposal size, address, scale, visible distances, and notes. Print or preview the final PDF at the size you plan to submit so small text and dimensions remain readable.

Choose the right route

Do not ask a drawing to prove what only fieldwork can prove.

A site plan communicates a project. A surveyor locates or certifies boundaries and other field conditions within a professional scope. They can look similar on the page without carrying the same authority.

A preliminary drawing may fit when

The office accepts applicant-prepared site plans.
The property records are usable and you can verify the sheet.
The project is a straightforward fence, shed, pool, or similar improvement.

Use a professional when

A boundary must be located, marked, or certified.
A line, easement, or record is uncertain or disputed.
Signed, sealed, surveyed, or engineered work is required.

Read the full site plan versus survey guide, or review the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors' current surveying laws and rules.

Where EasySitePlan fits

Start from a real sheet, then correct it yourself.

EasySitePlan turns available parcel records and aerial imagery into an editable preliminary drawing. You inspect the lot, structures, proposal, dimensions, easements, and cautions before deciding whether the plan fits your permit.

Free preview, then $24

See and edit the drawing before checkout.

Check the city and project from the address first.
Move or resize a shed or pool, draw a fence, and correct structures.
Trace easements from a plat and review the watermarked sheet free.
Buy the clean PDF for a standard one-time price of $24 only if it fits.

EasySitePlan does not certify boundaries, perform field measurements, provide engineering, submit the permit, replace every required document, or guarantee approval.

Compare the cost of self-service, drafting, and surveying, learn how to read a site plan scale, or review four ways to get a permit site plan.

Site plan drawing questions

What to know before you draw

How do you draw a site plan for a permit?

Confirm the reviewing office's requirements, gather the best property records available, draw the lot to a stated scale, add existing structures, place and dimension the proposed work, mark known constraints, and check the finished sheet against the permit checklist. The drawing should make the project's location understandable without requiring the reviewer to infer distances.

What should a site plan drawing include?

A typical residential permit drawing includes the property boundary, street, existing structures, proposed work, relevant distances, known setbacks or easements, north arrow, scale, project address, date, legend, and notes. Exact requirements vary by project, address, and reviewing office.

Can I make a site plan myself?

Sometimes. Some reviewing offices accept applicant-prepared drawings for straightforward residential work. Others require more detail or professional work. Confirm the current checklist before drawing, and do not use a self-made plan when a boundary must be located, certified, or resolved.

Is a plot plan the same as a site plan?

The terms often overlap in residential permitting, but offices use them differently. Both commonly show the lot, structures, proposal, and distances. Use the name and content listed by the office reviewing your permit instead of relying on the label alone.

Do I need a survey to draw a site plan?

A recorded plat, recent survey, or reliable property documents can improve a preliminary drawing, but a site plan does not become a survey because it uses those sources. Hire a Texas registered professional land surveyor when a boundary must be located or certified, a line is uncertain or disputed, or a city, lender, title company, or project professional requires surveying work.

Can EasySitePlan draw the site plan for me?

For an eligible fence, shed, or pool project in Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Pflugerville, or San Antonio, EasySitePlan generates an editable preliminary plan from available public records and imagery. You inspect and correct the drawing, preview the watermarked sheet free, and can buy the clean PDF for a standard one-time price of $24.

Will a site plan drawing guarantee permit approval?

No. The reviewing office decides whether the full application meets current requirements. EasySitePlan does not certify boundaries, provide engineering, replace every permit document, submit the permit, or guarantee approval.

Start with the property

See the drawing before you decide to buy it.

The eligibility check, editor, local checklist, and watermarked preview are free. Pay $24 only when you want the clean PDF.