.png)
One of the most annoying things in our industry is when your crucial quote or entire project stalls because approval from the city or county is late. Losing a deal because your quote was too slow, even though it wasn’t your fault, is incredibly frustrating.
To eliminate these painful delays, Atlantic Rack presents a quick, actionable self-assessment you can run before you package up your drawings and hit send to the city or county.
The Rack Permit Readiness Score: 5 Questions to Fast-Track Approval
Score your permit packet against these crucial checks using this scale: 0 = Missing, 1 = Partially Done, 2 = Done Right.
1. Did you confirm the specific local rules for this city/county? (Score: 0, 1, or 2)
Why It Matters: Weirdly enough, local authorities don’t all play by the same rulebook. Even the specific reviewer might enforce codes differently. You must do your homework to meet the precise expectations of the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction). (Relates to: Did you carefully check what this city/county is going to require?)
2. Have you captured data-backed seismic inputs for this site? (Score: 0, 1, or 2)
Why It Matters: Don’t guess your seismic zone. If the ground shakes where you build, the reviewer will require data-backed proof and engineering calculations to ensure your racks can handle the forces. Skipping this step is a quick way to get your entire project delayed. (Relates to: Did you capture seismic inputs for this site?)
3. Is your Plan View (Top-Down Drawing) remarkably clean? (Score: 0, 1, or 2)
Why It Matters: Your plan view needs to be review-ready. We know how annoying it is when a reviewer misses something that was there simply because it wasn’t clear enough. Don’t make them think! Clearly show all aisle widths, exit/egress paths, and required flue spaces. (Relates to: Are you submitting a good enough “plan view?”)
4. Are you sending them engineer-stamped rack prelims? (Score: 0, 1, or 2)
Why It Matters: It might be expensive and time-consuming to get stamped drawings, but reviewers love them—and they fast-track your project. Imagine not having to answer questions, eliminating the back-and-forth while you wait to send that important quote to win the business. (Relates to: Are you sending them stamped rack prelims?)
5. Do your anchoring/baseplate notes match the actual slab specs? (Score: 0, 1, or 2)
Why It Matters: This is the most common rejection of all: submitting drawings with “TBD” written for concrete thickness, PSI rating, and anchor embedment. The reviewer’s job is to approve specifics, not guesses. Get slab specifications early so your drawings don’t stall. (Relates to: Do your anchoring/baseplate notes match the actual slab?)
Calculate Your Readiness Score
Add up your scores from the five questions:
| Total Score | Status | Action |
| 9–10 | Ready to Ship! | Your packet is highly likely to sail through the initial review and inspection process. |
| 7–8 | Caution Ahead | Delays are possible. Try to firm up the sections you scored a ‘1’ before submitting to speed things up. |
| 0–6 | Expect Delays | Definitely save this guide. Go back and re-evaluate every point before your next submission. |
If you are frequently hitting delays even after running this test, contact Atlantic Rack. We can help you audit your current process and streamline your engineering submissions.
