Project resources / Research dated November 6, 2026Start with
Start with
your state.
A preliminary guide to residential plan-preparation exceptions across all 50 states. Owner-prepared plans, paid design work, signatures and seals are different legal questions.
This guide does not establish service eligibility or permit approval. A homeowner signature does not make another person’s work homeowner-prepared. Confirm the current law, state board requirements and local permit rules before commissioning documents. Sources vary in publication date; secondary and archived sources are identified in the individual entries.