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Sanction Drawing: What Goes in a Municipal Submission Set (2026)
What a sanction drawing must contain, sheet by sheet: site plan, floor plans, sections, area statement and services, with scales, colour codes, CAD rules and who signs, from MCD, Kerala, PMC and ABPAS checklists.
Published on 11/11/202613 min read
Before you rely on any of this: each city and state sets its own drawing rules, and they change. This guide, updated in November 2026, reads four published checklists (Delhi, Kerala, Pune and Madhya Pradesh) and links every rule to its source. An architect or your authority's help desk confirms what applies to a specific plot. This is not legal advice, and no drawing set guarantees an approval.
A sanction drawing is the set of drawings your architect files with the municipal authority to get a building permit. It shows that the house fits the rules: where it sits on the plot, how big each floor is, how tall it is and how it drains. A typical municipal submission set has a key plan, a site plan, floor plans of every floor, at least one section, the elevations, a terrace plan, an area statement and a services plan, filed with your ownership deed and signed certificates.
It is one of several drawing sets a house needs, and not the one your contractor builds from. Our guide to the full drawing set your architect should hand over covers the others. This post covers the submission set only: what goes in it, in what format, who signs it, and what gets it returned.
Sanction drawing meaning: what it is for
The authority reads a sanction drawing to answer one question: does this building comply? It checks setbacks, ground coverage, floor area ratio (FAR), height and parking against the bye-laws, and the land use against the master plan. If those terms are new, start with our explainer on setbacks, FAR and height limits. It leaves out reinforcement, electrical points and finishes: that is the job of working drawings.
Sanction drawing vs working drawing
| Sanction (submission) drawing | Working drawing | |
|---|---|---|
| Who reads it | The authority and its rule-checking software | The contractor, mason and site engineer |
| Purpose | Prove the design meets the bye-laws | Tell the builder exactly what to build |
| Content | Plot, setbacks, room sizes and uses, heights, area statement, drainage and water lines | Setting-out dimensions, levels, sills and lintels, details, schedules, finishes |
| Format | Set by the authority: scales, colours, sheet size and, online, a CAD file built for the rule engine | Set by the architect |
| Who signs | Owner and a registered or empanelled professional, as the rules require | The architect and consultants who prepared it |
| After approval | Fixed. Changes need a revised sanction | Revised as the job needs, within the sanction |
The format and signature rows come from the rules quoted below; the rest is our summary. For an owner, the point is simple: build what was sanctioned, because the plinth and completion inspections compare the building with it.
Sanction drawing requirements: what goes in the set
The rulebooks we read agree on the core sheets and differ in detail. Delhi's Unified Building Bye-Laws 2016 (DDA compendium, amendments to February 2020) set them out in bye-laws 2.0.4 and 2.1.1, and rule 6 of the Kerala Municipality Building Rules, 2019 does the same for Kerala's municipalities and corporations.
Key plan
A small map locating the plot among streets and landmarks, with a north point. Delhi asks for a scale of not less than 1:10,000. Madhya Pradesh lists the key plan as a mandatory upload on ABPAS 3.0, under rule 16(3) of the Bhumi Vikas Rules, 2012.
Site plan
The plot boundary, the access road with its name and width, the building's position with every setback, and existing features such as wells, drains and trees. Delhi also wants the covered area of each floor, existing and proposed, with the coverage percentage, number of floors, height and any basement. Kerala adds the survey or re-survey number, the nearest electric post, finished ground levels and the predominant wind direction. Since the 2025 amendment (G.O.(P) No. 53/2025/LSGD, 29 October 2025), it must also show the boundaries of any separate parking plot.
Floor plans of every floor
Every floor, with room sizes, staircases, ramps and lift wells, and the use of each space. Kerala also asks for floor levels, the location of WCs, sinks and baths, and the size and spacing of framing members.
Sections, elevations and terrace
Delhi requires at least one section through the staircase, kitchen, toilet, bath, WC and lift, showing room heights, parapet height and total height. Kerala's sections must also show the lowest and highest ground level next to the building and the abutting road level. Elevations show the facade, total height and projections, and Delhi asks for door and window sizes in a schedule. Kerala also requires a terrace plan showing roof drainage and slope.
Area statement
A table of plot area, covered area, and floor-wise and use-wise built-up area for existing and proposed buildings, with the FAR (Kerala's term is FSI, floor space index) and coverage. Kerala asks for it on both the site plan and the building plan. Since the 2025 amendment, the building plan must also include plans, sections and an area statement for every existing building on the plot. Get this table right: the authority checks it against the rules, and the fees are worked out from it.
Services and parking plans
A services plan shows water supply, drainage, sewage and storm water lines and their connections to the public mains. Delhi asks for these to the sanctioning authority's norms. Kerala also asks for the electricity layout, and a parking plan where the rules require parking.
The documents filed with the drawings
- Ownership: sale, lease, conveyance or gift deed, or another legal title document. For leasehold land, Delhi's bye-law 2.1.2 asks for the lease deed with any extension of time for construction, or the lessor's NOC.
- Approved layout plan: MCD says on its citizen corner that the plot should be part of an approved layout. ABPAS asks for it where the plot is in an approved or regularised colony.
- Professional appointments and certificates: Delhi's application form includes the appointment of the architect and other professionals with their registration, a structural safety certificate, and a certificate for supervision, no nuisance and debris removal.
- Madhya Pradesh: the ABPAS 3.0 instructions list five mandatory documents: the supervision form (Appendix B), proof of ownership, the key plan, general and detailed specifications, and a consolidated e-affidavit. Conditional ones include an earthquake-proof certificate from the architect in 15 earthquake-prone districts, an airport NOC, and nazul or archaeological NOCs.
- Pune: PMC's AutoDCR help manual has the architect upload the particulars form, Appendix A-1 and the supervision form, manually signed, through its document checklist.
Sanction drawing format: scales, sheets and colours
| Delhi (UBBL 2016) | Kerala (KMBR 2019) | |
|---|---|---|
| Site plan scale | Not less than 1:200 up to 1,000 sq m of site | Not less than 1:400 (1:800 if the Secretary accepts) |
| Building plan scale | 1:50 up to 250 sq m of plot, 1:100 up to 500 sq m, 1:200 above | Not less than 1:100 |
| Sheet size | A0 to A5 | A3 (297 x 420 mm) or larger |
| Units | Metric | Fully dimensioned |
Both rulebooks prescribe a colour code, and they do not match each other or the national Model Building Bye-Laws. A plot line is thick green in Delhi and thick black in Kerala; water supply is blue dotted in Delhi and black dot-and-dash in Kerala. A "sanction drawing template" downloaded from another city can be wrong in small ways an officer will notice.
MCD publishes sample drawings for plots from 50 to 442 sq yd on its citizen corner, which is a better starting point than a generic template.
Sanction drawing in AutoCAD: the DWG the software reads
Many authorities now check drawings by software before an officer sees them, so the sanction drawing has become a CAD file with rules of its own. In Pune, PMC's manual says the drawing must be prepared in PreDCR format and is scrutinised by AutoDCR. A Kerala PreDCR user manual hosted on a municipal site explains what that means:
- the plot layout, every floor plan and the sections go in one AutoCAD drawing, drawn at 1:1 in metres;
- every item (plot, building, parking, room) is a closed polyline on its named layer, except open lines such as road centre lines, drains and water and electric lines;
- each item sits wholly inside its container, so a room must not cross its floor outline, and carries a name label inside it;
- elevations and details go inside a separate "other details" polyline for printing.
The software calculates areas and setbacks from those polylines, so a gap in one line can fail a compliant design. In PMC's process, failed items come back as a list; the architect corrects and resubmits, then generates a plan PDF from the passed drawing and must sign it digitally. In Kerala, LSGD says the architect or chartered engineer draws on K-SMART, which has GIS and e-DCR rule engines, and KMBR rule 5(2), as amended in 2025, makes e-filing the route wherever such a system runs. ABPAS 3.0 in Madhya Pradesh also scrutinises drawings automatically and issues a digitally signed permission.
Who signs a sanction drawing
- Delhi: under UBBL bye-law 2.0.4(i), building plans are signed digitally by the owner, the structural engineer and one of an architect (any plot), an engineer (plots up to 500 sq m) or a supervisor (plots up to 200 sq m). Service plans may be signed by an architect or a utility services engineer. MCD lists the empanelled professionals on its citizen corner.
- Kerala: KMBR rule 6(3) and 6(14) require the name, address and signature of the owner, the applicant and a registered institution, architect, engineer, town planner, supervisor or building designer, with the certificate in Appendix J1.
- Pune: PMC's manual has the architect or licensed engineer (LE) file the case and digitally sign the plan PDF.
- Madhya Pradesh: ABPAS 3.0 accepts filings from an empanelled architect, structural engineer, engineer, supervisor, or group and agency.
Where an architect signs, check that the name and registration number appear on the Council of Architecture register before you sign the application yourself. As an owner you sign too, so read the area statement before you do.
Fees: the area statement sets the bill
Most charges are worked out per sq m of built-up area, taken from your drawing. MCD's schedule of charges dated 1 October 2024 is a clear example. Take an illustrative house of 450 sq m built-up area, including the stilt floor, on a 200 sq m plot in a category C colony:
- building permit fee at ₹10 per sq m: ₹4,500
- plinth intimation fee: ₹500
- IT administration charge for a residential plot up to 500 sq m: ₹5,000
- compensatory charge at ₹79.92 per sq m (0.05 per cent of the category C circle rate, plots up to 250 sq m): about ₹35,960
- material stacking charge at ₹50 per sq m (plots of 100 to 2,000 sq m): ₹22,500
- construction and demolition waste charge at ₹79.86 per sq m: about ₹35,940, a rate the schedule says rises 10 per cent from 1 April 2026
That is roughly ₹1.04 lakh before labour cess, the 2026 waste rate increase and any additional FAR charges. MCD's fee calculator, linked from the citizen corner, gives the real figure. Mistakes cost money too: Annexure III of the UBBL compendium charges ₹1 per sq m of built-up area to resubmit a rejected application up to three times, then 25 and 50 per cent of the original permit fee for the fourth and fifth rejections, and a fresh application after the sixth. Our Delhi building plan sanction guide covers the other charges and the process.
After the sanction: the milestones people miss
Plinth inspection. UBBL 2.0.1 requires you to report completion up to plinth level, followed by a plinth level inspection and an online inspection certificate. Kerala's 2025 amendment moves the physical site check for electronically verified permits to this plinth stage.
Completion plan. At the end, Delhi's occupancy-cum-completion certificate is released with a completion plan, and compoundable deviations are charged at that stage under Annexure IV. Only deviations on that compoundable list can be settled with a charge, which is why the working drawings should match the sanction.
Mistakes that get a submission set returned
Our guidance, drawn from the rules above:
- Drawing to the wrong rulebook, such as another city's colour code or scale.
- An area statement that does not match the drawing. On AutoDCR-type portals the software measures the polylines, so a hand-typed table that disagrees with them fails.
- Polylines that are not closed, or rooms that cross their floor outline, which the software reads as failed entities.
- Leaving out existing structures. Delhi requires the architect to inspect the site and match existing conditions (bye-law 2.1.1(f)), and Kerala now wants plans of every existing building on the plot.
- Ownership papers that do not match the site plan, such as a different survey number or area.
- A missing conditional NOC, such as an airport or archaeological clearance.
Official checklists and portals
- MCD citizen corner: risk categories, sample drawings, charges, fee calculator
- Unified Building Bye-Laws for Delhi 2016: chapter 2 sets out the drawings and signatures
- Kerala Municipality Building Rules, 2019, with the 2025 amendment
- PMC AutoDCR help manual
- ABPAS 3.0, Madhya Pradesh
For the city process around the drawings, see our guides for Pune, Kochi and Indore.
Frequently asked questions
What is a sanction drawing in architecture?
It is the set of drawings filed with the local authority to get a building permit: key plan, site plan, floor plans, sections, elevations, area statement and services plan. It proves the building meets the bye-laws. It is not a construction drawing.
Is a sanction plan the same as a working drawing?
No. The sanction plan is for the authority; working drawings are for the builder and carry dimensions, details and schedules. The two should agree on size, setbacks and height.
Can I get the sanction drawing in DWG format?
Where your authority uses AutoDCR, ABPAS or K-SMART, the sanction drawing starts as a CAD file built to that software's rules. Whether you receive the editable file is a matter for your agreement with the architect, so write it in.
What are the sanction drawing requirements in Kerala?
Rule 6 of KMBR 2019 asks for a site plan at 1:400 or larger, a key map, a service plan, building plans at 1:100 or larger, a parking plan where needed, on A3 or larger sheets in the Table 1 colour code. Since October 2025 it also asks for plans of all existing buildings on the plot. See our Thiruvananthapuram guide for the permit process.
Can I draw and submit the sanction drawing myself?
Not on the portals we checked. Delhi, Kerala, Pune and Madhya Pradesh all require a registered, licensed or empanelled professional to prepare, sign or file the plans, alongside your signature as owner.
A sanction set is only as good as the person who draws it. Find a COA-verified architect on MOA and choose your city in the city filter.
Sources
- Delhi Development Authority: Compendium of Unified Building Bye-Laws for Delhi 2016 (amendments to 12 February 2020), bye-laws 2.0.1, 2.0.4, 2.1, chapter 4 and Annexure III (accessed 2 Nov 2026)
- Municipal Corporation of Delhi: Ease of Doing Business citizen corner (accessed 2 Nov 2026)
- Municipal Corporation of Delhi: Charges for sanctioning of building plan, 1 October 2024 (accessed 2 Nov 2026)
- Government of Kerala: Kerala Municipality Building Rules, 2019, rule 6 and Table 1 (accessed 2 Nov 2026)
- Local Self Government Department, Kerala: Kerala Municipality Building (Amendment) Rules, 2025, G.O.(P) No. 53/2025/LSGD, S.R.O. No. 1240/2025, 29 October 2025 (accessed 2 Nov 2026)
- Local Self Government Department, Kerala: Apply for building permits (accessed 2 Nov 2026)
- Thrissur Municipal Corporation (LSG Kerala): PreDCR user manual (accessed 2 Nov 2026)
- Pune Municipal Corporation: Help manual for BP proposal submission (AutoDCR) (accessed 2 Nov 2026)
- Government of Madhya Pradesh: Instruction for applying building plan approval through ABPAS 3.0 (accessed 2 Nov 2026)
- Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, TCPO: Model Building Bye-Laws 2016, Table 2.2 (accessed 2 Nov 2026)
- Council of Architecture: register of architects (accessed 2 Nov 2026)