How to Make a Site Plan (Step-by-Step, 2026)
A site plan is a measured overhead drawing of a property. This seven-step guide explains how to find boundaries, set a scale, draw existing and proposed work, mark setbacks, and finish a clear permit drawing.
How do you make a site plan?
To make a site plan, find the property boundaries, choose a consistent scale, draw the lot, add existing structures, show the proposed work, mark setbacks and dimensions, then finish with a north arrow, legend, and title block. Compare the result with the local permit checklist before submitting it.
The seven steps at a glance
- Find your property boundaries
- Establish your scale
- Draw the lot outline
- Add existing structures and features
- Add proposed changes
- Mark setbacks, easements, and dimensions
- Add the title block, north arrow, and legend
Prepare before you draw
Collect the permit checklist, best available property record, field measurements, project dimensions, and known zoning or easement constraints. Online parcel maps are useful context but are not licensed surveys.
What every site plan should include
- Property lines and street frontage
- Existing and proposed structures
- Distances, setbacks, and easements
- North arrow, scale, address, labels, and title block
Step 1: Find your property boundaries
Start with an existing survey, county GIS parcel viewer, assessor map, or deed exhibit. Compare records with visible conditions and treat web parcel lines as planning information, not a legal boundary certification.
What to do
- Check the source and local permit checklist.
- Add the information clearly at a consistent scale.
- Verify every measurement and label before moving on.
Common mistake: treating an assumption as verified information. Confirm boundaries, setbacks, and professional-document requirements with the reviewing office.
Step 2: Establish your scale
Choose one scale that fits the entire lot and leaves room for dimensions and notes. Small lots may fit at 1 inch equals 10 feet, medium lots at 1 inch equals 20 feet, and acreage at 1 inch equals 40 feet, but use the scale your office accepts.
What to do
- Check the source and local permit checklist.
- Add the information clearly at a consistent scale.
- Verify every measurement and label before moving on.
Common mistake: treating an assumption as verified information. Confirm boundaries, setbacks, and professional-document requirements with the reviewing office.
Step 3: Draw the lot outline
Start at a known corner and draw every boundary segment in order. Label known lengths and bearings from your source, identify the street-facing edge, and do not substitute a curb, fence, or hedge for the property line.
What to do
- Check the source and local permit checklist.
- Add the information clearly at a consistent scale.
- Verify every measurement and label before moving on.
Common mistake: treating an assumption as verified information. Confirm boundaries, setbacks, and professional-document requirements with the reviewing office.
Step 4: Add existing structures and features
Add the house, garage, driveway, walks, trees, wells, septic elements, utilities, and other features that affect access or review. Label existing features plainly.
What to do
- Check the source and local permit checklist.
- Add the information clearly at a consistent scale.
- Verify every measurement and label before moving on.
Common mistake: treating an assumption as verified information. Confirm boundaries, setbacks, and professional-document requirements with the reviewing office.
Step 5: Add proposed changes
Draw the new shed, deck, fence, pool, addition, or other work as a distinct proposed element. Include its outside dimensions and describe what it is.
What to do
- Check the source and local permit checklist.
- Add the information clearly at a consistent scale.
- Verify every measurement and label before moving on.
Common mistake: treating an assumption as verified information. Confirm boundaries, setbacks, and professional-document requirements with the reviewing office.
Step 6: Mark setbacks, easements, and dimensions
Dimension from the project to the relevant property lines. Add the required building envelope, easements, and distances the reviewer needs to check, using locally confirmed standards.
What to do
- Check the source and local permit checklist.
- Add the information clearly at a consistent scale.
- Verify every measurement and label before moving on.
Common mistake: treating an assumption as verified information. Confirm boundaries, setbacks, and professional-document requirements with the reviewing office.
Step 7: Add the title block, north arrow, and legend
Finish the sheet with orientation and context: north arrow, written and graphic scale, title block, address, date, drafter, notes, and a legend for any symbols or line types.
What to do
- Check the source and local permit checklist.
- Add the information clearly at a consistent scale.
- Verify every measurement and label before moving on.
Common mistake: treating an assumption as verified information. Confirm boundaries, setbacks, and professional-document requirements with the reviewing office.
Hand-drawn site plan or online site plan?
A neat hand drawing can work for a simple project when the office accepts it. An online tool makes scale, revisions, symbols, and PDF output easier. Either method still depends on reliable information and local requirements.
See a completed site plan example
A completed plan makes the boundary, existing conditions, proposed work, dimensions, setbacks, street, scale, and north arrow easy to find.
Making a site plan for a permit
Compare the drawing line by line with the jurisdiction checklist. A DIY plan may be useful for straightforward residential work, but it is not a survey and cannot replace professional documents when required.
Six common mistakes to avoid
- Missing dimensions
- Measuring to the wrong reference line
- Leaving out existing context
- Omitting orientation or scale
- Failing to distinguish proposed work
- Presenting assumptions as verified facts
Frequently asked questions
Can I make a site plan myself?
Often, yes, for a straightforward residential permit. A useful DIY plan clearly shows the property context, existing and proposed work, dimensions, scale, and notes. Some jurisdictions require a licensed surveyor, engineer, or architect for particular sites or projects, so confirm before relying on a self-prepared drawing.
What is the easiest way to create a site plan?
For a simple project, begin with reliable parcel information and use a browser-based drawing tool or a scaled grid. Place the lot and existing features first, then the proposal, dimensions, setbacks, and permit notes. The easiest method is the one that lets you check scale and revise without losing clarity.
Is a site plan the same as a survey?
No. A survey is a professional measurement and legal record prepared under rules that vary by jurisdiction. A site plan is a drawing of how a property is arranged and how proposed work relates to it. A site plan may use survey information, but it is not automatically a substitute for a survey.
What must be shown on a residential site plan?
Typical plans show property lines, street frontage, north arrow, scale, existing structures, the proposed project, dimensions to relevant lines, setbacks, access, and a title block. Your permit checklist may also call for utilities, easements, trees, grading, drainage, parking, or neighboring context.
How accurate does a site plan need to be?
It needs to be accurate enough for a reviewer to understand location and verify the stated dimensions. Parcel imagery can help with context, but it should not be treated as a boundary survey. Use known measurements, disclose assumptions, and verify unusual conditions with the permit office.
Do I need a site plan for a shed or fence?
Many departments ask for one, even for a small project. Requirements depend on size, height, location, zoning, and local exemptions. A fence may need height and sight-line information; a shed may need setbacks, separation, utility-easement, and lot-coverage information.
What scale should a site plan use?
Use a scale that keeps the whole lot readable while leaving room for dimensions and notes. Common residential scales include 1 inch equals 10, 20, or 30 feet, but the department may specify a scale or paper size. Always write the scale on the sheet and include a graphic scale when possible.
Will a clear site plan guarantee permit approval?
No. A clear drawing can reduce avoidable questions, but approval depends on the complete application, current code, property conditions, agency review, and sometimes professional certifications. Treat this guide as preparation, not a promise of acceptance.