How to Submit Sign Permits

In order to continually improve the permitting process, the following new permit guidelines are in place for Sign Permits.  If multiple signs are submitted for the same address, each sign requires a separate permit,
 
  1. Creating A Permit:
    1. Log into your Permit Application at https://buildinginspections.coj.net with your user Name (company ID#) and Password.
    2. Start a Sign permit, by clicking “Sign” (on the left side of the page) under Permits > Add.
    3. The permit will begin in “Temporary” status with no permit number assigned.
    4. The first time you ‘click’ “Save”, a permit number will be generated.
    5. Click “Save”, after you have completed each Tab.
    6. Complete the first three tabs of the permit, as necessary (ID/Overview, Property, and Spec.
  2. Overview – ID / Overview Tab:
    1. Complete the Overview section; Project Contact section; Ownership section; and Workers Comp Section (if expired, log into your profile and update).
    2. You will be contacted by email.  A valid email address is required in the “Name cell” of the ‘Project Contact’ section. Type your name and email address, i.e. Your Name / yourname@gmail.com.
  3.  Validating An Address – Property Tab:
    1. Complete the ‘Address Validated’ and Lessee section (if applicable).
    2. To attain the address, it is helpful to enter a ‘wildcard search’.  Type part of the street name then ‘click’ ‘Validate”.
    3. Select the box for the proper address, confirming correct Street Name, Direction and Unit Number (if applicable).  Then ‘click’ “Set Address”.
  4. Specifications – Spec Tab:
    1. Complete Sign Type section, Illumination section and Specifications section.
    2. In the comments section, list the scope of work included in this permit.
  5. Required Agency Approvals - Prereq Tab:
    1. Check to see if Property is in the Downtown Overlay (DIA approval required), EPA (if it is an ASH site) or Historical (Historical approval required), which may require additional approvals.
  6. Uploading Documents – Upload Tab:
    1. The BID Electronic Plan Review component will only accept PDF files, when the status is “Temporary” or “Return for Corrections”.  Please note the PDF files bearing a third party certification CANNOT BE PASSWORD PROTECTED.
    2. Upload files from your computer using the ‘Browse’ button.  All documents prepared by an architect or engineer (if required), shall bear an electronically embedded Digital Signature, using Adobe Acrobat or other third-party certification.  Each page of the PDF file shall have a title block, which identifies the file as unique to the permit address and contain a likeness of the design professional’s seal.
    3. Similar pages / sheets must be combined into a single document.  For example, ten structural sheets are to be submitted as a single PDF, not ten single PDF’s.
    4. If there are multiple signs permits for the same address, they should be shown and numbered i.e. sign #1, sign #2 sign #3… on the site plan.  Upload all the drawings and documents into sign #1 permit number.  The subsequent permits sign #2 sign #3 sign #4… have permit number referral sheet (see attached sample) and a sign permit application.
    5. Place the files in the appropriate folders, using the drop-down menu, in the “Folder” column as indicated below:
      1. Site Plan or Boundary Line Survey – upload in the Site Plans folder.
      2. Sign Drawings / Referral Sheet - upload in the Structural folder.
      3. Letter of Authorization/Power of Attorney - upload in the Correspondence folder.
      4. Certificate of Appropriateness - upload in the Correspondence folder.
  7. Permit Application - Printing The Permit Application - Printable Docs Tab:
    1. From the ‘Printable Docs’ tab, print out a copy of the completed permit application, by selecting ‘Permit Application’ from the list.
    2. After the Property Owner / Agent and Sign Contractor signatures are notarized on the printed copy of the permit application, upload (as a single PDF) into the Permit Application folder.  Note: If Agent signs for Property Owner, provide a notarized letter of agency or Power of Attorney from the Property Owner.
  8. Submitting The Permit:
    1. After all documents are uploaded, Click ‘Submit for Approval’.  If you are successful (on the Initial submission), the permit status will change from ‘Temporary’ to ‘Waiting’.  On subsequent submissions, the permit status will change from ‘Return for Corrections’ to ‘In Review’. 
  9. Payment – After the permit is approved and is in ‘Approved – Pending Payment’:
    1. Log into your profile to pay the permit fee at https://buildinginspections.coj.net.
    2. The permit will be displayed in the ‘Company Action Required’ section of the Welcome Screen.  To pay the permit fee from ‘My Profile’, select the tab titled ‘Fees‘.  Check the box to the left of the item(s) you wish to pay.  Select “Credit Card/e-Check”, then click ‘Proceed’.  After following the prompts through the payment process, the permit status will change to ‘Active’. 
  10. Printing of Documents:
    1. Log into your profile to print documents: https://buildinginspections.coj.net
    2. After the permit is in “Active” status, click on the “Upload” tab to print out the stamped plans.  Click on the “Current” submission folder, then click on the document name.  The document will open in your local PDF reader, such as Adobe Reader.
    3. Print the document from your PDF reader, or save it to print remotely.
    4. A complete set of stamped permit documents must be onsite for all inspections. Printed permit documents must be to scale and a minimum of 11”x 17”.