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Building Code Reference

Got a CRC R802.10 correction?

Truss deferred submittal

For builders in California, Greater Seattle, the Las Vegas area, the Denver area and Kansas City · CrossBeam Permits

What this code requires, how to fix it, and how cities and counties review it

What this code requires

CRC R802.10 requires that when roof or floor trusses are used in a residential project, the truss engineering must be handled as a deferred submittal. That means the sealed truss calculations and placement plans come from a licensed engineer after the main building permit is issued, not with the original plan set. Your building plans must include a cover-sheet note stating that truss documents will be submitted separately, and they must specify the design loads the truss engineer is required to use — dead load, live load, seismic, and wind. Without that note and those load criteria on the permit plans, the plan checker cannot verify that the deferred truss design will match what the structure was designed to carry.

How to fix it

  1. Add a deferred submittal note to the cover sheet

    On the project cover sheet, add a clearly labeled note that reads something like: "Roof/floor trusses are a deferred submittal. Sealed truss calculations, layout plans, and connection details shall be submitted by a California-licensed engineer or truss manufacturer and approved by the building official prior to truss installation. All truss design shall conform to the design loads specified on these plans." The exact wording is flexible, but it must state that trusses are deferred, identify who submits the package (engineer of record or truss manufacturer), and reference the load criteria.

  2. Specify design loads the truss engineer must use

    In the structural notes or general notes, call out the design loads that govern the truss design. At minimum: roof dead load (typically 15-20 psf for residential), roof live load (20 psf, or 16 psf for slopes of 4:12 to under 12:12 with 200 sq ft or less tributary area, per CRC Table R301.6), floor dead load and live load if floor trusses are used, and the seismic and wind design parameters from the structural basis of design. These must appear on the permitted plans, not just in the truss shop drawings submitted later. The plan checker is confirming that the deferred submittal will be governed by these parameters.

  3. Show the truss layout or bearing point locations on the framing plan

    The framing plan should indicate where trusses bear, the approximate span, and the truss type (roof truss, floor truss, mono, hip set, etc.). You do not need the engineered truss drawings at permit submission, but the plan checker needs to see the extent of the truss system and confirm that the bearing walls and beams below are sized for the anticipated loads. If the truss layout is shown "by manufacturer" on the framing plan, note that explicitly.

  4. Confirm the deferred submittal approval process with the building department

    Before the trusses are installed, the truss manufacturer or the engineer of record submits the sealed truss package directly to the building department for approval. This is a separate review from the original permit plan check. Call the building department ahead of time and ask for their specific submittal instructions: some cities accept truss packages via their online portal, others require a physical counter submittal. Ask how long the review takes so you can schedule your framing inspection without a bottleneck. Many OC jurisdictions turn around truss approvals in 5-10 business days if submitted early.

  5. Have approved truss documents on site before framing inspection

    The approved truss documents must be on the job site before the framing inspector arrives. The inspector will check that the trusses as installed match the approved shop drawings, including species, grade, connector plate sizes, and bearing conditions. If the approved package is not on site or the installed trusses do not match, the inspector will not sign off the framing. Keep a copy of the city-stamped approval package in a plastic sleeve in the job-site binder.

  6. Route field changes back through the same approval process

    If the truss manufacturer changes a design after approval (substituting a member species, altering a connection, changing span), that change needs to go back through the same approval channel. A revised, sealed set must be approved before the inspection. Do not assume that a truss manufacturer calling a change "equivalent" means it is code-compliant without city sign-off. This is a common cause of failed framing inspections on truss projects.

  7. Order the truss design package 4 to 6 weeks early

    Order the truss design package at least 4-6 weeks before your target framing start. Truss manufacturers are often 2-4 weeks out on engineering alone, and then you need 1-2 weeks for the city review. On large projects or hip-roof systems, the design lead time can stretch to 6-8 weeks. Contractors who treat the truss package as a last-minute item consistently hit framing inspection delays. Hand the manufacturer your structural notes and the design load list from step 2 at the time of order.

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Why you got flagged

Here is why plan-checkers flag R802.10. The most common scenario is a missing cover-sheet note. Plans show a truss roof framing layout, but there is no statement that truss engineering is a deferred submittal. The plan checker cannot assume the contractor knows the process — the note has to be there explicitly, or the set gets a correction.

The second common flag is incomplete or missing design loads. Even when the cover-sheet note exists, it often reads only "trusses by others" without specifying the loads the truss manufacturer must design to. The plan checker needs to see dead load, live load, and the applicable seismic and wind design data from the structural notes, all called out as required inputs for the deferred submittal. Leaving these off means the truss engineer could design to a different load assumption than the rest of the structure.

The third scenario shows up on remodels and additions. When an existing structure is getting a new truss roof, designers sometimes treat the truss layout as part of the existing-conditions drawings and omit the deferred-submittal language entirely. The city still requires it — the age of the building does not change the submittal requirement.

There is also a less obvious flag: plans that specify a truss type or span table but provide no deferred submittal note. Span-table framing and engineered trusses are different paths. If the plans imply truss framing but the designer intended to use conventional lumber span tables, that ambiguity alone will stop the plan check.

The official code

California Residential Code — Building Standards Commission codes page

Read the source →

Common questions

What needs to be on my plans for the truss deferred submittal note?
At minimum, the note must state that trusses are a deferred submittal, identify who will submit the sealed package (truss manufacturer or licensed engineer), and reference the design loads on the plans. A note that just says "trusses by others" or "truss engineering deferred" without specifying the load criteria is not enough. The plan checker needs to confirm the deferred engineer will be working from the same load assumptions as the rest of the structural design.
Can I submit truss shop drawings with my original permit application?
Yes, but most residential projects do not. The deferred submittal process exists because truss designs depend on final dimensions that often are not locked down at permit application. If your truss manufacturer has completed the engineered drawings before you apply, you can include them in the original permit submittal and skip the separate approval step. Tell your plan checker upfront so the review is scoped correctly. The deferred path is the default process, not a requirement.
Does CRC R802.10 apply to floor trusses or only roof trusses?
Both. The deferred submittal requirement covers engineered trusses used in any framing application, including floor trusses, roof trusses, and attic trusses. If your plans show floor framing using manufactured trusses rather than conventional joists or I-joists, you need the same cover-sheet note and load criteria callout. I-joists are not trusses and are not covered by R802.10, but they have their own span table and installation requirements under CRC R502.
When does the truss package have to be submitted for city review?
Before the trusses are installed: R802.10.1 requires truss design drawings to be approved prior to installation and shipped with the trusses. In practice, submit it as soon as your truss manufacturer has the sealed drawings ready, which should be well before framing starts. Most OC building departments take 5-15 business days to review a truss package. If you wait until framing is complete, you are gambling on both the review timeline and the chance that the inspector shows up before approval comes back.
Do I need a licensed engineer to stamp the truss shop drawings?
Yes. The truss package must be sealed by a California-licensed engineer. Most truss manufacturers have in-house engineers who prepare and stamp the drawings as part of their service. If you are fabricating custom trusses in the field, you need an independent engineer of record to prepare and seal the design. Unstamped or out-of-state PE stamps are not accepted by California building departments.
My plans got flagged for R802.10 but I am using standard trusses from a manufacturer. Why?
The correction is almost always about the permit plans, not the trusses themselves. Plan checkers flag R802.10 when the cover-sheet note is missing or incomplete, even if the trusses you plan to use are perfectly standard. Fix the plans by adding the deferred-submittal note and the design load callout. The truss manufacturer can help you confirm what loads to list if you give them the project address and structural notes. Once the plan correction is resolved, the truss approval is a separate process handled directly with the building department.

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