What a submittal is
A submittal is information the contractor sends to the design team to show how it intends to meet the contract documents, before it buys, fabricates or installs the work. The drawings and specifications describe what the owner wants. The submittal describes what the contractor is actually going to provide: the specific product, the specific dimensions, the specific color, the specific installer. The architect and engineers review it against the design intent and return it with a stamp.
That is the core of the submittal meaning in construction. It is a bridge between the design on paper and the real materials and assemblies that arrive on site. Without it, the first time the architect sees the selected light fixture or the shop fabricated stair is when it is already installed, and any mismatch turns into removal, rework and a dispute about who pays.
What a submittal is not
- It is not a change order. A submittal cannot change the contract scope, price or time, and a substitution has its own procedure.
- It is not a request for information. An RFI asks a question about the documents, while a submittal answers how the contractor will comply.
- It is not the construction documents. Shop drawings are prepared by the contractor or its suppliers and do not become part of the contract drawings.
- It is not a formality. A package that is sent late or incomplete can stop procurement for weeks.
Why the contract requires submittals
Design documents are written before the contractor is selected and before products are chosen. Specifications often list several acceptable manufacturers, give performance criteria instead of model numbers, or leave the fabricator to work out connections and dimensions. The submittal is the moment when those open choices become firm, and the design team gets to check that the choice still fits the design.
There are three practical reasons this step matters on every project.
- Coordination. A door hardware set has to fit the frame, the access control, the fire rating and the code required hardware. Only the submittal shows all of that at once.
- Quality and performance. Test reports and certificates prove that a roofing assembly or a fire stopping system meets the criteria the engineer specified.
- Records. Approved submittals, O&M manuals and warranties become the record that the owner uses to run and maintain the building for decades.
Where the requirement is written
On most projects the general rules sit in Division 01, in section 01 33 00 Submittal Procedures. That section says how packages are numbered and transmitted, how long the reviewer has to respond, how resubmittals are marked and what the contractor must check before sending anything. Each technical section then lists its own items, usually in Part 1, article 1.4 Submittals, with closeout items in their own articles near the end of Part 1. Requirements also hide in Part 2 (for example a delegated design or a field quality test) and in Part 3, which is why reading only article 1.4 misses items. Our page on construction submittals covers how those articles are organized in a typical spec book.
Who prepares, checks and reviews a submittal
The submittal path runs through the contract chain. The owner holds contracts with the architect and with the general contractor. The subcontractors and suppliers hold contracts with the general contractor. So the package normally flows from the subcontractor to the general contractor, from the general contractor to the architect, from the architect to the right consultant, and back the same way.
| Party | Role in the submittal |
|---|---|
| Subcontractor or supplier | Prepares the package with product data, drawings, samples or certificates |
| General contractor | Reviews for completeness and coordination, stamps it, transmits it to the architect |
| Architect | Logs it, routes it to consultants, reviews for design intent, returns the stamp |
| Engineers and consultants | Review their own disciplines, such as structural, mechanical or electrical |
| Owner | Reviews selected items such as keying, finishes and warranties |
| Authority having jurisdiction | Reviews certain items such as fire alarm or fire sprinkler drawings |
Why the contractor stamp matters
Section 01 33 00 almost always requires the general contractor to review each package before it goes to the architect, and to show that review with its own stamp. That stamp says the contractor has checked field dimensions, quantities, coordination with other trades and conformance with the contract. A package without it can be returned unreviewed. In practice this is where the contractor submittal workflow either works or falls apart, because the general contractor is the only party that sees every trade at once.
What approval does mean
An approval stamp means the reviewer found the package in general conformance with the design concept and the information in the contract documents. It allows the contractor to proceed with purchase, fabrication or installation of the items covered, subject to any notes. Common stamps and what they tell you to do next:
| Stamp | What happens next |
|---|---|
| Approved | Proceed with procurement and installation as submitted |
| Approved as noted | Proceed, incorporating the reviewer notes, usually without resubmitting |
| Revise and resubmit | Do not proceed, correct the package and send a new revision |
| Rejected | Do not proceed, the item does not meet the contract and needs a new approach |
| For record only | Filed with no review action, typically informational or closeout items |
Wording varies by firm, but every architect uses some version of these five. Some offices add "Approved as noted, resubmit" for cases where the work may proceed but the final record needs a corrected copy. When a stamp sends a package back, read our guide on how to revise and resubmit a submittal without losing another review cycle.
What approval does not mean
- It does not relieve the contractor of its obligation to meet the contract documents. If an approved shop drawing conflicts with the specification, the specification usually still governs.
- It does not approve a change in scope, cost or time unless that change was submitted through the change procedure.
- It does not approve a substitution that was not clearly identified as one.
- It does not cover means, methods, sequences or jobsite safety, which stay with the contractor.
- It does not confirm dimensions or quantities, which the contractor checks before submitting.
Most review stamps print this language directly, so it is worth reading the stamp text on your project once at the start of the job.
How submittals are tracked
Every project keeps a register of every required submittal: section, paragraph, type, description, responsible company, reviewer, dates and current status. The general contractor builds it at buyout from the specification, and both the contractor and the architect use it to see who holds each item. The register is also where the schedule risk shows up, because a required by date that is too close to a long lead time is visible weeks before it hurts. Read more about what a complete submittal log holds, column by column.
Submittal glossary
- Action submittal. An item that needs a review decision before work proceeds, such as shop drawings, product data and samples.
- Informational submittal. An item filed for information with no approval action, such as qualification data or test reports.
- Closeout submittal. An item delivered near the end of the job, such as O&M manuals, warranties and record documents.
- Shop drawings. Drawings, diagrams and schedules prepared by the contractor or a supplier to show how a specific piece of work will be built.
- Product data. Manufacturer data sheets, catalog cuts and installation instructions for a selected product.
- Samples. Physical examples of a material, finish or color, used to set the visual standard.
- Mockup. A full size assembly built on site or off site to set the standard for workmanship and appearance.
- Delegated design. Design work the contract assigns to the contractor, sealed by a licensed engineer, such as steel connections or curtain wall anchors.
- Transmittal. The cover sheet that lists what is in a package, who sent it and when.
- Ball in court. The party that currently holds the package and has to act next.
- Lead time. The time between approval and delivery of the material to site.
- Required by date. The latest date an approved package can come back without delaying the work.
- Resubmittal. A new revision of a package after a revise and resubmit or rejected stamp, often numbered with a suffix such as 087100-002-R1.
- Substitution. A request to use a product other than the one specified, handled under its own procedure in Division 01.
- Record documents. Drawings and specifications marked up to show what was actually built.
Putting the definition to work
Knowing what a submittal is gets you halfway. The other half is making sure every required item on your project is on the list, and that each one is moving. Submittal reads your specification, finds every submittal requirement and builds the register with each row traced to its section and paragraph. From there packages move through review with stamps, comments and version history kept in one place. Starter covers one active project at 24 USD per month billed yearly, and external reviewers and subcontractors join at no cost on every plan. If you want the next level of detail, our guide to types of submittals in construction goes deeper into each category.
Frequently asked questions
Is a submittal the same as a shop drawing?
No. Shop drawings are one type of submittal. A submittal can also be product data, samples, test reports, certificates, a mockup or a closeout document such as a warranty.
Who decides what needs to be submitted?
The design team does, through the specification. Section 01 33 00 sets the procedures, and each technical section lists its own required items. The contractor has to submit everything listed, even items that look minor.
Can work start before a submittal is approved?
Generally not for work covered by an action submittal. Fabrication or installation before approval is at the contractor's risk, and many contracts prohibit it outright.
How long does a submittal review take?
Section 01 33 00 states the review period, often a set number of working days per review, with extra time when the package goes to more than one consultant. Use that period when you back-calculate required by dates in the log.