Site Plan Software and Free Tools: What Actually Works for Permits
Quick answer
Site plan software ranges from SketchUp Free in the browser to full CAD, and cities accept drawings from any of them. The catch: no software knows your property lines; the legally meaningful content comes from county records, and entering it correctly is most of the work. For a one-off permit, the honest math usually favors graph paper or a drafted plan from $89 in 24 to 48 hours over a weekend learning a tool.
Searching for site plan software usually means one of two things: you want to draw your own permit drawing, or you tried and the tool fought you. Either way, here is the honest map of the landscape, what each kind of tool is actually good at, the one thing none of them can do, and the math worth running before you spend a weekend learning any of them.
The one thing no software can do
No drawing app knows where your property lines are. Software gives you a canvas; the legally meaningful content, your lot dimensions, the setback distances, the easements, comes from your county's records: a survey, the recorded plat, or the GIS parcel viewer. Every tool below still requires you to find that data and enter it correctly, and that lookup is most of the real work. It is also why "which software" matters less than people expect: reviewers approve or reject the content of the drawing, never the app that made it.
The four kinds of tools, honestly
| Category | Examples | Good at | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free browser CAD | SketchUp Free (web) | Genuinely capable drawing, clean lines, precise dimensions | Real learning curve; plan on hours before your first usable sheet |
| Diagramming apps | SmartDraw and similar | Fast simple layouts from templates | Usually paid after a trial; templates still cannot supply your lot data |
| Full CAD | AutoCAD and kin | Everything, at professional depth | Overkill for one permit; priced and designed for people who draft weekly |
| Measurement aids | County GIS viewers, Google Earth | Finding dimensions, checking aerials, printing a base | Not drawing tools, and aerials never show legal boundaries |
Prices and free tiers shift often, so check current terms before committing to any paid plan. The stable truth underneath: the free options are real, and the paid options are built for repeat use, not for a homeowner who needs one drawing this year.
The zero-software option nobody advertises
Graph paper, a ruler, and your county GIS printout produce city-accepted plans every day. On quarter-inch graph paper at 1 inch = 20 feet, one square is 5 feet and the scale takes care of itself. If you are set on DIY, our step-by-step drawing walkthrough covers the whole method, paper or software, and the Pre-Submission Checklist is the quality gate either way.
What building departments actually accept
Cities do not approve tools; they approve drawings that contain the required elements: stated scale the drawing holds, property lines with dimensions, all existing structures, the proposed project dimensioned, setbacks labeled with numbers, easements shown, north arrow, and parcel identification. A hand drawing with all of that beats a beautiful render missing one setback number. Many departments now prefer or require PDF uploads, which any of the software options export and a paper drawing needs a scan for.
The math for a one-off permit
Run it honestly before you commit the weekend:
- Software path: find your lot data (an hour or more), learn the tool (hours, genuinely), draw and label everything, export to your city's format. Free if you use SketchUp Free and value your time at zero; a subscription if you pick a paid app for one drawing.
- Done-for-you path: $89 to $259, delivered in 24 to 48 hours, drawn from county GIS and satellite imagery with every element from the list above included, plus free revisions until your building department accepts it.
If you draft for fun, the software path is a fine weekend. If you just need the permit to move, the drafted plan usually costs less than the time the software path consumes, and it comes with someone else responsible for the redraw if the reviewer wants changes.
Still deciding whether you even need a formal plan or a certified survey? The complete guide and the site plan vs plot plan vs survey comparison settle both in a few minutes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free site plan software?
SketchUp Free in the browser is the most capable genuinely free drawing tool, and county GIS viewers plus graph paper remain the zero-software path cities accept every day. The honest caveat: the software is never the hard part. Your lot dimensions and setback labels come from county records regardless of the tool, and that lookup is most of the work.
Can software generate a site plan automatically from my address?
Tools that pull a parcel outline from your address produce a base map, not a permit-ready site plan. Reviewers need your proposed project drawn and dimensioned, setback distances labeled, and existing structures shown, which no automatic generator can know. Something still has to add the substance: you with a drawing tool, or a drafter working from your project details.
Do building departments accept plans made with free software?
Yes. Departments evaluate the drawing's content, not the software's license: to scale, dimensions written, setbacks labeled, structures shown, basics block complete. A free-tool drawing with all required elements passes; an expensive CAD drawing missing a setback number gets a correction notice.
Is site plan software worth it for one permit?
Usually not, unless you enjoy the drafting for its own sake. The one-off math tends to favor either graph paper (free, no learning curve beyond care) or a drafting service at $89 with delivery in 24 to 48 hours. Software subscriptions earn their keep for people who draw plans repeatedly, which is exactly who most of them are built for.
What file format should the finished plan be in?
PDF is the near-universal answer for digital submissions, and every mainstream drawing tool exports it. Some departments still take or require paper copies at a specific sheet size, so check your city's checklist. Our delivered plans include PDF and JPG files sized for both cases.
Permit requirements vary by city, county, and state. The information in this guide provides general guidance based on common building codes and practices across the US. Always verify requirements with your local building department before starting your project.