What Is a Submittal in Construction?
By Wyatt Cooper · Published · Updated · 4 min read
Key takeaways
- A submittal shows how the contractor will meet the contract documents; it is not part of them, and approving it doesn't change them.
- The specifications say which submittals are required: each section lists them, and Division 01 sets how they are sent, reviewed and coded.
- Work that needs a submittal waits for its approval, and the contractor stays responsible for errors in what it submitted.
A submittal is a document or sample the contractor sends the architect or engineer for review before building a part of the work, to show how it will meet the contract documents. The main types are shop drawings, product data and samples, plus test reports, certificates and closeout documents. The specifications list which ones each section requires.
Submittals in the contract
The AIA's general conditions, A201–2017 §3.12, define the three main kinds. Shop drawings are drawn for the job by the contractor, a sub or a supplier "to illustrate some portion of the Work". Product data are the manufacturer's illustrations, performance charts and brochures. Samples are "physical examples" that "establish standards by which the Work will be judged". All three "are not Contract Documents": they show how the contractor "proposes to conform" to them.
Federal jobs use a longer list. UFGS 01 33 00 numbers eleven submittal descriptions, from SD-01 preconstruction submittals and SD-02 shop drawings to SD-10 operation and maintenance data and SD-11 closeout submittals. Some need approval; others are for information only and are just filed.
| Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Shop drawings | Embed plate layout for the canopy steel, with anchor locations and field dimensions |
| Product data | The cut sheet for floor drain FD-3, with the model and strainer marked |
| Samples | Three paint draw-downs of the specified color |
| Design data | The concrete mix design for the footings |
| Certificates and test reports | The manufacturer's statement that the doors meet the fire rating |
| Closeout | Warranties and O&M manuals for the rooftop units |
An example: one submittal from start to finish
On a made-up job, the electrical sub prepares submittal 003, panelboard shop drawings for spec section 26 24 16. It sends them to the GC, which checks and stamps them and sends them to the architect. The MEP engineer finds an aluminum bus where the spec calls for copper, and the architect returns it "approved as noted". The sub orders the panels with copper bus. The GC logs the code and the date on the submittal log.
Two rules hold through all of it. Under A201–2017 §3.12.7, work that needs a submittal waits until it is approved. And under §3.12.8 the approval doesn't relieve the contractor of errors in the submittal or of deviations it didn't point out. The City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering's shop drawing procedure gives the reason the process matters: a delay in it "could cause a delay to the overall project completion".
Submittal or RFI?
A submittal answers "here is how we will build it; is that acceptable?" An RFI asks "what do the documents mean?" The full comparison is in RFI vs submittal. How subs put one together is in how to prepare a submittal, and Conflo's Submittals tool routes each one through GC and design review.
The bottom line
A submittal is the contractor's proof, before building, that what it will install meets the specs: shop drawings, product data, samples and the documents around them.
The specs say which ones, Division 01 says how, and the log shows where each one stands.
Sources
- Summary: A201–2017, General Conditions of the Contract for Construction — AIA Contract Documents. Read October 17, 2026.
- UFGS 01 33 00 Submittal Procedures (August 2026) — Whole Building Design Guide, USACE / NAVFAC / AFCEC. Read October 16, 2026.
- Project Delivery Manual, 16.1 Shop Drawings — City of Los Angeles, Bureau of Engineering. Read October 16, 2026.
Questions
Who reviews submittals?
The general contractor checks each one first, then the architect, who often routes it to the engineer whose work it covers. Information-only submittals may be filed without a design review. Your contract and specifications name the reviewers.
Is an approved submittal part of the contract?
No. Under AIA A201–2017, submittals are not contract documents. The contractor builds in accordance with approved submittals, but an approval doesn't change the contract unless a deviation was pointed out and approved in writing or a change order covers it.
What is a submittal log?
The list of every submittal the specifications require, with its number, spec section, type, who prepares and reviews it, its dates and its review code. The GC usually builds it from the specs after award.
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