What Is a Transmittal in Construction?

By Wyatt Cooper · Published October 12, 2026 · 3 min read

Key takeaways

A transmittal is the cover, not the content: it lists what is enclosed and why, so both sides have a dated record of what changed hands.
Submittals are the most common thing sent under a transmittal, and many specifications name the form to use.
Number transmittals in one sequence and keep a copy of each; the dates on them are the evidence if a review is late.

A transmittal is a cover document sent with drawings, submittals or other project documents that lists what is enclosed, who it is from and to, the date, and why it is being sent: for approval, for review, for information or for the record. It gives both sides a dated record of exactly what changed hands.

What goes on a transmittal

Federal specifications make the form part of the procedure. UFGS 01 33 00 §1.6.1 says to send each submittal to the approving office "using the transmittal form prescribed by the Contracting Officer" (on Army jobs, ENG Form 4025-R), with "all information prescribed by the transmittal form", and to take "special care" listing the specification paragraph and drawing sheet for each item. The register's transmittal numbers are "consecutive, Contractor-assigned numbers". The City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering's shop drawing procedure starts the same way: the contractor completes its "Submittal Transmittal Form" and sends the package.

The fields of a typical transmittal
Field	Example
Transmittal number and date	T-014, November 23
From and to	GC project manager to the architect
Items enclosed	Submittal 003 Rev 0, panelboard shop drawings, 12 sheets
Spec section and sheets	26 24 16; E-601
Sent for	Approval, review, information, or record
Action needed by	December 7
Copies	MEP engineer, electrical subcontractor

Transmittal vs submittal

The submittal is the content: the shop drawings, cut sheets or samples being reviewed. The transmittal is the envelope that says what is inside and what the sender wants done with it. On a made-up job, the GC sends transmittal T-014 to the architect enclosing submittal 003 for approval; when the architect returns the reviewed drawings, its own transmittal records the date and the review code. The review code goes on the submittal, not on the transmittal.

Transmittals also cover documents that aren't submittals: a revised drawing set to the subs, closeout binders to the owner. The Los Angeles bureau's document control procedure logs each record's number, date received and date returned. Those dates are what show who was holding what if a delay is disputed later. To see how subs put the package together, read how to prepare a submittal; to track them all, use a submittal log.

The bottom line

A transmittal is the dated cover sheet that says what was sent, to whom and why. Use the form your specs name, number them in sequence and keep every copy.

Conflo has no separate transmittal form today: each submittal in its Submittals tool carries its own number, spec section, files and dates.

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Sources

UFGS 01 33 00 Submittal Procedures (August 2026), §1.6.1 and §1.9.4 — 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.
Project Delivery Manual, 16.5 Construction Document Control — City of Los Angeles, Bureau of Engineering. Read October 16, 2026.

Questions

Is a transmittal required for every submittal?

Often, yes. Many specifications require each submittal to travel with a transmittal on a named form, and some software produces one for each submittal. Check Division 01 of your specifications.

What is the difference between a transmittal and a letter?

A letter says something; a transmittal lists what is enclosed and what the sender wants done with it. A transmittal can carry a short remark, but anything that needs an answer about the documents belongs in an RFI.