The Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement provides a range of forms relating to permits, plan review, and inspections.

The submittal of plans and forms is primarily done by email or by uploading project files. You must complete your forms with a computer and, in most cases, sign the form with a certificate-based Digital ID signature. It looks like this:

This is a legally binding signature and is the only type of electronic signature that we accept.

These instructions apply to Adobe Reader DC (free). The process is similar for fee-based Adobe Acrobat Pro. Those who have DocuSign accounts may also fill out and sign our forms.

STEPS

1.  Download Adobe Reader DC to your computer.
   
   
2.  Download the desired form and save it to your computer.
   
   
3.  Use Adobe Reader DC to locate and open the form.
   
   
4. Important! Simply begin to fill out the fillable form by typing directly into data fields; do not select the “Fill & Sign” or “Adobe Sign” features to fill out the form. After completing the form, you are then ready to place a Digital ID signature.
   
   
5. Go to the upper bar of your screen and select Tools.
   
   
   
6. A new screen opens. Click Certificates.
   
   
   
   
7. You’ll be returned to the main window. Click on Digitally Sign. (See footnote at end of webpage if you get a darkened screen.*) 
   
   
   THESE NEXT STEPS APPLY TO THE CREATION OF A DIGITAL ID. ON SUBSEQUENT USES OF YOUR DIGITAL ID, YOU WILL NOT NEED ALL OF THESE STEPS.
   
   
8. The message below appears and your mouse cursor changes to a crop mark. At the signature line on the form, drag the mouse to create a box big enough to provide a legible digital signature, approximately .75” tall X 2.5” wide.
   
   
   
9. A new window opens. Click on Configure Digital ID.
   
   
   
10. A window opens titled, Configure a Digital ID for Signing. For most users, select the last option, Create a new Digital ID. Click Continue.
    
    
    
11. A new window opens titled, Select the destination of the new Digital ID. Click Save to Windows Certificate Store, which stores the Digital ID on your computer. For MacOS, certificates are stored in your keychain. This is an acceptable form of authentication for the Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement. Click Continue. 
    
    
12. A new window opens titled, Create a self-signed Digital ID. Enter your name and email address. If you wish, enter your organizational information. The defaults for the fields Country/Region, Key Algorithm, and Use for Digital ID should appear as shown below. Do not change them unless to restore to the defaults as shown below. Click Save.
    
    
    
13. A new window opens titled, Sign with a Digital ID. Your newly created Digital ID is shown in the box. It is good for five years. Unless you have reason to select the option to configure a new digital ID, click Continue.
    
    
    
14. A new window appears and shows a large image of your digital signature. If you do not need to make any further changes to the form, check Lock document after signing. Then click the Sign button.
    
    
15. Before the computer places your signature, a window opens to allow you to indicate where the computer should save the signed form. Make any needed file location changes. Click Save.
    
    

Congratulations! You now have a completed form with a certificate-based Digital ID signature saved to your computer. You can email the signed form as an attachment to the relevant email address.

Going forward, you can swiftly place your Digital ID signature on forms without steps 8-13.

* IF YOU GET A DARKENED SCREEN at Step 7 after clicking on Digitally Sign:

• Click the Escape (Esc) button; go to Edit, scroll down to Preferences.
• Under Signatures, click on Creation and Appearance Preferences.
• Uncheck the last box, “Use modern user interface…”
• Click Save. Click Save again as you leave the Preferences tab. You can now resume Step 7.