We receive questions all the time from people wondering about high piled storage permits. I have already gone over when you would need one, and what you need to apply for a permit. In this post, I will delve into the process and timeline of getting your pallet rack permitted. Remember, this process will vary depending on the city or municipality that your warehouse is in.
The first step in the journey is a customer contacting us to take care of the permit for them when they buy pallet rack. We will then go to their jobsite with a coordinator, and check out the conditions of the warehouse, talk to them about their plans for the layout of the system, and make sure they have the necessary equipment. The building needs to have emergency lights, signage, and sprinklers to start with. Then, we will apply for a permit review date which usually is 3-4 weeks in the future.
During the waiting period for the permit review date, we gather all of the documents we need. We will enlist the help of appropriate design professionals, which will likely include structural and electrical engineers, as well as an architect or CAD designer. These professionals will prepare the necessary construction documents and drawings. After the documents are complete, we review them with the customer to see if any other construction work would be required in their warehouse. In some instances, they may need to add an exit door or stairway, add emergency lighting, or add exit signage in order for the permit to be approved and a Certificate of Occupancy issued.
A few days before the review date, we will submit the permit application with all the drawings and documents that they need. On the review date, a city official will review everything in the application. They might ask us some questions or to explain certain things. If everything is approved, a few days later the permit can be picked up. We then print out the drawings and take them and the permit to the job site, where they can start construction.
Once the construction is complete, we can request a building and fire inspection, and in some cases other inspections, like electrical. When the inspections are passed, the Certificate of Occupancy is issued and the customer can begin operations with their pallet rack and warehouse.
The entire process can take up to a month or more, but, again, varies depending on where you are located and how strict the local laws are. Check your local government’s website to see what is required specifically where your warehouse is located.
Contact us if you have permitting questions or need help getting your pallet racking and warehouse permitted.
