What is CrossBeam and what can it do for me?
Quick answer: CrossBeam Permits is AI plan check. Builders, architects and contractors use the same engine as PreCheck to review their plan set against state and local code before submittal, priced per review. Upload your construction documents and it hands you a findings report you can fix before you submit, or a corrections response if you already got a comment letter back from the city or county. It is available in supported jurisdictions in California and Washington, plus Denver and Kansas City, Missouri.
Steps
- Create your account and upload a plan set at /start. See Create an account.
- Pick the city or county and permit type, then pay for the review if your balance doesn't cover it.
- Open the results from Projects when the review finishes, fix what it found, and submit to the city.
What builders use it for
- Pre-check — run a set of plans through AI review before you submit to the city. You get sheet-by-sheet findings (pass / flag / fail), code citations, and the issues to fix.
- Corrections response — upload the corrections letter the city sent back, and CrossBeam drafts your response package item by item.
- Ask AI — ask the permit assistant about requirements, setbacks, fees, or process questions before you even start a project.
- Sharing — send a finished review to your designer, engineer, or client with a link. See Share a review.
- Partner-city submittal — some cities take submittals through CrossBeam. See Submit through a partner city.
Where it works
Available in supported jurisdictions in California and Washington, plus Denver and Kansas City, Missouri. Coverage varies by city and permit type. Reviews use the applicable state or model-code requirements and the available local amendments; choosing a city does not imply that every permit type is available there. See My city or county isn't in the dropdown.
CrossBeam Permits (crossbeam-permits.com) is not affiliated with Crossbeam, the partner-ecosystem software company at crossbeam.com.
What kinds of permits
Any permit with a construction document set, not just ADUs. That includes:
- Simple permits (EV chargers, solar, reroofs, panel upgrades, water heaters)
- Single-family residential (new homes, additions, remodels)
- ADUs and JADUs
- Multi-unit residential
- Commercial tenant improvements
Pick the permit type when you start a project. See Review pricing for what each type costs.
What it is not
- Not an official plan review. The city still issues the permit. CrossBeam catches problems before you submit so you don't burn a review cycle.
- Not a drafting tool. It reads your plans; it doesn't produce them.
- Not a licensed design professional. Any finding from AI needs to be confirmed by the project's design professional of record before submission.
Related
- Create an account — start at /start with Google or Microsoft
- Run a pre-check — upload plans and see the price before you pay
- Submit through a partner city