Submission Process for Access Control Systems
In March 2025, the Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) and Land Development Services (LDS) sent out a letter to industry titled, "Submittal and Inspection Requirements for Access and Egress Control, Delayed Egress Locking, and Latching Systems". The following is provided to account for recent system enhancements to PLUS to streamline the application process.
If building and fire reviews were completed as part of a set of plans submitted under a building record (e.g., Commercial New, Commercial Addition/Alteration), applicants should apply for a Commercial Electrical record as usual. During the application process, they must provide the associated “parent” record number. If special locking systems are proposed, a separate submission to OFM is still required to obtain an access control permit.
For standalone projects with no associated building record, applicants must apply for a Commercial Electrical record via PLUS. They should select “Low Voltage Only” as the Type of Work and answer “Yes” to the Access Control question. Once the application is submitted, this will activate the Plan Room, allowing for plan uploads. A separate submission to OFM is required if special locking systems are proposed.
 Required submission documents include:
- The Fairfax County Coversheet
- Plans, to include a life safety/egress plan and door hardware schedule and to be signed/sealed, as required under the Electrical heading of the county’s Signed and Sealed Drawings
For additional details, please refer to the following online resources:
If you have questions, please contact LDS Permit Services at LDSBuildingPermits@fairfaxcounty.gov or the Office of the Fire Marshal at fire.ENGPlansReview@fairfaxcounty.gov.
|
