What is the difference between a plan review and a permit in fire prevention practice?

• A. Plan review evaluates compliance before work starts; permit authorizes execution of work per plan.
• B. Plan review is for after completion; permit is just a draft.
• C. Plan review is optional; permit is not required.
• D. Plan review is for financial aspects; permit is for scheduling.

Answer: (A)

Plan review is the pre-construction check by the authority having jurisdiction to ensure the proposed design and fire protection features meet codes before any work starts. The permit is the formal authorization to proceed with the work, issued after the plan has been reviewed and approved, and it covers executing the work in accordance with the approved plan and subject to inspections. This separation shows why the correct statement is that plan review happens first to verify compliance, while the permit then authorizes execution of the work per that plan. The other descriptions aren’t accurate: plan review is not done after completion or treated as merely a draft, and permits are not simply about finances or scheduling.