What to Expect When You Order a Photometric Plan: Timeline, Process & Deliverables

Ordering a photometric plan typically takes 3–7 business days from project submission to final delivery. The process has four stages: you submit your project details (15 minutes), the designer scopes the work and confirms the fee (same day or next day), the plan is modeled and calculated (2–5 business days), and you review the deliverable with one or two revision rounds if needed. The result is a permit-ready PDF package containing point-by-point foot-candle grids, a fixture schedule, compliance documentation, and light trespass calculations.

If you've never ordered a photometric plan before, the process can feel opaque. This article walks through each stage so you know exactly what happens, what you need to provide, and what you'll receive — before you pick up the phone or fill out an intake form.

Stage 1: You submit your project details

Time: about 15 minutes of your effort.

This is the intake step. You provide the designer with enough information to understand your site, your project, and your jurisdiction. Here's what helps:

What you provide:

• A site plan. This is the single most important document. A CAD file (DWG or DXF) is ideal. A PDF of the architect's site plan works. A scaled aerial screenshot from Google Earth with the property boundary and key dimensions marked — that works too. Even a hand sketch with accurate dimensions is usable. The designer needs the site geometry, property boundaries, building footprints, and parking/drive aisle layout.
• The project jurisdiction. City and state. This determines which codes apply — whether it's standard IES-based municipal requirements, a dark sky ordinance, California Title 24, or a specific local overlay.
• Any known code requirements. If the plan reviewer has already told you what they expect (specific uniformity ratios, maximum property-line illuminance, IES RP-8 compliance, energy code documentation), share that. It prevents a round of back-and-forth.
• Fixture preferences, if any. If the architect has specified a fixture family, or the electrician already has a preferred manufacturer, provide the model numbers. The designer will source the IES files for those products and build the plan around them. If you don't have a fixture preference, the designer will recommend options that optimize performance and cost for your site.
• Your timeline. Standard delivery is 3–7 business days. If you're on a permit deadline or a construction schedule, say so — rush delivery (same-day or 24-hour) is typically available at a premium.

What format? Whatever you have. Contractors frequently submit a set of architectural plans as a PDF. Engineers submit CAD files. Property owners submit a Google Earth screenshot with dimensions. The designer works with what's available — don't delay the submission waiting for a perfect drawing.

Stage 2: Scope confirmation

Time: same day to next business day.

The designer reviews your submission and determines the scope of work. This involves:

• Identifying the applicable codes for your jurisdiction
• Counting the number of distinct calculation zones (parking lot, drive aisle, building perimeter, pedestrian walkway, loading dock — each is a separate zone)
• Assessing whether the project requires standard compliance documentation or enhanced documentation (dark sky BUG verification, Title 24 LPA calculations, energy code forms)
• Determining whether IES files need to be sourced or if you've provided fixture data

Based on this review, you receive a clear fee proposal. No obligation, no deposit for most providers. If the scope changes later — the plan reviewer requires additional calculation areas, or the architect adds a building phase — you'll know before additional work begins.

This is also where the designer asks clarifying questions if anything in the submission is ambiguous: site dimensions that don't match the scale, unlabeled areas on the site plan, conflicting information about mounting heights.

For a breakdown of what determines the fee, see the photometric plan pricing guide.

Stage 3: Design and calculation

Time: 2–5 business days for most projects.

This is the technical core — the work that produces the deliverable you're paying for. Here's what happens inside the photometric software:

Site modeling. The designer imports your site plan into calculation software (typically AGi32 for exterior projects, DIALux EVO for interior work) and builds a model of the site geometry — building footprints, property boundaries, parking areas, sidewalks, grade changes, and any obstructions that affect light distribution (canopies, freestanding signs, mature trees).

Fixture placement and optimization. Using the specified or recommended fixtures (loaded from manufacturer IES files), the designer places luminaires on the site — pole-mounted area lights, wall packs, bollards, under-canopy fixtures, whatever the project requires. The initial placement follows spacing rules of thumb based on mounting height and fixture distribution type, then gets refined through iterative calculation.

Point-by-point calculation. The software calculates foot-candle values at every grid point across each calculation zone — typically on a 5 to 20-foot grid, depending on the zone size and the plan reviewer's requirements. This produces the raw illuminance data: average fc, minimum fc, maximum fc, and uniformity ratios for every zone.

Light trespass analysis. The calculation grid extends to every property boundary, showing the foot-candle values at and beyond the property line. For projects in jurisdictions with specific property-line illuminance limits, this calculation is critical to compliance.

Compliance verification. The designer checks every calculation zone against the applicable standard — IES illuminance minimums, uniformity ratio limits, energy code wattage caps, dark sky BUG ratings — and adjusts the layout until all criteria are met simultaneously. This is often the most time-intensive step: moving a pole 10 feet resolves a trespass issue but creates a uniformity problem in the adjacent zone. It's an optimization puzzle.

Energy code check. For jurisdictions that enforce ASHRAE 90.1, IECC, or Title 24, the total installed wattage is verified against the allowable Lighting Power Density or Lighting Power Allowance. If the wattage exceeds the cap, the designer selects higher-efficacy fixtures, adjusts lumen packages, or removes redundant fixtures — without dropping below the illuminance minimums.

Stage 4: Delivery and review

Time: delivery is immediate; revisions take 1–3 business days if needed.

You receive the complete deliverable package. For most professional photometric plans, this includes:

• Point-by-point calculation grid: Foot-candle values at regular intervals across every calculation zone, presented on the site plan
• Fixture schedule: Manufacturer, model number, wattage, lumen output, CCT, BUG rating, mounting height, and distribution type for every fixture on the plan
• Site plan overlay: Fixture locations and pole positions plotted on the site plan with calculation zone boundaries clearly marked
• Photometric summary statistics: Average fc, minimum fc, maximum fc, max:min uniformity ratio, and avg:min uniformity ratio for each zone
• Light trespass calculations: Foot-candle values at all property boundaries
• Compliance summary: A table or narrative mapping each applicable code requirement to the plan's demonstrated performance
• Iso-footcandle contour lines: Color-coded visualization showing light distribution patterns across the site

Additional deliverables — energy code calculation worksheets (Title 24 NRCC-LTO forms, ASHRAE 90.1 LPD documentation), 3D renderings, DWG/CAD source files — may be included as standard or available as add-ons depending on the project scope.

Most professional plans include 1–2 revision rounds in the base fee. Common revision scenarios: the plan reviewer requests a different calculation grid spacing, the architect changes the fixture specification after reviewing the initial plan, the general contractor discovers a site condition (utility pole, easement, grade change) that wasn't on the original site plan.

After delivery: the plan review cycle

Submitting a photometric plan for permit review is like submitting any other engineered drawing. The plan reviewer checks:

• Do the foot-candle values meet the jurisdiction's minimum illuminance requirements?
• Are the uniformity ratios within the acceptable range?
• Do the property-line trespass values comply with the lighting ordinance?
• Does the total installed wattage comply with the energy code?
• Are the required compliance forms attached?

If comments come back, the designer revises the plan to address each item and resubmits. This is a normal part of the permit process — similar to structural or mechanical plan review comments. Most photometric plans pass on first or second submittal.

The entire process — from initial submission through permit approval — typically takes 2–4 weeks, depending on the jurisdiction's plan review queue. The photometric plan itself is usually the fastest part of that timeline.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need to provide to get started?

At minimum: a site plan with dimensions and the project's city/state. CAD files are ideal, but PDFs, aerial images, or even hand sketches work. The more detail you provide upfront (code requirements, fixture preferences, timeline), the faster the scope confirmation and design process.

Can I get a photometric plan if I don't have a site plan yet?

A preliminary plan can be produced from an aerial image or a rough sketch, but the accuracy depends on the quality of the dimensional data. For a permit-ready deliverable, you'll eventually need a site plan with accurate property boundaries and building footprints — the photometric plan must align with the architectural drawings submitted for the building permit.

How much does a photometric plan cost?

Most commercial photometric plans cost $300–$2,500 depending on site complexity, number of calculation zones, code requirements, and turnaround time. See the full pricing guide for a breakdown by project type.

What if my plan reviewer requests changes?

Most professional plans include revision rounds. The designer reviews the plan reviewer's comments, adjusts the layout or documentation as needed, and provides a revised plan for resubmittal. Common comments involve grid spacing preferences, additional compliance documentation, or light trespass concerns — all addressable without starting over.

Do I keep the CAD files?

This varies by provider. Some include DWG/CAD source files as standard. Others provide them as an add-on. The standard deliverable is a PDF package — sufficient for permit submittal and construction. If you need CAD files for coordination with the architect's drawing set, confirm this when scoping the project.

Can you match a specific fixture that was already specified by the architect?

Yes. If the architect or engineer has specified fixtures, the plan is built around those selections using the manufacturer's IES photometric data files. This is one of the primary advantages of a manufacturer-agnostic photometric plan — it works with any fixture from any manufacturer.