What are the most common reasons electrical plans for ADUs get plan check corrections?

Most ADU electrical corrections come down to a handful of recurring issues — and nearly all of them are avoidable with a complete, code-current plan set. Knowing the usual suspects lets you head them off before submittal instead of burning a correction cycle (which can add weeks to your timeline) on something predictable.

The most common corrections

1. Missing or unsupported load calculation. A formal NEC Article 220 calculation is a required submittal, and an absent, estimated, or copied calc is the single most frequent kickback. The panel size must be justified by the math.
2. Missing EV-ready provisions. No conduit pathway or reserved breaker space for EV charging where the city's reach code requires it.
3. Insufficient GFCI coverage. Kitchen counters, bathrooms, garages, outdoor receptacles, and within-6-feet-of-a-sink locations not protected.
4. Missing AFCI protection. Bedroom and habitable-room 120V circuits not shown as AFCI on the panel schedule.
5. Smoke and CO alarms absent or mislocated. Not in/outside each sleeping area, not on each story, or not shown as interconnected and hardwired.
6. Panel working-clearance violations. The panel located without the roughly 30-inch-wide by 36-inch-deep clear space in front (or placed in a prohibited spot like a closet or bathroom).

Corrections specific to subpanels and feeders

• Improper neutral-ground bonding in the subpanel. Neutral and ground tied together downstream of the main — a serious defect and an automatic failure. A subpanel must use a four-wire feeder with the neutral isolated.
• Missing grounding electrode system for a detached structure (no ground rods or Ufer shown).
• Undersized feeder or ignored voltage drop on long runs to a detached ADU.
• Missing dedicated circuits for the range, water heater, or HVAC.
• No single-line/riser diagram or incomplete conductor and conduit sizing.

How to avoid a correction cycle

Most of these are documentation gaps, not field problems. A plan set that includes a defensible load calc, a complete panel schedule with AFCI/GFCI designations, a riser diagram, alarm locations, EV conduit, and proper grounding details clears the common traps before a reviewer ever opens it.

Our electrical plans are built around this checklist, and two revisions plus any city plan-check corrections are included with every order — so if the reviewer does ask for a change, we make it at no extra charge. Requirements vary by jurisdiction and code cycle; confirm with your local building department. See how it works or place an order to get started.