A title block is the fixed panel, usually along the bottom or right edge of a drawing sheet, that says what the sheet is, which project it belongs to, who prepared, checked and approved it, at what scale, which revision it is and what it may be used for. It is the first thing to read on any sheet.
At a glance
| Where | Bottom right or along one edge of every sheet |
| Identifies | Project, client, sheet title, sheet number or container ID |
| Records | Drawn, checked and approved by, with dates; revision; status |
| Often carries | A professional seal, scale, north point, the firm's details |
| Under ISO 19650 | The container name and its status and revision codes |
What a title block contains
| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Project and client | Which job the sheet belongs to |
| Sheet title and number | What the sheet shows, and its place in the set |
| Scale | The scale of the views, or "as shown" when they differ |
| Drawn / checked / approved | Who did each step, with initials and dates |
| Revision | The current version, often with a revision table nearby |
| Status | What the sheet may be used for: information, coordination, construction |
| Seal or stamp | The licensed professional who takes responsibility, where required |
| Designer and firm | Who carries responsibility for the design |
How it is used on projects
Title blocks are set up once per project, usually in a shared template, so every sheet from every team carries the same fields. On projects following ISO 19650 the sheet's unique container name appears in the title block, and its status and revision come from the CDE's metadata. Reviewers read the title block first: a sheet with the wrong status or an old revision is not checked further until it is replaced.
On older sets, such as mid-twentieth-century civil drawings, title blocks are simpler: a project name, a sheet name, a scale, and lines for who made, traced and checked the sheet. Empty lines are information too: an unfilled "checked" line means no check was recorded on the sheet.
Variations
- Architectural and engineering offices use their own layouts; the client or the project standard often prescribes one.
- Highway agencies use statewide or agency title blocks with project numbers, sheet totals and approval blocks.
- Shop and fabrication drawings carry the fabricator's block, often with the designer's review stamp added.
Common mistakes
- Reading the drawing before the title block, and using a superseded or "for information" sheet.
- Typing the revision or status by hand on the sheet instead of reading it from the CDE, so the two drift apart.
- Leaving checked and approved fields empty on sheets issued for construction.
- Different title blocks from different teams, so fields can't be read or checked consistently.
Where to read more
ISO 19650-2 and its national annexes (for container names, status and revision codes); your country's national CAD or drawing standards; the project's information standard; and the client's or agency's title block requirements.