The United States has no single national BIM mandate, so adoption is being driven state by state. In 2026 the clear leaders are Wisconsin, Texas, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Utah, California and Florida, each for different reasons.
If you design, build or own buildings and infrastructure in the US, where you work shapes how much BIM your clients expect. Some state agencies have required BIM on public buildings since 2009. Others are now making the 3D model itself the legal contract document on highway and bridge jobs.
This article walks through the national picture, profiles the leading states with official sources, and explains what their progress means for your next project.
The national picture in 2026
The US is the largest BIM market in North America, and federal money is now pulling states toward model-based delivery.
Market size. Research firms differ on the exact figure, so treat these as ranges. Mordor Intelligence valued the North American BIM market at USD 3.98 billion in 2025, with the United States holding an 80.75% share (Mordor Intelligence). Grand View Research puts North America at 46.5% of global BIM revenue in 2024 and credits federal digital-construction mandates and aging infrastructure for US leadership (Grand View Research). Mordor also expects BIM services to grow at a 14.72% CAGR through 2031.
A national standard, not a mandate. The National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) launched the U.S. National BIM Program in September 2022 with a five-year implementation plan (NIBS / PR Newswire). It builds on the National BIM Standard-United States (NBIMS-US), the National CAD Standard and COBie. It sets shared practice but does not force anyone to use BIM.
Federal funding for digital delivery. The 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act created FHWA’s Advanced Digital Construction Management Systems (ADCMS) grant program. FHWA awarded $33.9 million to 10 states in November 2023 and $16.6 million to 8 states in November 2024. On August 17, 2026, it opened a combined FY2025–FY2026 round of up to $34 million; applications closed September 16, 2026 and are under review (FHWA ADCMS Grants).
Cities are moving too. In 2026, the NYC Department of Buildings issued Buildings Bulletin 2026-003, which recognizes voluntary use of BIM code-compliance-check software before filing. It does not replace standard DOB submissions (NYC DOB Bulletin 2026-003).
How we judged which states are leading
No official ranking of states by BIM use exists, so we looked at public, verifiable signals. These are written BIM requirements from state agencies, model-based delivery on transportation projects, and federal ADCMS grant awards.
| State | Landmark move | Where it stands in 2026 |
| Wisconsin | First state to require BIM on large public projects (July 2009) | Long-running requirement for state-funded buildings |
| Texas | Texas Facilities Commission adopted BIM for state projects (August 2009) | TxDOT aims for every district to award a digital-delivery project by end of 2027 |
| New York | NYC DDC BIM Guidelines (2012); NYC DOB 3D site safety plans (2013) | NYSDOT won a $3.4M ADCMS grant (2024); DOB Bulletin 2026-003 |
| Massachusetts | DCAMM BIM Guidelines (2015) | BIM used across all phases of DCAMM projects |
| Pennsylvania | PennDOT Digital Delivery Directive 2025 (launched late 2020) | Awarded its largest 3D-model deliverable in 2025; bridge target for 2029 |
| Utah | Early model-as-legal-document pilots on highway jobs | 25+ projects delivered without traditional plans |
| California | Caltrans BIM4I Implementation Plan (April 2023) | Directive making BIM4I part of project delivery (August 2025) |
| Florida | FDOT digital delivery pilots | Moving to require the model as a legal document |
The leading states, one by one
Wisconsin: the first mover on public buildings
Wisconsin was the first state to require BIM on public projects, effective July 1, 2009. The Division of State Facilities required BIM on projects with total funding of at least $5 million, and on new construction of at least $2.5 million (Drewry Simmons Vornehm).
The rule followed a pilot of 13 projects worth a combined $300 million, run from 2008 (Building Design+Construction). The state said the covered projects were only 5% of its project count but 60% of advertised budgets (Construction Advisor Today).
Texas: early on buildings, now scaling on roads
On August 12, 2009, one month after Wisconsin, the Texas Facilities Commission announced BIM for state design and construction projects (Drewry Simmons Vornehm).
The bigger story in 2026 is TxDOT. It is piloting digital delivery statewide and wants all 25 districts to award at least one digital-delivery project by the end of 2027. Its long-term goal is to make digital delivery the default (AASHTO Journal, May 2026). TxDOT’s program includes the model as the legal document, 3D breaklines for machine guidance, and digital as-builts (TxDOT Digital Delivery, 2025).
New York: city agencies set the pace
New York’s leadership comes largely from New York City agencies. The Department of Design and Construction (DDC) issued BIM Guidelines requiring BIM on new public building projects valued between $15 million and $50 million (ENR). The guidelines were already in use by January 2013 (NYC DDC Town+Gown).
The NYC Department of Buildings published a BIM Site Safety Submission manual in July 2013, allowing 3D site safety plans (NYC DOB BIM Manual). Site safety plans apply to new buildings of 10 or more stories, among other large jobs (ENR). At state level, NYSDOT received a $3.4 million ADCMS grant in 2024 to build BIM and digital as-built models for subsurface roadway assets (FHWA FY24 Recipients).
Massachusetts: BIM across the full project lifecycle
The Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) publishes BIM Guidelines for Design and Construction (2015). DCAMM staff and partners began using BIM in the early 2000s, mainly to cut clashes and change orders (Mass.gov).
Today DCAMM’s guide states that BIM is used for all phases of its projects (DCAMM BIM Guide). Firms awarded DCAMM contracts must submit a BIM Execution Plan for approval, and DCAMM provides Revit templates (Mass.gov BIM page).
Pennsylvania: the model becomes the contract
PennDOT’s Digital Delivery Directive 2025, begun in late 2020, set out to let PennDOT bid all construction projects using 3D models (ASCE Civil Engineering). Signed and sealed digital models replace 2D PDF plans as contract deliverables (HDR). Research cited by ASCE found digital delivery saved about 15% in change orders.
PennDOT’s District 1 used an IFC file as the legal document for a bridge design, which PennDOT calls a first for any US transportation agency. That contract, awarded in 2025, was Pennsylvania’s largest 3D model deliverable. PennDOT’s statewide goal is to design all integral abutment bridges under 90 feet with 3D models by 2029 (PennDOT).
Utah: proving paperless delivery works
Utah DOT was among the first to deliver highway projects with the 3D model as the legal document. By early 2022 it had awarded and built 15 such projects (ENR). UDOT’s George Lukes later reported more than 25 projects completed without traditional plans (ACEC webinar).
UDOT also won a $5 million ADCMS grant, the largest in the FY22–23 round, to support its digital twin (FHWA FY22–23 Recipients).
California: from pilots to policy
Caltrans published its BIM for Infrastructure (BIM4I) Implementation Plan in April 2023. Directive PDD-17, effective August 4, 2025, commits Caltrans to use BIM4I throughout project delivery and to hand over digital as-built models for asset management. State law AB 1037 (2022) also requires a plan for digital construction management (Caltrans PDD-17).
At its third annual BIM4I Summit in March 2026, with 228 in-person attendees, Caltrans introduced a five-year BIM4I Strategic Plan. The summit report concludes the question is no longer whether BIM4I adds value but how to scale it (Caltrans 2026 Summit Report). Caltrans also received a $3.92 million ADCMS grant.
Florida: model as legal document on major highways
Florida DOT is moving to require the model as a legal document, according to engineering firm RS&H. Its example is the central segment of the First Coast Expressway near Jacksonville, a $242 million greenfield project designed on a 12-month schedule with 3D models as the source of truth (RS&H, March 2026).
Other states to watch
FHWA’s ADCMS grants are a good signal of which state DOTs are next. Beyond the states profiled above, these received awards in the FY22–23 and FY24 rounds (FY22–23, FY24).
| State | Grant (USD) | Round | Focus |
| Illinois | $4.50M | FY22–23 | Reference-station network to support 3D models, LiDAR and machine guidance |
| Connecticut | $4.50M | FY22–23 | Digital project delivery system to eliminate PDF and paper |
| Delaware | $4.00M | FY22–23 | Connecting machinery data to digital inspection |
| Ohio | $3.29M | FY24 | Advancing the model as a legal document |
| New Hampshire | $3.20M | FY24 | Digital workflows, data standards and digital as-builts |
| Oklahoma | $3.08M | FY22–23 | Digital delivery strategic plan and modeling standards |
| Minnesota | $2.16M | FY22–23 | Asset data interoperability across construction |
| New Mexico | $1.86M | FY24 | Data standards from survey to asset management |
| Maine | $1.52M | FY24 | 3D model pilots and digital as-builts by 2030 |
| Iowa | $1.50M | FY22–23 | Capturing and storing digital as-built data |
| Arizona | $1.36M | FY24 | Modeling and delivery standards, plus workforce |
| Washington | $1.35M | FY22–23 | Extracting roadway data from LiDAR |
| Oregon | $1.02M | FY24 | Open-standards asset item library |
| Maryland | $1.00M | FY24 | Precise 3D survey of transportation infrastructure |
Iowa deserves special mention: UDOT began its own model-centric journey in 2014 by visiting Iowa DOT to learn how it shared electronic files with contractors (FHWA).
Why these states lead
The leaders share four traits: a large capital program, an owner that writes the rules, a pilot-first approach, and outside funding.
- Big public budgets need cost control. Wisconsin tied its mandate to projects that made up 60% of its advertised budgets. Massachusetts started with BIM to reduce clashes and change orders.
- The owner sets the standard. In every leading state, a public owner such as DSF, DCAMM, DDC or the state DOT publishes guidelines, templates and execution-plan requirements. Private firms then build skills to win that work.
- Pilots come before mandates. Wisconsin piloted 13 projects before its rule. Utah, Pennsylvania and Texas all piloted model-based delivery before scaling it.
- Federal money accelerates the shift. ADCMS grants, now in a new FY2025–FY2026 round, fund standards, training and pilots in more states each year.
The payoff these agencies cite is consistent: fewer change orders and RFIs, better coordination, and digital as-builts that feed asset management and digital twins.
What this means for owners, contractors and designers
If you bid public work in these states, BIM capability is increasingly a qualification, not a differentiator.
- Public building work. Expect BIM Execution Plans, owner Revit templates, LOD requirements and model-based submittals on state and city projects in Wisconsin, Massachusetts and New York City.
- Transportation work. In Pennsylvania, Utah, California, Texas and Florida, the 3D model is becoming the contract document. Designers must deliver signed and sealed models, and contractors must build from them.
- Existing assets. Digital as-builts and asset information models are now written into state DOT goals, which raises demand for scan-to-BIM and as-built modeling.
- Capacity gaps. ASCE notes that engineers experienced in BIM and 3D modeling will be in high demand. Many firms fill peaks by partnering with specialist BIM service providers for modeling, coordination and clash detection. At MaRS BIM Solutions, we help US architects, engineers and contractors meet these state and agency BIM requirements with Revit modeling, MEP coordination, clash detection and scan-to-BIM.
A practical first step is to read the BIM guide of the agency you target most, then check that your standards, templates and team skills match it. If you need a partner to close the gap, the MaRS BIM Solutions team can review your next project’s BIM requirements with you.
Key takeaways
- The US has national BIM standards through NIBS but no national mandate; states and cities set the requirements.
- Wisconsin (2009) and Texas (2009) were the first states to require BIM on public projects.
- Pennsylvania, Utah, California, Texas and Florida are leading the move to the 3D model as the legal contract document.
- FHWA ADCMS grants have reached 18 projects in 18 states so far, and a new round of up to $34 million is under review.
- For project teams, BIM readiness is now a condition of winning public work in these states.
