IFC export from Revit® is supposed to be simple. Built-in feature, right? In practice, it’s a mess. The built-in exporter produces incomplete models, loses custom parameters, has inconsistent property set mapping, and crashes on large files. And you need a Revit license just to run it.

We built a standalone RVT-to-IFC converter that reads .rvt files directly and generates proper IFC output. No Revit installed. No Autodesk® account. Runs from command line on Windows® and Linux.

Why not use Revit’s built-in IFC export?

Three reasons we keep hearing from teams:

1. License bottleneck — you need Revit running to export. If your IFC coordinator doesn’t have a seat, they can’t export. If you need to batch-export 50 models overnight, you need 50 Revit sessions (or one very slow queue).
2. Quality issues — Revit’s IFC exporter has known problems with certain element categories. Wall openings, curtain walls, complex geometry — results are unpredictable depending on the Revit version and IFC export settings.
3. No automation — it’s a GUI operation. You click File → Export → IFC, configure settings, wait. No scripting, no CI/CD, no batch processing without add-ins.

Quick start

# Clone
git clone https://github.com/datadrivenconstruction/cad2data-Revit-IFC-DWG-DGN.git

# Convert (Windows)
DDC_WINDOWS_Converters\DDC_CONVERTER_RVT_TO_IFC\RVT2IFCconverter.exe "C:\Projects\Building.rvt"

# With extended property mapping
RVT2IFCconverter.exe "C:\Projects\Building.rvt" preset=extended

# Linux
sudo apt install ddc-rvt2ifcconverter
ddc-rvt2ifcconverter input.rvt output_dir/

Export presets

IFC output versions

The converter produces IFC4 (ISO 16739-1:2018) by default. This is the current industry standard and the best choice for coordination, model checking, and archival.

Batch conversion

import subprocess
from pathlib import Path

converter = Path(r"C:\DDC\RVT2IFCconverter.exe")
for rvt in Path(r"C:\Models").glob("*.rvt"):
    result = subprocess.run(
        [str(converter), str(rvt), "preset=extended"],
        capture_output=True, timeout=600
    )
    print(f"{rvt.name}: {'OK' if result.returncode == 0 else 'FAIL'}")

Nightly batch export of all project models? Set it up as a scheduled task or GitHub® Action. Every morning, your coordination team has fresh IFC files without anyone touching Revit.

Use cases

• OpenBIM coordination — share IFC models with teams using different BIM platforms (ArchiCAD®, Tekla®, Allplan®)
• Model checking — feed IFC into Solibri™, BIMcollab, or open-source checkers for rule-based validation
• Archival — IFC is an ISO standard. Long-term storage in a non-proprietary format
• CI/CD for BIM — automated IFC export in build pipelines, paired with validation and reporting
• Government submissions — many public sector clients require IFC deliverables

FAQ

Can I convert Revit® to IFC without a license?

Yes. The converter reads .rvt files natively. No Revit, no Autodesk account needed.

What Revit versions are supported?

2015 through 2026. All versions, same converter binary.

Is the IFC output valid?

Yes. Validates against buildingSMART IFC schema. Use the IFC Validation Service or IfcOpenShell for additional checks.

Can I also get Excel data from the same Revit file?

Yes — use RvtExporter.exe for Excel output, or run both converters on the same file. See our Revit to Excel guide.

Best choice for Revit® to IFC conversion

Need data in spreadsheets instead? See our guides for Revit to Excel, DWG to Excel, IFC to Excel, and DGN to Excel conversion.

Revit® and AutoCAD® are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. ArchiCAD® is a registered trademark of Graphisoft SE. Tekla® is a registered trademark of Trimble Inc. Allplan® is a registered trademark of Nemetschek SE. Solibri™ is a trademark of Solibri, Inc. GitHub® is a registered trademark of GitHub, Inc. Excel® and Windows® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.