Oregon building permits

Where to get a building permit in Oregon

Apply to the building department of the city, town or county where the property is (the steps).

Our Oregon city guides, with each department's contacts, fees, inspections and project rules:

• Portland

Oregon state agencies

These offices set statewide codes or license the trades. They do not issue permits for most home projects.

Building code in Oregon

For homes, the residential code is the 2026 Oregon Residential Specialty Code (ORSC)³, in effect since October 1, 2026³ (statewide; applies everywhere¹).

Every code family, edition and effective date is on Oregon building codes.

State rules on which work needs a permit

ORS 455.310; ORS 455.315

• Chapter 455 is not meant to require permits or fees for repairs and maintenance that do not violate the intent of the structural and fire and life safety provisions, on a single-family residence or its accessory private garage, carport or storage shed. (1) It is not the purpose of this chapter to require that permits be obtained or fees be paid for repairs and maintenance that do not violate the intent of the structural and fire and life safety specialty provisions of the State of Oregon Structural Specialty Code and the Low-Rise Residential Dwelling Code, adopted pursuant to ORS 455.020 and 455.610, ORS chapter 476, ORS 479.015 to 479.200 and 479.210 to 479.220, when such repair or maintenance is done on a single-family residence, or a private garage, carport or storage shed that is accessory to a single-family residence.¹
• Director keeps the list of permit-exempt items (slabs, driveways, porches, patio covers, small accessory buildings, window/door, siding and roofing replacement, etc.). The director shall, pursuant to ORS chapter 183, develop and maintain an applicable list of such exempt items, which shall include, but not be limited to, concrete slabs, driveways, sidewalks, masonry repair, porches, patio covers, painting, interior wall, floor or ceiling covering, nonbearing partitions, shelving, cabinet work, gutters, downspouts, small accessory buildings, door and window replacements, replacement or repair of siding and replacement or repair of roofing.¹
• Agricultural buildings, agricultural grading, equine and dog training facilities exempt from the structural code. (1) The provisions of this chapter do not authorize the application of a state structural specialty code to any agricultural building, agricultural grading, equine facility or dog training facility.¹
• Agricultural building excludes dwellings. (B) “Agricultural building” does not mean: (i) A dwelling…¹
• DCBS may run a statewide permit system for minor work that municipalities must accept. Every municipality that administers and enforces a building program under ORS 455.148 or 455.150 must recognize and accept permits issued by the department under this section.¹

Homeowners doing their own work

ORS 701.010(5), (7); ORS 455.320

• Owner working on own property is exempt from CCB contractor licensing. (7) A person performing work on a property that person owns or performing work as the owner’s employee, whether the property is occupied by the owner or not, or a person performing work on that person’s residence, whether or not that person owns the residence.⁷
• Exemption lost if building to sell. This subsection does not apply to a person performing work on a structure owned by that person or the owner’s employee, if the work is performed in the pursuit of an independent business with the intent of offering the structure for sale before, upon or after completion.⁷
• Owner who hires licensed contractors (ORS 701.010(5)): not occupying after completion is prima facie evidence of intent to sell. It is prima facie evidence that there was an intent of offering the structure for sale if the person who constructed, remodeled or repaired the structure or arranged to have the structure constructed, remodeled or repaired does not occupy the structure after its completion.⁷
• Owner-built dwellings exempt from ceiling height, room size and temperature requirements. (2) Owner-built dwellings and outbuildings shall be exempt from any requirements of the structural code for ceiling heights, room sizes and the maintenance of specific temperature levels in those structures.¹
• Noncomplying owner-built permit must be recorded with county clerk. If the dwelling or other structure does not comply with these requirements, the owner-builder shall file a copy of the building permit with the county clerk, who shall make the permit a part of the permanent deed record of the property.¹

Applies to

Owner (of record) who intends to occupy; built by owner and unpaid friends/relatives¹

Contractor licensing

ORS 701.021; 701.990; 701.992

• CCB license with endorsement required to work as a contractor. (1) Except as provided in ORS 701.010, a person or joint venture that undertakes, offers to undertake or submits a bid to do work as a contractor must have a current license issued by the Construction Contractors Board and possess an appropriate endorsement as provided in this section.⁷
• Residential endorsements. (2) A person or joint venture that undertakes, offers to undertake or submits a bid to do work as a contractor in preparation for or in connection with a residential structure must have one of the following endorsements: (a) Residential general contractor. (b) Residential specialty contractor. (c) Residential limited contractor.⁷
• Unlicensed contracting is a Class A misdemeanor. (1) Violation of ORS 701.021 is a Class A misdemeanor.⁷
• $5,000. (1) Except as provided in subsections (4) and (5) of this section, any person who violates any provision of this chapter or any rule adopted by the Construction Contractors Board shall forfeit and pay into the General Fund of the State Treasury a civil penalty in an amount determined by the board of not more than $5,000 for each offense.⁷

Handyman limits

ORS 701.010(4)

• $1,000. (4) A person working on one structure or project, under one or more contracts, when the aggregate price of all of that person’s contracts for labor, materials and all other items is less than $1,000 and such work is of a casual, minor or inconsequential nature.⁷
• Exemption unavailable to anyone advertising as a contractor. This subsection does not apply to a person who advertises or puts out any sign or card or other device that might indicate to the public that the person is a contractor.⁷

Deadlines for permit decisions and inspections

ORS 455.467; ORS 455.160

• 10 business days. (a) For a jurisdiction with a population that is less than 300,000, within 10 business days of receiving a complete application, or shall implement the process described in ORS 455.465.¹
• 15 business days. (b) For a jurisdiction with a population that is 300,000 or more, within 15 business days of receiving a complete application, or shall implement the process described in ORS 455.465.¹
• Exceptions: outside-agency approval, complex structures, director-approved schedules. The plan is for a complex structure that requires additional review as determined by the department or municipality…¹
• Pattern of untimely inspections/plan reviews prohibited; written demand then mandamus. (2) Any person adversely affected by a pattern of conduct prohibited in subsection (1) of this section may serve the municipality or the department with a written demand to provide timely inspections or plan reviews.¹

Applies to

Simple low-rise residential dwellings¹

Private plan review and inspections

ORS 455.465; ORS 455.815

• Jurisdictions must accept plan reviews from licensed private reviewers or contract with one. (a) Designate at least three persons licensed under ORS 455.457 from whom the department or municipality will accept plan reviews; or (b) Contract with a person licensed under ORS 455.457 and may include as a term of the contract a process for collection of plan review fees.¹
• Optional local master builder program can waive some inspections. (1) Local government establishment of a master builder program is voluntary.¹
• Inspections that may be waived for master builders. Subject to subsections (3) to (5) of this section, a building official may allow a master builder to verify that the master builder has properly performed an installation on a project and, to the extent that inspection would duplicate the verification conducted by the master builder, may waive government performance of the following required inspections: (a) Drywall; (b) Footings and setbacks…¹

Selling a home with unpermitted work

ORS 105.464; ORS 105.465

• Seller must deliver the statutory disclosure statement. (2) Except as provided in ORS 105.475 (4), a seller shall complete, sign and deliver a seller’s property disclosure statement as set forth in ORS 105.464 to each buyer who makes a written offer to purchase real property in this state.⁸
• Form asks whether additions/remodeling needed and obtained a permit and final inspection. Are there any additions, conversions or remodeling? [ ]Yes [ ]No [ ]Unknown If yes, was a building permit required? [ ]Yes [ ]No [ ]Unknown [ ]NA If yes, was a building permit obtained? [ ]Yes [ ]No [ ]Unknown [ ]NA If yes, was final inspection obtained? [ ]Yes [ ]No [ ]Unknown [ ]NA…⁸
• Form asks whether woodstove/insert was installed with a permit. *If yes, was it installed with a permit? [ ]Yes [ ]No [ ]Unknown…⁸

Applies to

1-4 dwelling units, condos, timeshares, owner-land manufactured dwellings⁸

What local governments may change

ORS 455.040(1)

• State building code preempts different local requirements. The state building code shall be applicable and uniform throughout this state and in all municipalities, and no municipality shall enact or enforce any ordinance, rule or regulation relating to the same matters encompassed by the state building code but which provides different requirements unless authorized by the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services.¹
• Director encourages local experimentation. The director shall encourage experimentation, innovation and cost effectiveness by municipalities in the adoption of ordinances, rules or regulations which conflict with the state building code.¹

Can local rules be stricter?

No, unless authorized by the DCBS director¹

Accessory dwelling units (ADUs)

ORS 197A.425; ORS 215.495

• Cities over 2,500 and counties over 15,000 must allow at least one ADU per detached single-unit dwelling inside the UGB. (1)(a) A city with a population greater than 2,500 or a county with a population greater than 15,000 shall allow in areas within the urban growth boundary that are zoned for detached single-unit dwellings the development of at least one accessory dwelling unit for each detached single-unit dwelling, subject to reasonable local regulations relating to siting and design.⁹
• ADU may be interior, attached or detached. (A) “Accessory dwelling unit” means an interior, attached or detached residential structure that is used in connection with or that is accessory to a single-unit dwelling.⁹
• No owner-occupancy or extra off-street parking requirements. (B) “Reasonable local regulations relating to siting and design” does not include owner-occupancy requirements of either the primary or accessory structure or requirements to construct additional off-street parking.⁹
• Vacation occupancies may still be regulated. (2) Subsection (1) of this section does not prohibit local governments from regulating vacation occupancies, as defined in ORS 90.100, to require owner-occupancy or off-street parking.⁹

Applies to

Cities >2,500 and counties >15,000 population, inside urban growth boundaries⁹

Can local rules be stricter?

Local siting and design rules allowed, but not owner-occupancy or added parking⁹