Inspectors may wear masks for inspections, maintain social distancing

Inspectors from the Bureau of Development Services may choose to wear masks for in-person inspections. Inspectors will wear masks where required or if requested by a property owner, permit applicant or job site manager.

Commercial Development Permitting and Inspections

Program

Find information about commercial development in Portland, including commercial permits and inspections. Get applications, forms and helpful information for a commercial development project. Get in touch with someone who works with major commercial projects or FPP, the Facilities Permit Program.

Featured content

Commercial Permit Submittal Requirements

Woman on a couch using a laptop to fill out a building application while looking at a web guide on how to fill it out.

Apply or Pay for Building Permits, Trade Permits, Signs and Zoning Permits

Smiling woman on mobile phone

15-Minute Question Appointments: Free Building Permit and Zoning Help

Woman on a couch using a laptop to fill out a building application while looking at a web guide on how to fill it out.

How to Fill Out a Building Permit Application- A Step-by-Step Guide

Early Assistance

Pre-Application Conferences

Life Safety Preliminary Meetings

Check the Status of a Building Permit Review

Inspector working on a site

Commercial Permit Inspections

Commercial high-rise building under construction downtown next to other high-rise buildings with train passing by on the street

Commercial New Construction and Addition Permits & Inspections

Process Management - Major Projects Group

FPP: Facility Permit Program

Check Permit Timelines

This photo illustrates measures taken to control erosion on a development site, notably the presence of hay and plastic sheeting to prevent the loss of dirt and sediment at a site.

Erosion Control

Cellular communications tower at sunset with city in the distance

Radio Frequency Transmission Facilities

This photo illustrates various types of reclaimed building materials, including windows, doors, wood beams and bricks.

Donate reusable construction materials

Man looking at the BDS newsletter on a cell phone.

Get Updates from BDS: Subscribe to the Plans Examiner

Contact

Permitting General Information

Development Services

503-823-7357Message Line

711Oregon Relay Service

Related offices, programs, advisory groups, and projects

Colorful mural depicting people.

Empowered Communities Program

City inspector visiting a building site

Development Services (BDS)

Many houses along the side of the street, with cars parked in front

Residential Development Permitting and Inspections

A house with solar panels on the roof and greenery in the yard

Residential and Commercial Solar Energy Development

SE 50th Avenue construction A

Trees and Development

Multi-story building in St. Johns neighborhood with retail and housing

Zoning and Land Use

News

Portland Permit Metric Dashboard updated

As part of the City of Portland’s permitting improvement efforts, a new online dashboard provides greater transparency into the development review process by illustrating numbers of permits and average timeframes in different phases of this process.

Updated January 9, 2023 3:30 pm News article

This photo shows a construction worker at a commercial building under construction.

New 2022 Oregon Structural Specialty Code and Oregon Mechanical Specialty Code editions took effect Oct. 1

Previous codes from 2019 will be phased out as of April 1, 2023. Please take note.

Updated January 1, 2023 5:00 pm News article

Inspector wearing a hard hat and reflective vest crouching down to inspect a HVAC system on top of a commercial roof.

Portland welcomes its new Building Official

The Bureau of Development Services announces the selection of Matt Rozzell as the City of Portland’s new Building Official, beginning Thursday, Dec. 22.

December 8, 2022 8:00 am News article

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