Fee Schedules: Building Permit Costs, Trade Permit Costs and Other BDS Fees

Fees
Fees for the Bureau of Development Services (BDS) are updated annually, subject to approval by the Portland City Council and the Multnomah County Commission. These include fees for residential, commercial, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, site development, signs and awning permits, and others
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Fee-related services include permits for new and altered buildings and their properties, land use reviews, certificates and registrations, inspections, and other compliance services and fees collected for other Portland bureaus. 

The following information outlines the individual fees and charges that might be part of your total project cost:

  • Your project could have fees from several fee tables. For example, a residential addition could have fees from the building permit, site development, plumbing, and electrical fee tables.
  • System Development Charges and development fees. In addition to System Development Charges, other City bureaus may charge development fees. Please review their fee schedules below.
  • Metro Tax. Your project could be affected by Metro Excise Tax.
  • Surcharge. For all building, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits, a 12% surcharge is applied by the State of Oregon.  
  • Contact the Development Services Center for the estimated costs associated with your specific project.

City of Portland fee schedules


Unincorporated Multnomah County fee schedules


Other City Bureaus - Fee Schedules


System Development Charges (SDCs)

If you are applying for a building permit for development in the City of Portland, system development charges (SDCs) may apply to your project. SDCs are one-time fees based on the proposed new use or increase in use of a property. They apply to both new construction and residential projects which increase the impact on city infrastructure.

Important! Depending on the project, SDCs may increase a project's budget substantially. It is important to determine the impact of SDC fees as early as possible in the process.

There are four City of Portland bureaus that have approved SDC charges. To find out if the SDCs apply to your project, and how much they will be, please use the following handout:

Environmental Services

Service: Sewers: 503-823-7761

There is a sanitary sewer system SDC and a stormwater SDC.

Housing - Housing Development

Residential: 503-823-3270
Commercial: 503-823-9042

Portland Housing Bureau administers SDC exemption for affordable housing programs.

Parks and Recreation

Residential development; park capital improvements: 503-823-5105

These are one-time fees assessed to new residential and some commercial development in Portland. The fees cover a portion of the cost to provide for parks and recreation facilities that are needed to serve new residential development.

Transportation

Transportation Projects: 503-823-7002

You will be assessed an SDC if you receive a building permit from the City of Portland for new development or change the use of an existing building in a way that will generate additional trips to the site.

Water

Water Projects: 503-823-7368

The charge is based on the size of the meter installed and is assessed for all domestic and irrigation services. Fire lines are not assessed an SDC fee.

Joint Office of Homeless Services

Contact: 503-988-2525

Joint Office of Homeless Services administers SDC exemption for mass shelters and short-term housing.


School Construction Excise Tax

In 2007, the Oregon State Legislature passed a law (SB1036) that will help Oregon school districts pay for a portion of the cost of new or expanded school facilities. The bill allows school boards, in cooperation with cities and counties, to tax new residential and non-residential development.

This tax will require developers to share the cost of growth with school districts. For more information about the tax, who has to pay it, collection details and implementation dates, please review these forms:

Affordable Housing Construction Excise Tax

Effective August 1, 2016, the City of Portland is collecting a tax on residential and commercial building projects with improvements valued at $100,000 or more. The tax is calculated as 1% of the permit valuation. The Portland Housing Bureau proposed the tax to help fund affordable housing programs and Portland City Council approved it in June, 2016.

Previous City of Portland and Unincorporated Multnomah County fee schedules

You can also review past Portland and unincorporated Multnomah County fee schedules if you need to apply the previous fiscal year's fees (effective July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023).

Valuation methods

Read more about valuation methods

Get an estimate for a building permit 

Estimate the cost of a building permit

Contact

General Inquiries

Development Services
phone number503-823-7300Our front desk team will be available to answer Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please leave a message if you call outside of those hours.
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