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Check the status of your building permit, trade permit or other Bureau of Development Services residential and commercial permits.
Permit review process: permit requests, technical reviews and pre-issuance
A permit’s review process at the Bureau of Development Services (BDS) happens in three phases:
- We receive your permit request. The preliminary review of the permit application, documents and drawings begins.
- We complete technical reviews of the application. Here, we make sure all codes and requirements are met and approved.
- Pre-issuance, the final quality-assurance check, is completed and approved before a permit is issued.
Permit requests: the preliminary review of your project
After you send us your permit request, we review your application to make sure it meets submittal requirements. If those requirements are not met, we will send you a list of what you need to complete your application through Development Hub PDX. For information about what to include in a project submittal, please review our building permits or trade permits guidelines.
This is what happens during the preliminary review:
- If your plans meet submittal requirements, we set up a building permit and request more screening by Planning & Zoning and Life Safety. These groups review the plans to make sure all applicable Building Code and Zoning Code requirements are met.
- If we need more information, we send you a list of what you need to complete your application through Development Hub PDX.
- Once the project has been approved by all departments, we'll send you instructions about the next steps for your application.
When application review will happen
The application review is completed in chronological order based upon the time and date of submission. Check the reports linked here to find out more about the current order of permit requests.
Every recent permit request (updated daily)
Review the most recent list* of permits requested:
*If you don't see today's daily permit request list posted, please try a different browser or clear your cache/cookies/history and try again.
Check permit status online and technical reviews begin
Once you get the instructions about next steps for your permit, technical reviews begin. You can follow the status of your permit online. Check the status of your permit online using Portland Maps. And, read more about Development Services' permit statuses and what they mean.
Watch this video on how to track the status of your permit! Available in English and en Español.
Learn more about tracking your building permit application
Learn more about tracking your building permit application:
Applicant paid overtime form- request earlier project review
Some plan review groups accept requests for “Applicant Paid Overtime” to review projects earlier than the projected due date. However, all assigned reviews must be approved before we can issue a permit. Also, applicant paid overtime availability varies. You can email your completed applicant paid overtime form to Permitting Services.
Pre-issuance: The last review of your project
- Pre-issuance is the last step before your permit is final. Once pre-issuance is assigned, you can find the Permit Technician's contact information on Portland Maps to reach out to the City employee working on your permit.
- We review plans to see what changes were made. We also make sure the changes do not require another review.
- If changes occur during the review process, the reviewers will be notified – this will show on PortlandMaps as ‘Hold see comments.’
- Review that fees are accurate.
Review the most recent* list (updated daily):
*If you don't see today's daily pre-issuance list posted, please try a different browser or clear your cache/cookies/history and try again.
Next steps for your permit
- This review is completed in chronological order based upon the sign-off date of the last technical review.
- Many things can delay the final review. For example, the number of changes to the plan, the complexity of the project and when we learn about any changes may all cause a delay.
- Once your pre-issuance check is completed, we'll contact you. We'll let you know the permit is ready to issue and we'll let you know about any fees due.