Plumbing Permits- Commercial

Who can do commercial plumbing work

If you operate a business in a commercial structure or at a commercial use site, a licensed plumbing contractor must buy the permit and do the work. 
 
Contractors must have a license to work in Oregon. The Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) issues licenses to contractors. The permit application (below) and the contractor's company materials must list the license number. 

All plumbing contractors additionally must be licensed by the Oregon State Plumbing Board (PB). 

Installation of sanitary sewers starting five feet outside a structure also require a Plumbing Business (PB) license and CCB license.

Need help finding a contractor? The CCB website has good tips on how to search for one.

You can find information about residential plumbing permits on the Plumbing Permits—Residential webpage.

Homeowners doing condo plumbing projects 

If you own a condo, you may be able to do some simple plumbing projects yourself. Please call the number listed on this webpage for Commercial Plumbing Inspections with questions. 

Apply for a commercial plumbing permit 

• If plan review is not needed, you can get your commercial plumbing permit online using Development Hub PDX. Get step-by-step instructionsto submit a permit application request online. You can also submit your completed application by email.
• If your plumbing permit needs plan review, the plumbing plans should be submitted with your commercial building plans on Development Hub PDX. The plumbing permit application should be emailed to us separately.

Call the General Inquiries phone number if you have questions about getting a permit. 

Plumbing permit application 

Backflow prevention assembly information and sample site plan

Water may require that you install a backflow prevention assembly at the property line. You'll install the assembly on your property on the center line of the City water service. Call Water at 503-823-7480 to learn more. You can also find more information in the sample site plan (often called a plot plan):

If you've already had a plumbing plan review, complete these steps 

If your commercial building permit has had a plumbing plan review, complete these steps to get your plumbing permit:

• Verify that plumbing plan review was approved for your commercial building permit
• Fill out the plumbing permit application (above)
• Email us the completed application

If commercial plumbing work needs plan review 

If the plumbing work needs drawings and plan review, you must have plan review for complex structures. A plumbing system designed, constructed or reconstructed to accommodate any of the following: 

• Installation or alteration of a medical gas and vacuum system for health care facilities
• Installation or alteration of chemical drainage waste and vent systems containing chemical agents potentially detrimental to the integrity of a plumbing system
• Installation or alteration of wastewater pretreatment systems for building sewers
• Installation of vacuum drainage waste and vent systems 
• Installation or alteration of reclaimed wastewater systems 
• Installation of a commercial booster pump system needed to maintain a minimum residual water pressure in a structure supplied by a municipal source 
• Installation of a plumbing system requiring a building water service line with an interior diameter or nominal pipe size of two inches or greater except those two inch systems which have been designed and stamped by a licensed engineer
• Installation of any multi-purpose sprinkler system under standards adopted by the department 

We may ask you to provide more information, depending on your project type. 

Plumbing plan review requirements for drawings and plans

Drawings shall comply with the Oregon State Plumbing Specialty Code. 

Plumbing plans shall contain the following information:

• Drawn to scale showing the location of all the plumbing fixtures and the location of the rain drains or roof drains. Provide the elevation of the lowest floor containing plumbing fixtures or drains.
• Site or plot plan showing the following information:
  • Size, location, depth of burial and type of material of the storm sewer and sanitary sewer from the building to the point of disposal
  • Size, location, water pressure, depth of burial and type of material of the water line from the building to the property line or water supply
  • Provide the elevation of the street or road to which the building sewers drain
  • If the street or road elevation is the same elevation as the lowest floor level, or higher, show the elevation of the next upstream manhole cover of the public sewer
• Drawing showing the size and type of material for the drainage system, venting system, storm water system, hot and cold water piping, 13D fire sprinkler systems and medical gas vacuum systems in or adjacent to the building. Medgas plans are required to be stamped by an Oregon registered professional engineer.
• A riser diagram supplied for a building three stories or more in height for the drainage system, vent system and storm water system showing size of lines and type of material
• A riser diagram supplied for a building three stories or more in height for hot and cold water piping, including size, type of material, pressure available, height and required pressure for specific installations
• A copy of the specifications describing fixtures, appliances, roof drains and other appurtenances supplied.

Food Service Establishments: You must get approval from the Multnomah County Health Department (503) 988-3400 before the plumbing plan review. Or you must have approval from the Oregon State Agriculture Dept. (503) 986-4720 before the plumbing plan review.

Plumbing plan review process 

The Commercial Plumbing section of Portland Permitting & Development reviews the plans. It generally takes ten business days to review and issue the permit. If you have questions, please call Commercial Plumbing Inspections.  

The Environmental Soils Section of Portland Permitting & Development approves septic tank installations.

Environmental Services needs to approve:

• Sanitary sewer connections to public sewers
• Proposed storm sewers to a public sewer, natural drainage way, curb or public right-of-way
• Separate inspections for private stormwater treatment systems.  
• System Development Charges “SDCs” when additional plumbing fixtures are added.

Commercial plumbing permit fees

Based on the scope of work, the fees are listed on the plumbing application (below). On the application you will need to describe the scope of work and provide a detailed list of all plumbing work. If you have questions, please call the Commercial Inspections Plumbing.

Expired permits or permits about to expire

Apply for a permit extension or reactivation.

Commercial plumbing inspections, results and corrections

To schedule an inspection, call the automated inspection request line. You will need your IVR or permit number and the three-digit code for the inspection.

Get the results of the inspection online on Portland Maps.

Not approved - there are some reasons why the electrical work did not get approved:

• no access - the inspector may not have been able to inspect the work
• incomplete work
• code violation

The inspector will list the corrections needed on the inspection report. 
Call for a reinspection after making the corrections. Use the same three-digit inspection code.
If you make the corrections the same day wait until 5 pm to request a reinspection. The inspector needs to enter their results before you can schedule the reinspection.

There is a reinspection fee charged for more than one reinspection for a single issue.

Contact commercial plumbing inspectors

If you have questions before your inspection, you can talk to an inspector. The commercial plumbing inspector area map lists the inspector's name, area, and phone number.  The best time to reach an inspector is between 7:30 and 8 a.m. 

Small Business Empowerment Program

The Small Business Empowerment Program assists Black, Indigenous and people of color business owners and business owners with disabilities recognized by the ADA who have experienced barriers in the review process. Learn more about how we can help.