Shed Permit in Portland, Oregon
It depends
Sometimes, depending on the project
Before building, demolishing, or moving a shed, garage, or other detached accessory structure that is more than 200 square feet in area or more than 15 feet tall.
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
Portland requires a building permit to build, tear down, or change a detached accessory structure over 200 square feet measured from the interior of exterior walls, or one taller than 15 feet measured from the grade plane to the average height of the highest roof surface. Non-habitable structures of 200 square feet or smaller do not need a building permit. On lots over 2 acres the exemption widens: no building permit if the structure is under 400 square feet and at least 20 feet from property lines and other structures. A building permit is required for habitable structures regardless of size.
Typical threshold: in area, or a height over 15 feet from the grade plane to the average height of the highest roof surface; on lots over 2 acres the area trigger rises to 400 square feet when the structure is at least 20 feet from property lines and other structures.
Who is pulling this permit?
Apply yourself
Hire it out
Before you sign, ask the contractor:
- Who pulls the permit, you or me, and is the permit fee included in the bid?
- Which inspections will this job need, and who meets the inspector on site?
- Is your contractor license active in this locality, and under which business name?
When a permit is usually needed
Before building, demolishing, or moving a shed, garage, or other detached accessory structure that is more than 200 square feet in area or more than 15 feet tall.
What a shed permit costs in Portland
How Portland compares in Oregon
Closest shed permit thresholds outside Oregon
Jurisdictions we cover whose limit sits nearest Portland's 200 sq ft.
- Austin, Texas, one-story detached accessory structures used as tool or storage sheds with floor area no greater than 200 sq ft and no more than 15 ft in height and no plumbing and not in a floodplain are exempt
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana, floor area of a detached accessory structure
- Bellevue, Washington, detached storage sheds playhouses or gazebos with a floor area of 200 square feet or less do not require a building permit; structures over 200 square feet require a permit
- Clark County, Nevada, sheds over 200 sq ft require a building permit; storage sheds 200 sq ft or under may be exempt under Building Administrative Code Section 22.02.190
How to apply in Portland
A residential shed permit application, once the shed is large enough to require one, is a set of construction documents that show what will be built and prove it meets the adopted residential code. In practice that means a written permit application, a scaled site plan locating the shed and its distances to the property lines, and construction documents covering the shed's foundation or anchoring system and its framing.
What most shed permit applications include:
- A written permit application identifying the proposed work and describing the property by its address or legal description, filed with the building department before construction begins (IRC R105.3).
- A scaled site plan showing the shed's size and location and its dimensioned distances to all property lines so required setbacks can be verified before the permit is issued (IRC R106.2).
- Construction documents showing the shed's foundation: freestanding accessory structures at or under the code's small-structure size and eave-height limits (600 square feet and a 10 foot eave height in the model code) are exempt from continuous footings but must still be shown supported on undisturbed soil or engineered fill and anchored to resist wind-induced uplift and overturning (IRC R403.1).
- Where the shed does sit on a continuous foundation with a wood sill plate, anchor bolt or approved strap details tying the sill plate to the foundation (IRC R403.1.6).
- Roof framing details showing the rafter-to-wall or truss-to-wall connections, since even a shed exempt from continuous footings must be anchored to resist wind-induced uplift and overturning (IRC R403.1; R802.11).
General submittal guidance from IRC R105.3 (permit application), R106.2 (site plan), R403.1 (footings and anchorage for accessory structures), and R403.1.6 (sill anchorage), 2021 IRC. Source. Portland Permitting & Development sets the exact checklist for Portland.
Where to apply in Portland:
Portland Permitting & Development
- Development Services Center, 1900 SW Fourth Avenue, First floor lobby, Portland, OR 97201
- Phone: 503-823-7300
- Email: permittingservices@portlandoregon.gov
Inspections and closing out your permit
A permitted shed is inspected in stages as it goes up: the foundation or the anchors that hold it down before they are covered, the framing before it is enclosed, and a final inspection once the shed is finished. Each stage checks the items that would be hidden or unsafe if skipped.
- Foundation or anchor inspection: called after any required footings, piers, or ground anchors are set and any forms or reinforcing steel are in place, but before concrete is placed, so the foundation or anchoring system can be verified before it is covered (IRC R109.1.1).
- Frame inspection: after the shed is framed, sheathed, and braced, the inspector checks the framing, bracing, fasteners, and the roof connections that resist wind uplift, before those elements are covered (IRC R109.1.4 frame inspection; R403.1 anchorage).
- Final inspection: made after the permitted work is complete and before the shed is used; work may not proceed past any inspection stage without the building official's approval (IRC R109.1.6 final inspection; R109.4 approval required).
- For a pre-fabricated or kit shed, the manufacturer's installation instructions must be on site at the time of inspection so the inspector can confirm the anchoring and assembly match the design (IRC R106.1.2).
Schedule each inspection in advance and pass the final before you use the work or close the permit. Request inspections through the Portland permit portal or by phone at 503-823-7300.
Inspection sequence from IRC R109.1.1 (foundation inspection), R109.1.4 (frame inspection), R109.1.6 (final inspection), and R106.1.2 (manufacturer's instructions on site), 2021 IRC. Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.
Your Shed Permit checklist for Portland
- Confirm the requirement. Sometimes, depending on the project. Typical threshold: in area, or a height over 15 feet from the grade plane to the average height of the highest roof surface; on lots over 2 acres the area trigger rises to 400 square feet when the structure is at least 20 feet from property lines and other structures. Usually needed: Before building, demolishing, or moving a shed, garage, or other detached accessory structure that is more than 200 square feet in area or more than 15 feet tall.
- Budget the fee. Building and Other Permits Fee Schedule for the City of Portland, effective July 10, 2026: Building Permit Fee is valuation based, with a $167.00 minimum fee for total value of construction work of $1 to $500. A Development Services Fee - Residential applies on top, minimum $21.19 in the same value band. The fee schedule notes the permit valuation methodology is mandated by the State of Oregon in OAR 918-050-0100, and the fee schedule page adds a 12% State of Oregon surcharge on building, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. A residential shed permit application, once the shed is large enough to require one, is a set of construction documents that show what will be built and prove it meets the adopted residential code. In practice that means a written permit application, a scaled site plan locating the shed and its distances to the property lines, and construction documents covering the shed's foundation or anchoring system and its framing. Start at the Portland permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. Portland Permitting & Development. Phone: 503-823-7300. Address: Development Services Center, 1900 SW Fourth Avenue, First floor lobby, Portland, OR 97201.
- Plan for inspections. A permitted shed is inspected in stages as it goes up: the foundation or the anchors that hold it down before they are covered, the framing before it is enclosed, and a final inspection once the shed is finished. Each stage checks the items that would be hidden or unsafe if skipped.
Compiled from the official sources on this page. Last checked .
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a shed permit in Portland?
- Portland requires a building permit to build, tear down, or change a detached accessory structure over 200 square feet measured from the interior of exterior walls, or one taller than 15 feet measured from the grade plane to the average height of the highest roof surface. Non-habitable structures of 200 square feet or smaller do not need a building permit. On lots over 2 acres the exemption widens: no building permit if the structure is under 400 square feet and at least 20 feet from property lines and other structures. A building permit is required for habitable structures regardless of size. In area, or a height over 15 feet from the grade plane to the average height of the highest roof surface; on lots over 2 acres the area trigger rises to 400 square feet when the structure is at least 20 feet from property lines and other structures. Always confirm with the office before starting.
- How much does a shed permit cost in Portland?
- Building and Other Permits Fee Schedule for the City of Portland, effective July 10, 2026: Building Permit Fee is valuation based, with a $167.00 minimum fee for total value of construction work of $1 to $500. A Development Services Fee - Residential applies on top, minimum $21.19 in the same value band. The fee schedule notes the permit valuation methodology is mandated by the State of Oregon in OAR 918-050-0100, and the fee schedule page adds a 12% State of Oregon surcharge on building, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- Where do you apply for a shed permit in Portland?
- You can apply through the Portland permit portal or contact the Portland Permitting & Development directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a shed permit themselves in Portland?
- Under Oregon law (ORS 701.010(7); ORS 701.325(1), (2), (3)): A homeowner may pull the permit and do the work. ORS 701.010(7) exempts from Construction Contractors Board licensing a person performing work on property that person owns, or on that person's own residence whether or not they own it, so no CCB license is needed to act as your own builder. That exemption does not cover someone working in the pursuit of an independent business with intent to offer the structure for sale. Oregon does require a signed disclosure at the counter: ORS 701.325(1) makes every city, county, or state permit office collect a written statement signed by the applicant, and an applicant claiming a licensing exemption must state the basis for it. ORS 701.325(2) requires the office to give the applicant the Information Notice to Property Owners About Construction Responsibilities and withhold the residential building permit until the applicant signs a statement, one option of which is that they are performing work on property they own or a residence they live in or will live in, and that any contractors they hire will be CCB licensed and properly endorsed. The Information Notice itself is a CCB rule form under ORS 701.325(3) covering payroll tax, workers' compensation, and liability and property damage insurance responsibilities. Confirm how Portland applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Portland
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | It depends | height of the deck walking surface above adjacent grade, taken 36 inches out from the edge of the deck | Building and Other Permits Fee Schedule for the City of Portland, effective July 10... |
| Electrical Permit | It depends | Not specified | Electrical Permit Fee Schedule for the City of Portland, effective July 10, 2026. |
| Fence Permit | It depends | wood and similar materials; 4 feet for masonry or concrete, 8 feet for woven wire or chain link, and any barrier around a swimming pool | Building and Other Permits Fee Schedule for the City of Portland, effective July 10... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Mechanical Permit Fee Schedule for the City of Portland, effective July 10, 2026, One &... |
| Patio Permit | It depends | area of an attached patio cover, porch cover, carport, or other open-sided roofed structure | Building and Other Permits Fee Schedule for the City of Portland, effective July 10... |
| Plumbing Permit | It depends | Not specified | Plumbing Permit Fee Schedule for the City of Portland, effective July 10, 2026. |
| Pool Permit | It depends | depth of water in a structure used for swimming or recreational bathing | Building and Other Permits Fee Schedule for the City of Portland, effective July 10... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | Not specified | Building and Other Permits Fee Schedule for the City of Portland, effective July 10... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Portland Permitting & Development publishes solar permit fee estimates, noting 'The fees... |
Shed Permit in other Oregon localities
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Portland documents; the office above sets the local rules.
- IRC R105.3 (permit application), R106.2 (site plan), R403.1 (footings and anchorage for accessory structures), and R403.1.6 (sill anchorage), 2021 IRC
- IRC R109.1.1 (foundation inspection), R109.1.4 (frame inspection), R109.1.6 (final inspection), and R106.1.2 (manufacturer's instructions on site), 2021 IRC
Verified by a person against the sources above on , not confirmed with Portland Permitting & Development. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page
Compare
Shed Permit across Oregon