Administrative overview · FIPS 41051
Multnomah County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
Municipal Fallback
This profile identifies a handoff outside the county’s ordinary structural permitting lane.
Required jurisdiction check
Confirm the controlling local or state authority before filing.
The record is marked Municipal Fallback. That means the county profile should be treated as a routing brief: incorporated municipalities, a state building department, or a state fire marshal may control plan review, permits, and inspections. Contact the named agency below and verify the parcel’s jurisdiction before paying a fee or scheduling field work.
Responsible agency
Multnomah County Land Use Planning; building permits issued by the applicable city, including Portland, Gresham, or another responsible municipal building authority
For a project in or near Multnomah County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
503-988-3043 (Land Use Planning); the building-permit phone depends on the responsible city
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Multnomah County Land Use Planning, 1600 SE 190th Ave., Portland, OR 97233
Operating hours
Land Use Planning staff are available by appointment Tuesday-Thursday; contact the office for current counter and appointment availability.
Review expectation
N/A. Multnomah County publishes no standard 2026 turnaround for zoning/building-plan review; applications are processed after complete materials and payment, and the building-permit timeline is controlled by the responsible city.
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Frequently asked questions for Multnomah County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
This record is marked Municipal Fallback. Confirm whether a city, state agency, or other local authority controls the parcel before filing.
How should I begin an application?
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact 503-988-3043 (Land Use Planning); the building-permit phone depends on the responsible city.
How long might review take?
N/A. Multnomah County publishes no standard 2026 turnaround for zoning/building-plan review; applications are processed after complete materials and payment, and the building-permit timeline is controlled by the responsible city.
How are inspections scheduled?
The city issuing the building permit schedules building inspections. Multnomah County Land Use Planning handles county zoning-plan review and can self-schedule inspections for issued Geologic Hazards, Erosion and Sediment Control, or Minimal Impact Project permits through the county permit portal. Contact 503-988-3043 for rural county review questions.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
For unincorporated Multnomah County, county enforcement includes Multnomah County Code Chapter 29 Building Regulations for non-permitted development and Chapters 38-39 land-use/zoning regulations. Actual building permits are issued by the responsible city under Oregon's current statewide specialty codes applicable in 2026, including the 2025 Oregon Structural Specialty Code, 2023 Oregon Residential/Electrical/Plumbing Specialty Codes, and 2025 Oregon Mechanical and Energy Efficiency Specialty Codes. Multnomah County states that new construction, additions, changes of use, commercial uses, and other development in unincorporated areas require county review or approval, even if a project is exempt from state building-code requirements. Limited Oregon specialty-code exemptions for ordinary maintenance, minor work, and qualifying agricultural structures may still apply, but they do not eliminate county zoning, land-use, access, floodplain, erosion-control, septic, or other approvals.