Plan check guide · Portland
Portland Permitting & Development, formed in 2024 by merging the former Bureau of Development Services with several permitting teams, reviews building plans against Oregon’s statewide specialty codes rather than a Portland-only building code. This guide collects what PP&D, Portland Fire & Rescue, and the state publish: review paths, code basis, submission rules, and what the completeness checklists and building code guides ask designers to show.
In Portland, Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D) reviews building plans against Oregon’s statewide specialty codes: the 2025 Oregon Structural Specialty Code for commercial and multifamily work, and the 2023 Oregon Residential Specialty Code for one- and two-family dwellings, both submitted through DevHub PDX using the Single PDF Process. When a reviewer finds a problem, PP&D issues a Checksheet, and the applicant uploads corrected plans and a written response back through DevHub, or picks up paper plans by appointment once every assigned review is complete.
Portland at a glance
| Question | What the official source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who reviews building plans? | Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D), created in 2024 by merging the former Bureau of Development Services with the permitting teams of Environmental Services, Transportation, the Water Bureau, and Urban Forestry. | Portland Permitting & Development launches |
| Which code applies? | Oregon sets codes statewide. Commercial and multifamily work follows the 2025 Oregon Structural Specialty Code, based on the 2024 IBC and mandatory since April 1, 2026; one- and two-family work follows the 2023 Oregon Residential Specialty Code, based on the 2021 IRC. | Building Codes Division: Oregon Structural Specialty Code adoption |
| How are plans submitted? | Through DevHub PDX using the Single PDF Process: all drawing sheets combined into one landscape PDF, scanned at 150 dpi where needed, with space reserved for PP&D’s approval stamp. | New 2025 Oregon Structural Specialty Code and Oregon Mechanical Specialty Code editions took effect Oct. 1 |
| How long does review take? | The City’s published timeliness standard is 7 days for residential alterations and 20 days for new commercial construction, but a 2021 City Auditor report found the City had not been meeting that standard for either type over the preceding five years. | Building Permit Review Audit (Portland City Auditor) |
| What if my project is unusually complex? | A paid Life Safety Preliminary Meeting lets reviewers discuss egress, structural, sprinkler, and accessibility issues before formal submittal, recommended when a phone call is not enough. | Life Safety Preliminary Meetings |
| How do I respond to a correction? | PP&D issues a Checksheet listing what must be addressed. Single PDF Process applicants upload corrected plans and responses back through DevHub; paper-plan applicants schedule a pickup appointment once every assigned review is complete. | Permit Review and Getting Your Permit |
Sources reviewed September 12, 2026. Requirements change; confirm the current version with City of Portland Permitting & Development.
Who reviews
PP&D itself covers zoning, life safety, structural, and site development review. Other bureaus review the scopes that touch their systems, and several approvals can be conditions of the same building permit.
Reviews building permit plans for fire and life-safety code compliance and fire apparatus access and water-supply adequacy; publishes its own design guides (fire sprinkler design basis, FDC sizing, standpipe, high-piled storage) used during plan review.
Reviews sanitary sewer connections and stormwater management under the Stormwater Management Manual (SWMM), including how an ecoroof built to the Central City 2035 zoning standard counts toward a project's stormwater obligation.
Reviews water service sizing and hydrant permits, and backflow-prevention installation.
Reviews land use, sidewalk and driveway permit conditions tied to a building permit.
Zoning Code compliance, and Design Review or Historic Resource review approvals (certificates of compliance) that can be conditions of a related building permit.
Review paths
Informational-only meeting between city staff and an applicant, usually before a land use review application, to flag significant zoning and infrastructure issues before design is finalized.
Paid, scheduled meeting with Life Safety plan reviewers (and a Fire Marshal's Office representative for Process Manager meetings) to discuss complex OSSC/OFC issues -- egress, fire-resistive construction, structural, sprinklers, accessibility, occupancy classification -- before formal plan submittal; recommended when a phone call or 15-minute appointment isn't enough, including when seismic upgrades might be triggered.
Default path for commercial, multifamily and larger residential projects: plans are routed to the applicable review groups (structural, life safety, zoning, site development, plus Fire, BES, Water, PBOT and Urban Forestry as scope requires) and reviewed in the order the prior technical review was signed off.
Ongoing-improvement program for owners, management companies and tenants who do frequent interior tenant improvements, maintenance and trade alterations in one building; a dedicated team handles plan review, permitting and inspections for all of that customer's projects, with monthly consolidated billing. New construction, additions, occupancy changes to a higher hazard, and condo/apartment buildings are excluded.
The City's published timeliness standard for initial plan review is 7 days for alterations to an existing residential building and 20 days for new commercial construction; a 2021 City Auditor report found the City had not met this standard for either commercial or residential permits in the preceding five years, with new-construction reviews least likely to hit the goal and over 80% of standard permits needing at least one correction cycle. (source) PP&D's Permit Review Dashboard reports actual historical median/average business days to reach 'approved to issue' status by work type, broken out since January 2020, rather than a forward-looking target; data refresh weekly (Mondays). (source) In 2021 City Council created a Permit Improvement Task Force that set goals to reduce commercial review times; the 2024 PP&D bureau merger and a 2024 rollout of new commercial plan-review technology were both framed as steps toward those goals. (source) Registering for the Facility Permit Program takes about 1-2 weeks; PP&D notes that responsiveness to checksheets and complete initial submittals substantially affect how quickly individual FPP permits move. (source) A Land Use Services technician contacts an Early Assistance applicant within 3-4 business days of an emailed request with payment instructions to schedule the meeting. (source)
What PP&D asks for
Portland does not publish a single correction sheet. These items come from PP&D’s residential Life Safety and Structural Review Completeness Checklist, its plumbing plan-review checklists, its Commercial Permit Application Requirements page, and its numbered Building Code Guides. Paraphrased from the department’s published documents, grouped by topic. The documents do not rank items by how often they are issued.
| Topic | What the published document asks for | Code cited | Sheets that usually change | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Code analysis | For occupancy or use changes, provide a building code analysis comparing existing and proposed occupant loads as part of the seismic-upgrade trigger determination, alongside the building permit application. | — | cover sheet / code analysis, occupancy comparison table | Commercial Permit Application Requirements page, Alterations with Use/Occupancy Changes |
| Occupant load and egress width | Floor plans affected by the scope of work must fully dimension each level, distinguish demolished/existing/proposed walls with a legend, and show windows (size, sill height, method of operation, safety glazing, window wells) and doors with size and swing direction. | — | floor plans | Life Safety and Structural Review Completeness Checklist for Residential Additions and Alterations, Architectural Drawings section |
| Stairs, handrails, and guards | For any project involving stairs, provide stair details with dimensions for risers, treads, headroom clearance, guardrails and handrails. | — | stair sections/details | Life Safety and Structural Review Completeness Checklist for Residential Additions and Alterations, Architectural Drawings section |
| Fire-rated assemblies | When converting non-habitable space to habitable space, provide fire-rated construction details for exterior walls or eaves that sit less than 3 feet from a property line. | ORSC 302.3 | exterior wall/eave details | Life Safety and Structural Review Completeness Checklist for Residential Additions and Alterations, Habitable Conversion section |
| Fire separation distance | For an accessory dwelling unit, show the fire separation between the ADU and the main dwelling unit and its supporting construction, plus room labels distinguishing main-unit, ADU and common spaces. | ORSC 302.3 | floor plans, wall section/fire-rating details | Life Safety and Structural Review Completeness Checklist for Residential Additions and Alterations, ADU section |
| Accessible toilet rooms | Accessibility submittals should show maneuvering clearances and grab bar locations at accessible fixtures as part of the accessibility documentation for a commercial permit. | — | enlarged restroom plans, accessibility details | Commercial Permit Application Requirements page, Accessibility section |
| Path of travel in alterations | A commercial permit application should include a barrier-removal summary -- an itemized list of accessible improvements and their cost as a ratio of the overall project cost -- along with an analysis of which existing-building alteration compliance method was used (Prescriptive, or Alteration Level 1/2/3), with the prescriptive path assumed if none is stated. | — | accessibility/barrier-removal summary sheet, code analysis | Commercial Permit Application Requirements page, Accessibility section |
| Special inspection | For Designated Seismic Systems in Risk Category III/IV structures, the construction documents must specify which equipment/components require special seismic certification, backed by a certificate of compliance and anchorage calculations from an Oregon licensed structural engineer, plus the engineer of record's notation that the system conforms to the building's design. | OSSC 1704.3.2; OSSC 1705.12.3; OSSC Table 1604.5 | structural general notes, mechanical/electrical equipment schedules | BCG 17-11: Seismic Certification |
| Deferred submittals | Roof/floor trusses, I-joists, manufactured guardrail systems and specialized stairways may be deferred, but geotechnical-related items -- excavation/shoring plans, helical anchors, retaining walls, deep foundations other than micropiles, and shallow foundations -- may not; every deferred sheet and calculation cover page needs an Oregon-registered design professional's seal. | OSSC 107.3.4.1 | cover sheet deferred-item list; deferred submittal packages | Deferred Submittal Guidelines, Eligible/Ineligible Items and Sealing |
| Deferred submittals | The Engineer or Architect of Record must review deferred submittal drawings and calculations and add a notation such as 'No Exceptions Taken,' 'Approved' or 'Reviewed' directly on the drawings; 'Revise and Resubmit' or 'Rejected' notations, or stamps on transmittal letters alone, are not accepted. | OSSC 107.3.4.1 | deferred submittal drawings | Deferred Submittal Guidelines, Review Stamps |
| Sheet coordination | Drawings must be legible and archivable: minimum 3/32-inch text, drawn to scale and fully dimensioned, black lines/lettering on a white background (no color), high enough contrast to scan, and correctly oriented (no mirrored plans). | ORSC 106.1.1 | all sheets | Life Safety and Structural Review Completeness Checklist for Residential Additions and Alterations, General Information section |
| Structural calculations and signatures | For lateral bracing, identify whether the prescriptive or engineered design path is used: the prescriptive path needs each shear panel location/length and a shear wall type legend with connector details on the plans, while the engineered path needs calculations with a valid, current Oregon engineer's stamp plus a shear wall and hold-down schedule, with every construction detail from the calculations shown on the plans. | — | structural framing plans, shear wall schedule, structural details | Life Safety and Structural Review Completeness Checklist for Residential Additions and Alterations, Structural Drawings section |
| Structural calculations and signatures | Gravity load design must show the load transfer from added or altered areas: roof and floor framing plans, foundation plan, hardware/fasteners/nailing patterns, and beams identified as existing, new or removed with calculations cross-referenced to the plan. | — | roof/floor framing plans, foundation plan, structural details | Life Safety and Structural Review Completeness Checklist for Residential Additions and Alterations, Structural Drawings section |
| Structural calculations and signatures | Roof/floor trusses and I-joists must have a layout coordinated with the plans (or be flagged as deferred), with grade/series identified and a valid, current Oregon engineer's stamp. | — | framing plans, truss layout | Life Safety and Structural Review Completeness Checklist for Residential Additions and Alterations, Structural Drawings section |
| Geotechnical report | Foundation and retaining wall design may rely on the code's default soil properties, or on a submitted geotechnical report; a report is required to justify non-standard conditions such as sloping backfill or surcharge loads, and an ASCE 41 seismic evaluation report is required above a Chapter 24.85 construction-cost threshold ($386,338 as of February 2026). | Portland City Code 24.85.060 | foundation plan, structural general notes | Structural Design Requirements for Commercial Structures page, Geotechnical Reports and Seismic Evaluations |
| Energy compliance | Provide energy conservation information -- insulation R-values for ceilings, walls and floors, U-values for windows and doors -- and submit the Energy Efficiency Additional Measures form with the selected measures identified on the plans. | — | energy notes, wall/floor/ceiling sections | Life Safety and Structural Review Completeness Checklist for Residential Additions and Alterations, Architectural Drawings section |
| Energy compliance | Commercial buildings over 10,000 sq ft must submit an Energy Efficiency Compliance Acknowledgment, and projects adding or increasing space conditioning must complete a Commissioning Compliance Checklist. | — | energy/mechanical compliance forms | Commercial Permit Application Requirements page, Documents list |
| Green building | In the Central City Plan District, most buildings must meet an ecoroof coverage standard under the Zoning Code; an ecoroof built to that standard also counts as an approved stormwater facility under the Stormwater Management Manual, but added stormwater management may still be required if the ecoroof alone doesn't cover the site's full obligation. | Portland City Code 33.510.243 | roof plan, landscape/ecoroof plan, stormwater management plan | Guidance on CC2035 Ecoroof Requirements and the Stormwater Management Manual |
| Plumbing fixture count | For any proposed food service occupancy, the Multnomah County Health Department or the Oregon Department of Agriculture must approve the floor plan -- including fixture placement -- before city plumbing plan review occurs, and at least one county- or state-stamped copy of that plan must be submitted with the plumbing plans. | — | floor plan with plumbing fixture layout | Commercial Plumbing Plan Review Requirements (Program Guide), Section B.4, Additional Requirement for Food Service |
| Fire sprinklers and alarms | A multi-purpose fire sprinkler system supplied by the potable water system counts as one of the OAR-defined complex plumbing systems that requires plumbing plan review, and needs to be flagged as such on the plan-review-required checklist. | OAR 918-780-0040 | plumbing/fire protection plans, code analysis | Commercial/Residential Complex Plumbing Systems Requiring Plan Review Checklist |
| Site plan information | The site plan must show property lines and street names, the footprint of the building and other site structures with dimensions between them, grade elevations at building corners and property lines, and a north arrow. | ORSC 106.1.1 | site plan | Life Safety and Structural Review Completeness Checklist for Residential Additions and Alterations, Site Plan section |
| Site plan information | New construction and addition submittals need civil/site plans with grading and landscaping details in addition to the architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical plan sets. | — | civil/site plan, grading plan, landscape plan | Commercial Permit Application Requirements page, New Construction & Additions section |
Respond and resubmit
When plans don't meet code or need clarification, the assigned reviewer issues a Checksheet listing the problems or questions that must be addressed before the permit can move forward. Source
Single PDF Process (preferred) applicants upload corrected plans and responses back through DevHub PDX; PP&D calls this its preferred method for receiving, reviewing, correcting and issuing permits. Source
Paper-plan applicants must schedule an appointment to pick up the plan set, make the corrections, and return it; all required reviews must be complete before the plans can be picked up. Source
If a resubmittal still doesn't meet code, the reviewer can issue another Checksheet, and additional plan review fees can apply to further correction cycles. Source
Plumbing plan revisions follow the same submittal process as an initial plumbing plan review, with the applicant's contact information on a standard transmittal form; an additional plan review fee applies to every plumbing revision submittal. Source
If a project owner initially declines plumbing plan review on the Plumbing Plan Review Checklist and it turns out review was required, a plumbing permit revision must be obtained (fee: 25% of the plumbing permit plan-review portion plus the permit fee and state surcharge), and plumbing construction stops until that revision is issued. Source
Official documents
One- and two-family residential additions/alterations: drawing legibility, site plan, architectural drawings, energy conservation info, structural (lateral bracing and gravity load) drawings, and scope-specific items (ADUs, habitable conversions, pools, short-term rentals, adult foster care)
Screening checklist an applicant signs to determine whether OAR 918-780-0040 'complex' plumbing systems trigger mandatory plan review, or whether review is optional
Plumbing plan content and submittal requirements for commercial/complex plumbing systems: fixture/drain locations, site utility sizing and depth, riser diagrams for 3+ story buildings, food-service and medical-gas plan requirements
Fire apparatus access road geometry, fire hydrant distribution and clearance, fire flow and fire department connections enforced during plan review
Topic-specific interpretive guides used in plan review: seismic retrofit/certification, single-stair apartments, structural anchors in unreinforced masonry, fire sprinklers in R occupancies, corridor alcoves, deferred items, and more
Which structural items may/may not be deferred, required Engineer/Architect of Record review notation, and DevHub submittal process
Designated Seismic System certification documentation required at permit submittal for Risk Category III/IV structures
Before you submit
Upload the drawings with the 2025 Oregon Structural Specialty Code and 2023 Oregon Residential Specialty Code PDFs that apply to the project. Groundbook compares the sheets with each other and with those references, and links each potential issue to its sources for your team to verify.
Look for incomplete information and conflicting requirements before the first plan check cycle.
Prepare for submissionCompare the stated design with the code and local references you supply.
Review against codesWhich code PDFs to bring, and how Groundbook uses them in a review.
Read the guideQuestions, answered
Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D) reviews building permits. It was created July 1, 2024 by merging the former Bureau of Development Services with the permitting teams of Environmental Services, Transportation, the Water Bureau and Urban Forestry into one bureau; older documents and URLs still reference 'BDS'.
Oregon sets the codes statewide rather than Portland writing its own building code. Commercial/multifamily work follows the 2025 Oregon Structural Specialty Code (based on the 2024 IBC/IFC/IEBC, mandatory April 1, 2026), one- and two-family work follows the 2023 Oregon Residential Specialty Code (based on the 2021 IRC), and fire provisions follow the 2025 Oregon Fire Code as further amended locally by Portland Fire & Rescue.
PP&D issues a Checksheet listing what must be corrected. Single PDF Process applicants upload the corrected plan set and responses back through DevHub PDX (PP&D's preferred method); paper-plan applicants schedule an appointment to pick up, correct and return the set once every assigned review is complete.
All drawing sheets go into one combined, unsecured PDF (Single PDF Process, generally 35 pages or fewer), in landscape orientation and drawn to scale, with scanned pages at 150 dpi, short descriptive filenames, no electronic signatures or embedded fonts, and blank space in a top-right or bottom-right corner for PP&D's stamp; separate documents (application, calculations) are uploaded individually.
No. Groundbook surfaces potential conflicts and omissions in the drawings you upload, with links to the sources, for your team to verify before submitting. PP&D reviews the application and makes every approval decision.
Official source directory
Bureau overview, current name, and links to related programs
July 1, 2024 merger of BDS with BES/PBOT/Water/Urban Forestry permitting teams into PP&D; ~350 staff
Lists every review group by bureau: PP&D's own zoning, life safety, structural and site development groups, plus Fire, Environmental Services, Water and Transportation
Core/project-specific document checklist: structural, fire/life safety, accessibility, energy, site development items; links commercial forms
State page: 2025 OSSC based on 2024 IBC/IFC/IEBC; effective Oct. 1, 2025; 2022 OSSC usable through March 31, 2026, mandatory April 1, 2026
State page: 2026 ORSC (based on 2024 IRC) adoption process underway, anticipated Oct. 1, 2026 -- not yet in force; confirms 2023 ORSC is the code being replaced
Portland.gov news item on the 2025 OSSC/OMSC rollout and dual-code grace period
Early Assistance program overview: Zoning/Infrastructure Review, Pre-Permit Zoning Plan Check, response timing
Scope and topics of the paid pre-submittal Life Safety meeting; request process
Describes the Checksheet correction mechanism, Single PDF Process vs. paper-plan pickup/resubmittal, review order
FPP eligibility, exclusions, dedicated review team model, registration timeline
Revised Oct. 1, 2006 BDS program guide; complex-system definitions, plan content, food-service and medical-gas requirements, revision process
7-day residential alteration / 20-day new commercial timeliness standard; 5-year record of missing the standard; >80% of standard permits needing corrections
2025 Permit Review Dashboard description: historical median/average business days by work type, weekly refresh, 2021 Permit Improvement Task Force reference
Fillable .docx checklist; read directly (converted from Word XML). Site plan, architectural, energy, structural (prescriptive/engineered bracing, gravity load), ADU, habitable-conversion, pool and short-term-rental items
Eligible/ineligible deferred items, OSSC 107.3.4.1 notation and sealing requirements, DevHub process
Read directly as PDF. OAR 918-780-0040 complex-system checklist; 25% plumbing-permit revision fee if review was skipped and later required
Designated Seismic System certification documentation for Risk Category III/IV structures; OSSC 1704.3.2/1705.12.3
Geotechnical report triggers; Chapter 24.85 ASCE 41 seismic evaluation cost threshold ($386,338 as of Feb. 2026)
Central City 2035 ecoroof zoning standard (PCC 33.510.243) and its relationship to BES's Stormwater Management Manual
Index of BCGs by number/year (seismic retrofit/certification, single-stair apartments, URM anchors, sprinklers in R occupancies, etc.)
Read directly as PDF. Portland Fire & Rescue guide dated 11/2021, based on 2019 OFC as locally amended and adopted as the 2021 Portland Fire Code; access road width/turning radius/hydrant spacing
Index of PF&R plan-review design guides (sprinkler design basis, FDC sizing, standpipe, high-piled storage, 4-5 story wood frame)
2025 OFC based on 2024 IFC, effective Oct. 1, 2025; 2022 OFC usable through March 31, 2026
Drawings-in-one-PDF vs. separate supporting-document PDFs; Single PDF Process page-count guidance
Filename length/content rules, unsecured/uncertified PDFs, 150 dpi scans, landscape orientation, stamp space location
Links Brochure 14 and the Completeness Checklist; Single PDF vs. PDX ePlans/ProjectDox submission paths
DevHub online application path vs. 30-minute in-person appointment; some permit types submitted by email
General DevHub PDX orientation (background source; not separately quoted)
Oregon plan review guide · All plan check corrections · Los Angeles plan check · San Francisco plan check · San Diego plan check · San Jose plan check · Seattle plan check · New York City plan check · Denver plan check · Phoenix plan check · Boston plan check · Austin plan check · Chicago plan check
Upload the drawing set with the code and local references that govern it. Groundbook links each potential issue to its sources for your team to verify.