Fee Changes for Development Services Announced
The Bureau of Development Services announced that new fees for their various services will be implemented from July 1, 2023. The changes are necessitated due to increased costs for labor, materials, and services in the upcoming fiscal year1.
Approval from City Council and County Board
The fee changes have been approved by the Portland City Council on May 31 and for the unincorporated areas of Multnomah County by the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners on June 15.
Overview of the New Fee Structure
The new fee increases, effective from July 1, 2023, affect several services both in the City of Portland and in Unincorporated Multnomah County.
Services affected include:
- Building Permits
- Mechanical Permits
- Electrical Permits
- Plumbing Permits
- Field Issuance Remodel Programs
- Facilities Permits
- Site Development Permits
- Environmental Soils
- Sign Permits
- Neighborhood Inspections
- Land Use Services
- Cannabis Licensing and Noise Review (Portland-Only)
All permits will see a 5% increase. Fees for Cannabis Licensing and Noise Review will also see a 5% increase, but only in the City of Portland. There will be no change in the fees for Zoning Enforcement.
Portland Permit Fee Table
Here is a breakdown per permit of the changes to the cost in percentage (effective July 1, 2023):
| Service | Fee increases | City of Portland | Unincorporated Multnomah County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building Permits | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Mechanical Permits | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Electrical Permits | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Plumbing Permits | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Field Issuance Remodel Program | 9% | 9% | 9% |
| Facilities Permits | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Site Development Permits | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Environmental Soils | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Sign Permits | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Zoning Enforcement | No change | No change | No change |
| Neighborhood Inspections | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Land Use Services | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Cannabis Licensing | 5% | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Noise Review | 5% | Not applicable | Not applicable |
Application of the New Fees
The revised fees will be applicable to all new applications for permits or other services received on or after July 1, 2023. For more information on how to submit a permit application under the fees in effect before July 1, please refer to the official Bureau of Development Services page1.
System Development Charges
It should be noted that the fees listed are different from System Development Charges (SDCs). SDCs are charged by bureaus that provide utilities and other public facilities such as the Portland Bureau of Transportation, the Portland Water Bureau, the Bureau of Environmental Services, and Portland Parks & Recreation. For questions about whether particular SDCs may increase on July 1, 2023, please contact those bureaus directly.
External Resource Section
Contact Information
If you have questions about whether particular SDCs may increase on July 1, 2023, please contact those bureaus directly. General contact information is provided below. For more detailed information, please visit the SDC information page.
- Portland Bureau of Transportation: PBOTFrontDesk@portlandoregon.gov
- Portland Water Bureau: devrev@portlandoregon.gov
- Bureau of Environmental Services: BESDevelopmentReview@portlandoregon.gov
- Portland Parks & Recreation: parks.sdc@portlandoregon.gov
Approved Fee Schedules
For detailed information on the new fee schedules for the City of Portland and Unincorporated Multnomah County, please visit the Portland fee schedule page and scroll closer to the bottom.
