Benton County’s Building Division covers all construction within the county boundary except inside the city limits of Corvallis, Philomath and Albany. Community Development is on the 2nd floor of the Kalapuya Building, 4500 SW Research Way, Corvallis, OR 97333 (541-766-6819), open Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., walk in or by appointment.
This guide covers the county program and, for the county seat, the City of Corvallis permit office. Fees are from the county’s 2026 fee schedule.
What requires a building permit in Benton County?
Work started without a Benton County building permit is subject to investigation and fees under Benton County Code §11.130. If county zoning does not allow the proposed use, a Change of Use Application goes to the Planning Division first. New-dwelling submittals also use the county’s Access and Water Supply Worksheet, Pump Test Submittal and Well Water Information Acknowledgement Form.
Oregon’s building code and its exemptions are the same in Benton County as everywhere in the state, and an exemption from the building permit is not an exemption from zoning, land use or a trade permit. Site snow, wind and seismic values come from the state’s Oregon Design Criteria Hub. How Oregon’s statewide code works
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who handles permitting in Benton County?
| For | Office | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| County building, planning, septic applications | Community Development, Kalapuya Building, 4500 SW Research Way, Corvallis | 541-766-6819 |
| Septic questions | Environmental Health Division | 541-766-6841; ehadmin@bentoncountyor.gov |
| Property tax effects | Assessment Department | 541-766-6855; assessment@bentoncountyor.gov |
| Inside Corvallis | Development Services, 501 SW Madison Ave. | 541-766-6929; 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM M-F |
Onsite septic permit applications are brought to Community Development on the 2nd floor of the Kalapuya Building. Before hiring professionals, the county offers a free site consultation; a Site Consultation Worksheet must be submitted in advance.
Processing times in Benton County
The county’s average processing times, as of July 2024: demolition 2 weeks; dwelling 5 weeks; floodplain 1-3 months; land use authorization 2-3 months; mechanical, electrical and plumbing under 1 week; septic 4 weeks; structural 3 weeks.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Benton County permit costs and fees
- Structural permits: $110.00 up to $500 of valuation; $185.00 for the first $2000 plus $8.50 per additional $1000 up to $50000; $893.00 for the first $100000 plus $4.00 per additional $1000.
- Structural plan review 65% of the structural permit fee; fire and life safety plan review 40%.
- Re-inspection $100.00; after-hours inspection $100.00 an hour, 2-hour minimum.
- Manufactured dwelling placement $400.00 plus the $30.00 state (Cabana) fee; prescriptive-path solar permit $250.00 including plan review.
Oregon fixes the method rather than the price: new construction is valued with the ICC building valuation data under OAR 918-050-0100, Benton County applies its own schedule, and a 12 percent state surcharge is added to every permit fee. How Oregon permit fees are set
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →How to get a building permit in Benton County
Optional and free; send the Site Consultation Worksheet first.
File a Change of Use Application with Planning if the use is not allowed.
Drop off a hard copy at the Building Division front desk or file on the state’s ePermitting website.
Licensed contractors may file electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits online only when no part of the property is in the floodplain and no plan review is required.
Road approach construction may not begin until the initial inspection is made and a copy of the permit is returned to the applicant.
An Oregon building permit expires if work does not start within 180 days of issue or stops for 180 days; the building official can extend it in writing, 180 days at a time. Oregon’s statewide code rules
Inspections in Benton County
Request inspections 24 hours a day on the state’s ePermitting website or at (888)-299-2821. Requests before 7:00 a.m. are done the same day when possible, later ones the following day. Commercial electrical inspections are made at least on Wednesdays and Fridays and commercial plumbing at least on Wednesdays, depending on certified inspector availability. Road approach permits carry their own plot plan, culvert, pre-paving and final inspections.
Rather not deal with the Benton County building department?
Get a free quote →Inside Corvallis, inspections are requested at www.corvallispermits.com (ePlans) with a 7:00 am cut-off for the same day; inspectors are typically reachable by phone 7:00-8:00 AM and 2:00-3:00 PM, Monday-Friday. County permits back to 2001 can be searched in ePermitting.
Official Benton County permitting resources
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
- Benton County permits
- Benton County: know before you build
- Benton County inspections
- Benton County 2026 building fee schedule
- Benton County septic systems
- Corvallis Development Services
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Frequently asked questions
Does Benton County issue permits inside Corvallis?
No. The county covers everything except the city limits of Corvallis, Philomath and Albany; Corvallis permits come from the City’s Development Services.
How long does a Benton County dwelling permit take?
The county’s average, as of July 2024, is 5 weeks.
Can a contractor file trade permits online in Benton County?
Yes, through Oregon ePermitting, when no part of the property is in the floodplain and no plan review is required.
Simplify Benton County permitting with Alliance Permitting
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →- Book the county site consultation and sort out zoning or change of use
- Assemble the dwelling worksheets and file on ePermitting or at the front desk
- Request inspections before the 7:00 a.m. cut-off and track road approach sign-offs
Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Oregon. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.
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Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Benton County permits while your crew stays on the job.
More Oregon permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Benton County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.