Columbia County, Oregon Building Permit Guide

Columbia County’s Building Division, part of Land Development Services, handles plan review, permits and inspections for unincorporated Columbia County and the City of Rainier. Land Development Services is temporarily at 445 Port Avenue, the Port Business Center in St. Helens (503-397-1501, building@columbiacountyor.gov). Because of staff shortages it is open 8:00 am to 12:00 pm and 1:15 pm to 5:30 pm Monday through Thursday and closed Fridays in September and October.

This guide covers the county Building Division, its planning, septic and road steps, and the City of St. Helens building office. Fees are from the county schedule effective 9/1/25 (FY 25/26).

What requires a building permit in Columbia County?

The county’s permit flow chart starts with planning: zoning and permitted uses. Next comes a septic site evaluation, then the septic construction permit and the building permit, which are filed at the same time. A Road Access Permit from Public Works is needed before the building permit is issued, and the local fire department must approve a driveway over 150 feet. The building page also lists state-approved ready-build plans for decks, carports, garages, patio covers, pole buildings and ADUs.

Oregon’s building code and its exemptions are the same in Columbia 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

Who handles permitting in Columbia County?

Beyond the unincorporated county and Rainier, the Building Division does electrical plan review and inspection for the whole county except Vernonia and Clatskanie, full plan review and inspection in Rainier and Prescott, and plumbing plan review with supplemental inspection in St. Helens and Scappoose. The Planning Division reviews building permit applications for zoning compliance and administers the Zoning Ordinance and the Stormwater and Erosion Control Ordinance (planning@columbiacountyor.gov). Septic systems are permitted by the On-site Wastewater Program in Land Development Services, which does site evaluations and administers the state DEQ onsite rules.

St. Helens, the county seat

The St. Helens Building Department at City Hall, 265 Strand Street, issues plumbing, mechanical, structural and fill permits; call 503-397-6272, option 4 then option 3. The main City Hall lobby is closed and staff are seen by appointment; the City Hall Annex at 275 Strand Street is open Monday 1-5pm and Tuesday through Thursday 8:30am-12pm and 1-5pm, closed Friday. Licensed contractors file structural, grade-fill, plumbing and mechanical permits online through the State of Oregon ePermitting system; homeowners email the City’s building permit application.

Columbia County permit costs and fees

The Land Development Services fee schedule effective 9/1/25 (FY 25/26) sets the structural permit fee at $143.00 for $1.00 to $2,000 of valuation, and $1,342.00 for the first $100,000 plus $9.00 per additional $1,000. Plan review is 75% of the structural permit fee and fire life safety review 40%, and a 12% state surcharge and a 3% technology fee are added to these fees.

Oregon fixes the method rather than the price: new construction is valued with the ICC building valuation data under OAR 918-050-0100, Columbia County applies its own schedule, and a 12 percent state surcharge is added to every permit fee. How Oregon permit fees are set

How to get a building permit in Columbia County

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 Columbia County

Electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits can be applied for online through the State of Oregon’s ePermitting system, and the county links the state’s guides for registering, paying and scheduling inspections there.

Official Columbia County permitting resources

These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.

• Columbia County Building Division
• Columbia County Land Development Services
• Columbia County building applications and resources
• Columbia County On-site Wastewater Program
• St. Helens Building Department

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Columbia County building office now?

Temporarily at 445 Port Avenue, the Port Business Center in St. Helens.

Is Columbia County Land Development Services open on Fridays?

No. Because of staff shortages it is open Monday through Thursday and closed Fridays in September and October.

Does Columbia County do electrical inspections in Vernonia or Clatskanie?

No. Its electrical plan review and inspection cover the whole county except those two cities.

Simplify Columbia County permitting with Alliance Permitting

• Line up the planning, septic and road access steps in the county’s order
• Assemble plan sets, site plan and owner or special inspection forms
• File trade permits on ePermitting and track the building permit to issue

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.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Columbia County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.