Hillsboro is the county seat of Washington County and the heart of the Silicon Forest at about 111,000 residents, home to major semiconductor and technology operations. Building permits are issued through the city’s Permitting Center and Building Division at 150 East Main Street, which handles plan review, permits and inspections under the uniform statewide code.
This guide covers the Building Division and how to reach it, the uniform statewide code, the technology-industrial base, and how land use, fees and inspections work.
This guide covers work inside the City of Hillsboro limits. Washington County, neighbouring Beaverton and nearby Cornelius are separate authorities.
Hillsboro carries major industrial and clean-room construction, so specialised mechanical, electrical and life-safety review runs alongside the standard building permit. The Building Division administers the state code from the Permitting Center on East Main Street, open Monday through Friday. Land-use and design review can clear ahead of the building permit, and Cascadia seismic values come from the state Design Criteria Hub.
What requires a building permit in Hillsboro?
Permit required
- New residential and commercial construction, additions, alterations and conversions
- Structural and load-bearing work, foundations, decks over the exempt height, and retaining walls above the code threshold
- Finishing basements and attics, garage conversions and any change of use or occupancy
- Electrical work under the Oregon Electrical Specialty Code, including services, circuits, solar and EV charging
- Plumbing under the Oregon Plumbing Specialty Code, and mechanical work under the mechanical code
- Re-roofing above the exempt scope, in-ground pools, signs and demolition; on houses, only fire-rated siding and door or window work that changes a structural member
Typically exempt
- Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets and similar finish work
- One-story detached accessory structures below the code floor-area exemption
- Wood, wire-mesh and chain-link fences, exempt by statewide code
- Minor repairs replacing materials in kind, and like-for-like fixture swaps
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Get a free quote →Which code applies — OSSC or ORSC
The Oregon Residential Specialty Code (ORSC) governs one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses and their accessory structures; the Oregon Structural Specialty Code (OSSC) governs commercial buildings, apartments of three or more units and everything outside the residential scope. Alongside them sit the mechanical, plumbing, electrical and energy specialty codes, and the Oregon Fire Code is adopted by the State Fire Marshal. In Hillsboro, the city’s Building Division administers the state code alongside land-use and design review, with specialised review for technology and clean-room projects.
Oregon’s building code and its exemptions are the same in Hillsboro 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 Hillsboro?
The Building Division, through the city’s Permitting Center, handles plan review, permit issuance and inspections inside the city.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Authority | City of Hillsboro Building Division (Permitting Center) |
| Offices | 150 East Main Street, 4th Floor, Hillsboro 97123 |
| Counter hours | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Serves | Work inside the City of Hillsboro limits |
| Industry | Semiconductor and technology manufacturing |
| Code | Oregon Specialty Codes (uniform statewide) |
| Seismic | Cascadia design via the state Design Criteria Hub |
| Contractor credentials | CCB licence for almost any paid job |
The Building Division reviews plans, issues permits and inspects construction inside the city through the Permitting Center on East Main Street. Hillsboro’s technology base brings large industrial and clean-room projects with specialised mechanical, electrical and life-safety review, alongside residential growth. Land-use and design review can clear ahead of the building permit.
The technical code is the uniform state code; what Hillsboro adds is land use, the fee schedule and the inspection process.
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Get a free quote →Permit types
Residential permits
Residential work spans subdivision growth, infill and accessory dwelling units. Re-roofs beyond the exempt scope, solar and EV chargers need permits, seismic detailing applies broadly, and every contractor needs a current CCB licence, apart from casual work under $1,000 and owners working on their own property.
Commercial permits
Commercial and industrial work runs from semiconductor and clean-room facilities to retail and office, all subject to plan review, land use, and the CCB licence requirement, with electrical and plumbing work generally done by state-licensed trades.
Contractors need a current Construction Contractors Board licence with the right endorsement for a job of any size; the exceptions are casual work under $1,000 by someone who does not advertise as a contractor, and owners working on their own property who are not building to sell. Contractor licensing in Oregon
Hillsboro permit costs and fees
Budget the city building permit and plan-review fees, the statewide surcharge, separate trade permits, and any land-use or design review a parcel triggers. Fees follow Oregon’s statewide valuation method with the city schedule.
| Fee component | How it works |
|---|---|
| Building permit | Based on Oregon’s statewide valuation method; the schedule is set locally |
| Plan review | A percentage of the building permit fee, charged at submittal |
| Trade permits | Separate electrical, plumbing and mechanical fees |
| State surcharge | A statewide percentage surcharge added to permit fees |
| Land-use review | Zoning, design or land-use review where the project triggers it |
| Re-inspections and revisions | Additional fees for failed inspections, revisions and expired permits |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Need a real number for a specific Hillsboro project? Send us the scope, address and valuation and we will identify the filing path, the reviews it will trigger and the fee categories that will apply.
Oregon fixes the method rather than the price: new construction is valued with the ICC building valuation data under OAR 918-050-0100, Hillsboro applies its own schedule, and a 12 percent state surcharge is added to every permit fee. How Oregon permit fees are set
Trade permits and who may pull them
Permit required
- Service installations, panel upgrades, new circuits, solar PV and EV chargers
- New plumbing, repipes, water heater change-outs, fixtures, backflow and gas piping
- HVAC installation and change-out, ductwork, venting and commercial kitchen exhaust
- Sprinkler, standpipe and fire alarm work on commercial and multi-family structures
Typically exempt
- Replacing a fixture, switch, receptacle or light with no alteration to wiring or piping
- Clearing a stoppage without replacing or rearranging concealed piping
- Filter, thermostat and routine component service
- Like-for-like appliance repair that does not alter the connection
Electricians and plumbers are licensed by the state, though an owner may do electrical work on their own home and plumbing work that is not for hire. An electrical permit is needed for new or altered wiring; like-for-like repairs of outlets, switches and fixtures, and bulb, fuse and small-appliance swaps, are exempt. Electrical and plumbing permits in Oregon
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →How to apply for a Hillsboro building permit
Beaverton, Cornelius and unincorporated ground are separate authorities.
Some parcels raise it ahead of the building permit.
Cascadia design applies broadly in the valley.
Oregon requires it for almost any paid job; the exceptions are casual work under $1,000 and owners working on their own property.
An owner may do electrical work on their own home and plumbing work not done for hire; otherwise the installer needs the state trade licence.
Confirm the sets and forms review needs.
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 Hillsboro
Standard checkpoints include footing and foundation, under-floor and slab, framing, rough-in electrical, plumbing and mechanical, insulation and energy, fire systems on commercial work, and final, with occupancy approval before use. Technology and clean-room projects add specialised mechanical and electrical verification.
Many Oregon jurisdictions take inspection requests online, several through the state ePermitting system; confirm the method the Building Division uses and give the notice it asks for.
Do not cover work before the required inspection has been approved. Keep the issued permit, the approved plans, the seismic and energy documentation, product listings and your correction responses available on site.
Hillsboro permit search and official resources
Permit records in Oregon sit with the authority that issued them — where the Building Division administers the code, it holds the building permit, the inspection history and the certificate of occupancy for work in the City of Hillsboro limits. Many jurisdictions expose permit search through the state ePermitting portal. If you are buying, refinancing or renovating, confirm that past work was permitted rather than assuming it was.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →The code is statewide, but the counter is local. Fees, submittal lists, review turnaround and land-use requirements are set by the administering jurisdiction; the technical code is not. Confirm current requirements, fees and review turnaround for your filing date.
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and portal procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
- City of Hillsboro Building Permits
- Oregon Building Codes Division
- Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB)
- Oregon ePermitting
- Oregon Design Criteria Hub (seismic and site)
Frequently asked questions
Where do I get a Hillsboro building permit?
From the city’s Permitting Center and Building Division at 150 East Main Street, 4th Floor, open Monday to Friday, 8 to 5.
Is there specialised review for technology projects?
Yes. Hillsboro’s semiconductor and clean-room construction brings specialised mechanical, electrical and life-safety review alongside the building permit.
Is the building code different from Washington County?
No. Oregon runs one uniform code statewide; what differs is the administering office, the fee schedule and the land-use rules.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Do I need a contractor licence for a small Hillsboro job?
Almost always. Oregon requires a current CCB licence for construction work of any size; the exceptions are work under $1,000 that is casual, minor or inconsequential, by someone who does not advertise as a contractor, and owners working on their own property who are not building to sell.
Does seismic design apply in Hillsboro?
Yes. Cascadia seismic design applies broadly; pull site-specific values from the state Design Criteria Hub.
How do I run a Hillsboro permit search?
Use the city’s own permit search; the permit and inspection history sit with the city.
Simplify Hillsboro permitting with Alliance Permitting
Hillsboro pairs a busy city permit counter with major industrial and clean-room review, so the technical coordination runs deeper here. Getting land use and specialised review lined up up front keeps a Silicon Forest project moving.
Trusted by leading builders, developers, and national contractors — 21+ years of filing in the jurisdictions we write about.
Contractors and builders choose Alliance for Hillsboro because the work is done by people who have stood at the counter:
- We confirm city-versus-county jurisdiction from the parcel.
- We coordinate specialised industrial and clean-room review.
- We clear land-use and design review before the building permit.
- We verify every contractor holds a current CCB licence.
- We assemble the Permitting Center submittal and track the review.
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 Hillsboro permits while your crew stays on the job.
More Oregon permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Hillsboro permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.