Tualatin, Oregon Building Permit Guide

In the City of Tualatin, the Building Division issues structural, mechanical and plumbing permits, more than 2,000 a year, and takes every application, payment and inspection request through its eTrakit portal. Electrical permits and electrical plan review for the whole city are contracted to Washington County. A new Building Division fee schedule takes effect on November 1, 2026: the minimum permit rises from $127.37 to $146.50 and the technology fee from 3% to 5%, a new 5% energy efficiency incentive fee is added, and plan review stays at 70% of the permit fee, on top of the 12% state surcharge.

The division is at 10699 SW Herman Road, open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., on 503-691-3044 or building@tualatin.gov. Tualatin had 28,139 residents in the Census estimate for 2025, about 24,900 in Washington County and 3,200 in Clackamas County; the City permits all of it, and its Washington County electrical contract covers both parts.

Anyone doing business in Tualatin, contractors included, needs a City business license unless state or federal law exempts them.

What requires a building permit in Tualatin?

The City requires permits for new construction, alterations and additions, including structural, plumbing, mechanical and electrical work, with some exceptions to the structural rules. Its FAQ spells out the common cases.

What the city decides and what the state holds

The building code is the state’s. Tualatin sets its Building Division fee schedule, the eTrakit process, its review targets, the Development Code that Planning applies, flood hazard area rules, City business licensing, and when an architect or engineer is needed on a house: only for special structural conditions such as seismic bracing, large window walls, decks and patio covers over 10 feet high, special soils or sloping sites, or long cantilevers.

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

Tualatin building department: who handles permitting

The Building Division’s plans examiners and inspectors cover structural, mechanical and plumbing work. Washington County Building Services handles electrical permits and plan review under contract. Planning is the first stop for most projects and identifies other approvals; Engineering issues public works, right-of-way, driveway, erosion control and flood hazard area permits. Clean Water Services issues a service provider letter, and Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue may require permits of its own.

Permit types

Residential permits

Homeowners set up a public user account in eTrakit; contractors, engineers, architects and developers apply for a business account, one per company with a shared password. Structural, mechanical and plumbing applications are filed online with the project details, plans, site map and calculations. The owner is ultimately responsible for getting every permit but can name a contractor, tenant, engineer or architect to apply. The City offers a permit-ready deck plan, and accessory dwelling units have their own guidance page. Over-the-counter permits are issued in 0 to 2 business days.

Building or remodeling a home here? Alliance handles residential permit expediting, so the crew isn't waiting on the counter.

Commercial permits

Commercial projects are reviewed with all their sub-permits, and commercial mechanical, fire sprinkler and fire alarm permits are each priced on the value of their own scope. A fire and life safety review fee of 45% of the permit fee may be due with the plan review fee, deferred submittals cost 65% of the fee for the deferred portion ($360 minimum), and phased permits cost $360 plus 10% of the total permit fee, up to $1,500 a phase. The City puts commercial reviews at six to eight weeks, including sub-permits.

For tenant improvements and new commercial builds, Alliance handles commercial permit applications through issuance. More on this: commercial building permits explained.

What comes before the building permit

The City asks applicants to contact Planning early, before designing. New connections to City water, sewer or stormwater need a Public Works permit, and Clean Water Services requires a service provider letter. An accessory dwelling unit first goes through a Type I ADU Architectural Review by Planning, a staff decision with no public notice, under Development Code 33.020 and 73A.170: the ADU must be in the RL or RML planning district, one per lot with an existing house, no larger than 800 sq ft of gross floor area, served by the same water, electric and gas meters as the house, and finished with at least two roof and four wall design elements from the code. Inside the flood hazard area, elevation certificates, no-rise certifications or floodproofing certificates prepared by an Oregon-registered surveyor may be needed before the Flood Hazard Area Development permit is approved.

Tualatin permit costs and fees

Building Division fees sit in their own schedule, separate from the City fee schedule the Council adopted on July 13, 2026. The schedule in force since July 1, 2026 is replaced on November 1, 2026 by a new Building Division schedule posted on the City’s fee page in October. In its notice to the state the City described the change as an average 15% increase for structural, mechanical and plumbing fees, the first since 2023, with a Council hearing on September 14, 2026. Valuation follows OAR 918-050-0100, using the ICC table for new construction and the fair market value of all work, labor and profit for alterations.

Worked example. A remodel valued at $80,000 falls in the $50,001 to $100,000 band. From November 1 the permit fee is $633.65 plus 30 × $7.07 ($212.10), or $845.75; plan review at 70% adds $592.03, the technology fee and the energy efficiency incentive add $42.29 each, and the 12% state surcharge adds $101.49, for $1,623.85. Under the schedule in force until October 31 the same job pays $735.21 in permit fees ($550.71 plus 30 × $6.15), $514.65 plan review, $22.06 technology fee and $88.23 surcharge, $1,360.15 in all.

Other fees on the November schedule: new house plumbing $412.67 for one bath, $519.23 for two and $639.98 for three; mechanical items mostly $33.27 each; investigation of work without a permit $125 an hour; a $300 change of use fee and a $350 certificate of occupancy fee; and temporary occupancy at $300 for the first three months, $590 for the fourth month, $1,180 for the fifth and $2,359 for each month after that. Plan review fees are paid before review begins, and the rest is due before the permit is issued. Metro’s construction excise tax adds 0.12% on permits valued over $100,000, up to $12,000 a structure, and new space also pays a school construction excise tax to whichever of the three districts serving Tualatin covers the lot: Tigard-Tualatin, West Linn-Wilsonville or Sherwood.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Mechanical and plumbing permits are City permits filed in eTrakit; the residential mechanical fee counts each new fixture, such as exhaust fans and fireplaces, and the plumbing fee counts each fixture capped, added or moved plus any length of pipe. Electrical permits and electrical plan review are not issued by the City at all: they are handled by Washington County Building Services under the City’s contract, so electrical permits are obtained through the County.

How to apply for a Tualatin building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

The City’s published turnaround is 0 to 2 business days for over-the-counter permits, 2 to 6 weeks for residential permits, 6 to 8 weeks for commercial projects with all their sub-permits, and 2 to 3 weeks for revisions; another passage on the same page says commercial applications typically take six to nine weeks. Plan review of requested changes, additions and revisions is billed by the hour ($125 on the November schedule). A permit expires after 180 days without activity or 180 days after the last inspection; an extension request can be uploaded in eTrakit or emailed, and booking an inspection also keeps the permit active.

Inspections in Tualatin

Inspections are scheduled, moved or cancelled in eTrakit, for the next business day at the earliest, and normally happen Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. The daily inspection schedule and results are public in eTrakit, which also shows the inspector assigned. After-hours inspections need the City’s request form at least 48 hours ahead, carry a two-hour minimum charge and depend on staffing; weekend inspections are not offered. Permit fees cover all standard inspections, and cancellations, no-shows and failures can bring re-inspection fees.

When a project needs a certificate of occupancy, the City issues it after the final inspection is approved.

Tualatin permit search and official resources

Account holders can look up their own permits, approved plans and review comments in eTrakit, and anyone can view the daily inspection schedule and results there. For other permit records, contact the Building Division at building@tualatin.gov. Tualatin takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program, and the City’s current FEMA flood maps were adopted on October 19, 2018.

• Tualatin Building Division
• eTrakit permit portal
• Permits: accounts, process and turnaround
• Inspections
• Daily inspection schedule and results
• Building fees and system development charges
• Building Division fee schedule effective November 1, 2026
• Building Division fee schedule effective July 1, 2026
• Building Division FAQ: decks, sheds, water heaters
• 2026 Oregon Residential Specialty Code, chapter 1 (permits and exemptions)
• Flood Hazard Area Development permit
• Tualatin and the National Flood Insurance Program
• Washington County Building Services (electrical)
• Oregon Construction Contractors Board

Tualatin building permit FAQ

Who issues building permits in Tualatin?

The City’s Building Division at 10699 SW Herman Road (503-691-3044), for structural, mechanical and plumbing work in both the Washington County and Clackamas County parts of the city. Electrical permits go through Washington County.

How much will my permit cost after November 1, 2026?

The minimum is $146.50, and an $80,000 remodel comes to $1,623.85 with plan review at 70%, technology and energy efficiency fees of 5% each and the 12% state surcharge.

Do I need a permit to replace deck boards?

No, not if only the top decking is replaced. Replacing joists, beams, railings or stairs on a deck more than 30 inches above grade needs a permit.

Do I need a permit for a shed?

Yes if it is over 200 sq ft, more than 15 feet high to the average roof height, has heat, plumbing or electrical, or is used for anything other than storage. No shed may go in a setback or utility easement.

How long does review take?

Two to six weeks for residential permits and six to eight weeks for commercial projects, with revisions taking two to three weeks.

Are weekend inspections available?

No. Inspections run Monday to Friday, and after-hours weekday inspections need 48 hours’ notice and a two-hour minimum charge.

Simplify Tualatin permitting with Alliance Permitting

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 Tualatin permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.