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All new construction and most remodeling projects require a permit
in Lake Oswego, particularly when building safety may be affected.
The City enforces State and City codes and ordinances to ensure
buildings are safe and meet zoning requirements, and it monitors
construction through the inspection process.
 To
apply for a building permit, come to the Permit
Center and bring with you complete construction documents describing
your proposed work. Two (2) sets of plans are required,
whether for a residential project or a commercial project. The
documents and plans should be legible and drawn to scale and include
a site plan of the property. The site plan is required to
show all property lines, lot dimensions, existing and proposed
improvements with distances to property lines indicated, and the
location and size of all trees located on the property. The
construction plans should include floor plans for each level, all
elevations, the dimensions of each room, the location of all doors
and windows, and framing and other construction specifications.
A building
permit application must accompany your plans. You
will be asked for the address of the existing building, or the
legal description of the lot if your application is for new construction.
(This information is available from your County Tax Assessor.)
You will also be asked for your contractorís name, phone number,
and State Contractorís Board license number (unless you are doing
the work yourself). Your contractor should provide you with that
information, because all contractors must be licensed
by the state to work in Oregon and have either a City of Lake
Oswego Business License or a Metro Business License.
To apply for a permit for a project that is limited to electrical, mechanical,
or plumbing work
-- or a combination of any of the three -- no construction plans
are needed. However, a complete description of the proposed work
-- and a site plan if you seek to install an air conditioner, heat pump or
gas generator -- will be required. Your site plan must show the
distance from the air conditioner/generator to all property lines. It
will then be checked against zoning requirements so that the new
unit does not encroach into the setback (the area that must remain
free from permanent equipment or structures).
Applications are reviewed to ensure that the proposed work complies with the following State adopted codes: Until June 30, 2005, the One and Two Family Dwelling Specialty Code, effective July 1, 2005, Oregon Residential Specialty Code, the 2004 State of Oregon Structural Specialty Code, the 2005 Plumbing Specialty Code, the 2005 Oregon Electrical Specialty Code, and the 2004 Oregon Mechanical Specialty Code.
Please keep in mind that City staff cannot design your project
for you. We can advise you of current building codes, but
if your project is complex or your knowledge of building concepts
is limited, you may need to hire a professional to design even
a "small" project. Also, before investing time and
money in a design, please be aware that there are setback restrictions,
height restrictions, and maximum building footprints for a building
lot. If the proposed addition or alteration would require
the removal of a tree, you must first obtain a tree cutting permit
from the Planning Department.
An initial plan review will be performed and a plan-check list
created by a plans examiner. This list will address changes
or clarifications needed on your plans so that they comply with
current codes. This list is faxed to the person designated as the
contact person on your building application. After the issues
have been addressed the plans will be re-reviewed. If all the corrections
have been made, the permit will be ready for issuance. Every project
is assigned a plan review number that will remain the permanent record
number. If you can cite that number whenever you have questions
about your application or permit, we can be more efficient in helping
you.
You will be asked to pay a plan review fee as part of your building
permit application. That fee pays the cost of reviewing your construction
plans and documents and is non-refundable. Once your permit is
ready to be issued, you will then be required to pay the actual
permit fees.
A permit application expires 180 days after the application date.
Most plans are reviewed within four weeks from application.
To find out about fees, go to Permit Fees.
To find out how to request an inspection, please go to the
Inspection Process.
Click here to go to applications.
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