Being exempt from a permit does not mean that you can do work that would violate any law or ordinance. Even if it does not require a permit, it should be built to code.
Examples of permit exemptions
- Non-habitable one-story, detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses and similar uses, provided the floor area does not exceed 200 square feet AND a height of 10 feet measured from the finished floor level, to the average height of the roof surface.
- Fences not over 6 feet high, except for barriers around swimming pools as required in Appendix G (ORSC).
- Retaining walls not over 4 feet in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless supporting a surcharge (like a driveway).
- Water tanks supported directly upon grade if the capacity does not exceed 5,000 gallons and the ratio of height to diameter or width does not exceed 2 to 1.
- Concrete sidewalks, slabs, platforms and driveways.
- Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, counter tops, interior wall, floor or ceiling covering and similar finish work.
- Prefabricated swimming pools accessory to a Group R-3 occupancy where the pool walls are entirely above the adjacent grade. Barrier requirements found in Appendix G (of the ORSC) are not exempt.
- Swings and other playground equipment (including tree houses).
- Patio and porch covers not over 200 square feet AND supported by an exterior building wall.
- Window awnings supported by an exterior wall which do not project more than 54 inches from the exterior wall and do not require additional support.
- Nonbearing partitions, except when such partitions create habitable space.
- Replacement or repair of siding not required to be fire-resistive.
- Retrofitted insulation into existing homes.
- Masonry repair.
- Porches and decks, where the floor or deck is not more than 30 inches above adjacent grade measured at any point within 3 feet horizontally of the floor or deck, and where in the case of a covered porch, the covered portion of the porch does not come closer than 3 feet to property lines.
- Gutters and downspouts (a plumbing permit may still be required for storm water disposal).
- Door and window replacements (where no structural member is changed) and where any replacements in a sleeping room still meets the emergency egress requirements as detailed in the "Emergency Escape and Rescue Openings" section of the current edition of the ORSC.
- Re-roofing, where replacement or repair of roofing does not exceed 30 percent of the required live load design capacity and the roof is not required to be fire-resistive.
- Plastic glazed storm windows.
- Framed-covered non-habitable accessory buildings not more than 500 square feet in area, one-story in height AND not closer than 3 feet to a property line, where the structure is composed of a rigid framework that supports a fabric membrane.
