Portland Permitting and Development's new fees took effect on 07-10-2026, after City Council approved them on 06-11 and Multnomah County approved them for unincorporated areas on 06-18. The City expects fee revenue to rise by about 8 percent, with some programs unchanged and others rising more to cover their costs.
Two dates, not one
07-10-2026: Permitting and Development fees, including building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, sign, site development, land use, environmental, transportation, water review, tree and enforcement fee schedules.
07-01-2026: development permit fees charged by the Bureau of Transportation, Environmental Services, the Water Bureau and Parks changed a few days earlier.
System development charges are separate and set by those bureaus.
Where the money actually goes
Permit fees are set by schedule and mostly by project value. What an applicant controls is how many times the permit cycles through review. Each incomplete checksheet response restarts a cycle, and every cycle adds staff time on the City side and carrying cost on the owner side: rent on a lease that has not opened, interest on a loan, a crew waiting for a start date.
What to do on a project now
Pull the current schedules for every bureau that will touch the permit, not just the building fee.
Budget system development charges early. On a change of use or new units, they can exceed the permit fee.
Plan for one complete checksheet response per cycle. It is the cheapest line item a project can improve.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Portland's new permit fees take effect?
Permitting and Development fees changed on 07-10-2026. Fees charged by Transportation, Environmental Services, Water and Parks changed on 07-01-2026.
How much did Portland permit fees go up?
The City expects overall fee revenue to rise by about 8 percent, with some programs unchanged and others rising more. Exact amounts are in each fee schedule.
Are system development charges part of the permit fee?
No. System development charges are separate and handled by the bureaus that charge them.
Sources
Insights are general information researched from published sources on the date shown. Rules change, so confirm with the permitting authority before you act.
