City Building Permits
Medford, OR - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in Medford, Oregon. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Medford Building Safety reviews plans, issues permits, schedules inspections, and administers express, master, and virtual inspection options for projects in city limits.
- Department
- City of Medford Building Safety Department
- Address
- 200 S. Ivy Street, 2nd Floor, Medford, OR 97501
- Phone
- 541-774-2350
Online Permit Portal
Platform: Custom Portal • Account required: Yes • Submission: In-person only
Additional resources:
Application Process
- Confirm whether a permit is required and check zoning or setbacks with Planning first.
- Review the city's residential or commercial submittal guidelines and gather the required forms and plans.
- Email PDF applications and associated forms to Building Safety; once entered, the city opens portal access for the permit.
- Respond to comments and correction requests.
- Pay permit fees online or at the Building Safety counter.
- Schedule inspections by portal, phone, or text; same-day inspections are available if requested by 7 a.m.
Typical processing time: Residential permits average 14 days from application to issuance; commercial permits average 6 to 8 weeks once all required information has been submitted. Express and master permit programs can shorten certain timelines.
General Requirements
Medford states permits are needed for many building, ADU, deck, pool, demolition, reroof, wall, utility line, and other projects; some listed items may require review depending on scope.
Required Documents
- Permit application
- Submittal guideline forms
- Plans
- Owner authorization or owner release where applicable
- Specialized forms such as energy, pool, demolition, revision, or SDC forms depending on project type
- Permit validity
- Oregon 180-day permit validity rule generally applies unless extended locally.
- Building code
- Oregon specialty codes as administered by the city.
- Owner-builder
- Medford publishes an Owner Release form for owner-performed residential building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work.
- Contractor requirements
- Oregon CCB and specialty licensing rules apply.
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- Public city finance search result states the minimum building permit fee increased to $120 effective July 1, 2024
- Plan check fee
- Fee schedule PDF includes plan review charges by permit type
- Permit fee formula
- Mixed valuation-based and flat-fee schedule, plus SDCs and other charges where applicable
- Reinspection fee
- Reinspection fee shown in fee schedule at $60.00 per hour; electrical and plumbing inspection minimum charge $60.00; additional fees apply for inspections outside normal hours
- Payment note
- Permit payments can be made online or at the Building Safety counter
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule (effective July 1, 2024).
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
- Medford publishes a local Do I Need a Permit? page and project list
- Some items may require review depending on scope, including retaining walls, above-ground pools, reroofing, patio covers, and utility line repair
- Oregon statewide residential exemptions apply where the local page does not require review
- Confirm zoning and setbacks with Planning before assuming exempt status
Inspections
How to Schedule
- Online portal (online)
- 541-774-2350 (phone)
- 833-910-0981 (text)
- Scheduling deadline
- Requests received by 7 a.m. can be scheduled for the same day
Typical inspection sequence: Project-specific; city requires work to be complete, pre-tested, uncovered, and accessible, with approved plans and permit paperwork on site
Remote virtual inspections are available for some residential inspection types; right-of-way inspections route to Public Works
Additional Resources
- Building code: Oregon specialty codes as administered by the city.
- Verify contractor license: Oregon CCB License Lookup
- Zoning information: View zoning info
- Request an Inspection
- Require a Permit
- Submit Application
- License lookup guide: Oregon Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Oregon Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Oregon hub: Oregon Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the City of Medford Building Safety Department before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Medford Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in Medford, OR?
- Medford states permits are needed for many building, ADU, deck, pool, demolition, reroof, wall, utility line, and other projects; some listed items may require review depending on scope.
- How much does a building permit cost in Medford, OR?
- The minimum permit fee is Public city finance search result states the minimum building permit fee increased to $120 effective July 1, 2024. Fees are calculated as: Mixed valuation-based and flat-fee schedule, plus SDCs and other charges where applicable. Plan check fee: Fee schedule PDF includes plan review charges by permit type.
- How do I apply for a building permit in Medford, OR?
- 1. Confirm whether a permit is required and check zoning or setbacks with Planning first. 2. Review the city's residential or commercial submittal guidelines and gather the required forms and plans. 3. Email PDF applications and associated forms to Building Safety; once entered, the city opens portal access for the permit. 4. Respond to comments and correction requests. 5. Pay permit fees online or at the Building Safety counter. 6. Schedule inspections by portal, phone, or text; same-day inspections are available if requested by 7 a.m.
- How long does it take to get a building permit in Medford, OR?
- Typical processing time is Residential permits average 14 days from application to issuance; commercial permits average 6 to 8 weeks once all required information has been submitted. Express and master permit programs can shorten certain timelines..
- What work is exempt from building permits in Medford, OR?
- The following work is generally exempt: Medford publishes a local Do I Need a Permit? page and project list; Some items may require review depending on scope, including retaining walls, above-ground pools, reroofing, patio covers, and utility line repair; Oregon statewide residential exemptions apply where the local page does not require review; Confirm zoning and setbacks with Planning before assuming exempt status.
- How do I schedule a building inspection in Medford, OR?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: Online portal, 541-774-2350, 833-910-0981. Requests received by 7 a.m. can be scheduled for the same day.
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