City Building Permits
Rivergrove, OR - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in Rivergrove, Oregon. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Rivergrove requires a city development permit before the county will issue building, plumbing, or electrical permits. Because Rivergrove spans county lines and the public city page does not identify a single county permit office, applicants should verify whether the parcel is in Washington County or Clackamas County before filing county permits.
- Department
- City of Rivergrove for development permits; county permit authority after city approval
- Address
- P.O. Box 1104, Lake Oswego, OR 97035
- Phone
- 503-639-6919
Online Permit Portal
Platform: City development permit application and checklist • Account required: No • Submission: In-person only
Additional resources:
Application Process
- Contact Rivergrove to determine whether the project needs a development permit.
- Submit the development permit application, proof of ownership, notarized cost agreement, plans, site plan, and other required materials listed on the city checklist.
- If the property is in floodplain or a Water Quality Resource Area, submit the added floodplain, survey, grading, or tree materials required by the city.
- Include completed county building, plumbing, and or electrical forms with the city submission.
- Obtain Rivergrove development permit approval.
- Apply to the correct county for the building or trade permit and complete county inspections.
Typical processing time: No public timeline located. Thin data.
Source: City of Rivergrove for development permits; county permit authority after city approval
General Requirements
Rivergrove requires a development permit for partitions, subdivisions, new houses, additions, sheds larger than 200 square feet, decks, excavations, sanitary sewer installation, demolitions, floodplain work, and development in a Water Quality Resource Area.
Required Documents
- Application
- proof of ownership
- notarized cost agreement
- building plans
- site plan
- radius mailing labels or envelopes
- county permit forms
- elevation certificate and survey for floodplain sites
- tree survey and mitigation plan where trees are removed
- grading plan if grading is proposed
- and other pertinent information.
- Permit validity
- Not clearly posted on the city page reviewed; county-issued building permits will follow the applicable county's permit rules.
- Building code
- Rivergrove's website reviewed focuses on city development review rather than a separate building code page. Thin data.
- Owner-builder
- Not specifically stated by the city; owners may submit development permit applications directly.
- Contractor requirements
- County permit applications and Oregon licensing rules apply to regulated construction work.
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- Rivergrove code compilation indicates a city building permit fee line item exists, but the development permit web page reviewed does not restate a minimum. Thin data.
- Plan check fee
- Not clearly summarized on the public page reviewed
- Permit fee formula
- City development and tree permit fees are separate from county building permit fees.
- Reinspection fee
- County fees will depend on the county permit authority; city webpage does not summarize reinspection charges
- Penalty (no permit)
- County fees will depend on the county permit authority; city webpage does not summarize reinspection charges
- Payment note
- Confirm directly with the city and the relevant county
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
- Rivergrove states that work done entirely inside a home will generally not need a city development permit, but applicants must check with the city first.
- Oregon building permit exemptions may still apply for some minor work, but Rivergrove floodplain, WQRA, tree, and grading rules can still trigger city review.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- City does not publish a stand-alone inspection scheduler on the development permit page; county inspections follow the county permit authority after city approval (other)
- Inspection hours
- Not publicly summarized on the city page reviewed
- Time windows
- Not publicly summarized on the city page reviewed
Typical inspection sequence: City review first, then county footing, framing, rough-trade, and final inspections as applicable
Additional Resources
- Building code: Rivergrove's website reviewed focuses on city development review rather than a separate building code page. Thin data.
- Verify contractor license: Oregon CCB License Lookup
- Zoning information: View zoning info
- Resource
- Resource
- Resource
- 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 Rivergrove for development permits; county permit authority after city approval before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rivergrove Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in Rivergrove, OR?
- Rivergrove requires a development permit for partitions, subdivisions, new houses, additions, sheds larger than 200 square feet, decks, excavations, sanitary sewer installation, demolitions, floodplain work, and development in a Water Quality Resource Area.
- How much does a building permit cost in Rivergrove, OR?
- The minimum permit fee is Rivergrove code compilation indicates a city building permit fee line item exists, but the development permit web page reviewed does not restate a minimum. Thin data.. Fees are calculated as: City development and tree permit fees are separate from county building permit fees.. Plan check fee: Not clearly summarized on the public page reviewed.
- How do I apply for a building permit in Rivergrove, OR?
- 1. Contact Rivergrove to determine whether the project needs a development permit. 2. Submit the development permit application, proof of ownership, notarized cost agreement, plans, site plan, and other required materials listed on the city checklist. 3. If the property is in floodplain or a Water Quality Resource Area, submit the added floodplain, survey, grading, or tree materials required by the city. 4. Include completed county building, plumbing, and or electrical forms with the city submission. 5. Obtain Rivergrove development permit approval. 6. Apply to the correct county for the building or trade permit and complete county inspections.
- How long does it take to get a building permit in Rivergrove, OR?
- Typical processing time is No public timeline located. Thin data..
- What work is exempt from building permits in Rivergrove, OR?
- The following work is generally exempt: Rivergrove states that work done entirely inside a home will generally not need a city development permit, but applicants must check with the city first.; Oregon building permit exemptions may still apply for some minor work, but Rivergrove floodplain, WQRA, tree, and grading rules can still trigger city review..
- How do I schedule a building inspection in Rivergrove, OR?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: City does not publish a stand-alone inspection scheduler on the development permit page; county inspections follow the county permit authority after city approval.
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