What's Required in Portland
- A mechanical permit is required to install or change any heating or cooling system with ductwork or a vent, to install exterior heat pump or AC condensers, mini-splits, wood stoves or fuel oil tanks, and to install, alter or repair gas piping.
- An electrical permit is required for most mechanical equipment projects, and installing an air conditioner is a listed electrical permit trigger.
- Fees are per item (furnace $91, heat pump $84, AC $44, gas piping up to 4 outlets $25) with a $167 one- and two-family minimum, plus a 12 percent state surcharge.
- Outdoor equipment may not be in the required front setback and, when in a side or rear setback, must be no more than 5 feet high and screened from neighbors.
- A site plan is required with the application for air conditioning and heat pump installations.
- Homeowners may do their own mechanical work as the recorded owner (not an LLC); contractors need an Oregon CCB license, and electrical contractors a Building Codes Division license as well.
- A rough-in inspection is required after new ductwork or gas piping before walls close, and the 699 Final Mechanical inspection closes the permit; permits expire after 180 days without an inspection.
- Underground oil tank decommissioning and asbestos removal must be done by DEQ-licensed contractors.
Do you need a permit to replace a furnace or AC in Portland?
Yes. Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D) requires a residential mechanical permit to install or change any part of a heating or cooling system that has ductwork or vents into a chimney or exhaust vent, to install an exterior heat pump or air conditioning condenser, to install, alter or repair gas piping between the meter and an appliance, and to install a wood stove, fireplace insert or fuel oil tank. Its list of common permitted projects names furnaces, heat pumps, condensing units, mini-splits, ductwork and gas piping, so a like-for-like replacement is permitted work. The mechanical permit is required even if no building permit is, and most equipment projects also need an electrical permit; installing an air conditioner is listed on the electrical page as a trigger in its own right.
How much does an HVAC permit cost in Portland?
The 2026 mechanical schedule prices one- and two-family work per item: install or replace a furnace or burner, including ductwork, vent and liner, $91; heat pump $84; air conditioning or an air handling unit $44 each; alteration of an existing HVAC system $51; gas piping up to 4 outlets $25; dryer exhaust or a bath fan $24; appliance vent $38. The schedule carries a $167 minimum fee for one- and two-family dwellings, so a single furnace or heat pump line is billed at $167, and Oregon's 12 percent surcharge brings it to $187.04. A gas furnace with a new gas line ($91 plus $25 = $116) is still under the minimum. A heat pump with an air handler ($84 plus $44 = $128) is also $187.04, but it needs an electrical permit for the new circuit: $174 for the first branch circuit plus 12 percent = $194.88, so the heat pump install totals $381.92. A whole-house job with a furnace, heat pump, AC, gas line, dryer vent and bath fan adds to $292, or $327.04 with surcharge, plus the $194.88 electrical permit, about $522. Reinspections are $167, and work started before the permit draws an investigation fee of at least $167.
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Like-for-like gas furnace replacement | Mechanical permit | Furnace line $91, billed at the $167 minimum; $187.04 with the 12 percent surcharge |
| Ducted heat pump replacing a furnace | Mechanical and electrical permits | Heat pump $84 plus air handler $44 under the minimum = $187.04; new circuit $174 plus 12 percent = $194.88; about $382 |
| Adding central AC to an existing furnace | Mechanical and electrical permits | AC $44 under the minimum = $187.04; installing an air conditioner is a listed electrical permit trigger, $194.88 |
| Ductless mini-split, one head | Mechanical and electrical permits | Mini-split systems are on PP&D's list of permitted projects; same two permits, about $382 |
| New gas line to a range or fireplace | Mechanical permit | Gas piping up to 4 outlets is $25, billed at the $167 minimum |
| Replacing a thermostat or a blower motor in place | Confirm with PP&D | PP&D publishes no repair exemption for mechanical work; call Residential Inspections at 503-823-7388 |
| Furnace, heat pump, AC, gas line, dryer vent and bath fan | Mechanical and electrical permits | Line items total $292, $327.04 with surcharge, plus $194.88 electrical, about $522 |
Where can the outdoor unit go?
Outdoor mechanical equipment, including heat pumps, condensers, generators and pool heaters, may not be placed in the required front zoning setback. In most residential zones it is allowed in a side or rear setback only if it is no more than 5 feet high and screened from neighbors by walls, fences or vegetation; the single-dwelling zone code states the same conditions. You are responsible for verifying the zoning rules before you set the pad, and the schedule requires a site plan for air conditioning and heat pump lines. Asbestos around old ducts or furnaces must be removed by a DEQ-licensed contractor.
Who can do the work and how do you apply?
Homeowners can do their own mechanical work if they are the recorded property owner and not an LLC. Contractors need an Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) license listed on the application. The electrical side is stricter: a homeowner may wire the new circuit only if they own and live in the home and are not selling or renting within six months; otherwise a contractor with CCB and Building Codes Division electrical licenses pulls that permit. Apply on Development Hub PDX (DevHub); the form takes about 15 minutes and permits issue within 24 hours of payment. Request a rough-in inspection after new ductwork or gas piping and before walls close, then the 699 Final Mechanical inspection with the system operational. Permits expire if more than 180 days pass between inspections; schedule through DevHub or 503-823-7000.
How to Get a HVAC Permit in Portland
Confirm the scope and permits
A furnace swap needs a mechanical permit; a heat pump, AC or mini-split needs mechanical and electrical permits. Decide who pulls each one under the homeowner rules.
Site the outdoor unit
Keep condensers and heat pumps out of the front setback; in a side or rear setback keep them under 5 feet and screened. Draw the site plan the application requires.
Apply on DevHub
Select the mechanical items (furnace, heat pump, AC, gas outlets, vents) and the electrical circuit, pay the fees, and receive the permits within 24 hours.
Install and request rough-in
After new ductwork or gas piping is in and before walls close, schedule the rough-in inspection on DevHub or at 503-823-7000. Do not cover work until approved.
Get the finals
With the system installed, connected and running, request the 699 Final Mechanical and 199 Final Electrical inspections to close the permits.