What's Required in Portland
- No building permit is required to reroof with a roofing material of similar weight, including replacement of some or all existing roof sheathing.
- A building permit is required to reroof a dwelling in a Wildfire Zone, to reroof a townhouse, or to install building-integrated photovoltaic roof panels or other photovoltaic roof coverings.
- Fire-resistant roofing materials are required on structures in a fire hazard area; check the Wildfire Hazard Zone map on PortlandMaps.
- Structural changes such as new rafters or trusses are not on the exemption list and need a valuation-based building permit.
- When a permit is required, fees are the building permit fee plus a 12 percent state surcharge, a Development Services fee and a plan review and process fee.
- Roofing contractors must hold an Oregon CCB license listed on the application; homeowners may do their own roofing.
- New appliance vents through the roof need a mechanical permit; permits expire if more than 180 days pass between inspections.
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Portland?
For a typical house, no. Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D) lists reroofing with a roofing material of similar weight among the outside projects that do not need a building permit, and that exemption includes replacing some or all of the existing roof sheathing. Three situations do need a permit: reroofing a dwelling in one of Portland's Wildfire Zones, reroofing a townhouse, and installing building-integrated photovoltaic (solar) roof panels or other photovoltaic roof coverings. Separate solar panel installations are permitted work as well. Changing to a heavier material, such as asphalt shingles to tile, falls outside the similar-weight exemption, and PP&D's exemption list does not cover structural work, so new rafters, trusses or a changed roofline need a permit. A roof vent for a furnace or appliance is mechanical work with its own permit.
How much does a roof permit cost in Portland?
When a permit is required, the fee comes from the building permit table on the fair market value of the job, which the schedule defines to include roofing, finish work and contractor's profit. An $18,000 reroof pays: building permit $220.85 for the first $2,000 plus 16 x $13.91 = $443.41; Oregon 12 percent surcharge on the permit fee = $53.21; Development Services fee $35.74 plus 16 x $3.74 = $95.58. That is $592.20 before plan review. The schedule charges a plan review and process fee of 65 percent of the permit fee on an original submittal, $288.22, for a total of about $880; where a submittal is exempt from plan review under ORS 455.628 the schedule bills a processing fee of 50 percent of that amount instead, so ask PP&D which applies to your reroof. A $10,000 reroof pays $332.13 + $39.86 + $65.66 = $437.65 before plan review. The minimum building permit fee is $167. Commercial roofing contractors can pre-register and buy reroof permits in packets of five, but that program does not apply to a single house.
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Tear off and replace asphalt shingles with asphalt shingles, detached house | No permit | Reroofing with a roofing material of similar weight needs no building permit |
| Same job, but replacing rotten roof sheathing | No permit | The exemption includes replacement of some or all existing roof sheathing |
| Reroofing a house in a Wildfire Zone | Building permit | Listed permit trigger; fire-resistant roofing materials are required in a fire hazard area; check PortlandMaps |
| Reroofing a townhouse | Building permit | Listed permit trigger; about $880 on an $18,000 job with plan review |
| Solar shingles or other photovoltaic roof covering | Building permit | Building-integrated photovoltaic roof panels are a listed permit trigger; rooftop solar panels also need permits |
| Replacing rafters or trusses, or changing the roof pitch | Building permit | Structural work is not on the exemption list; the building permit is valuation-based with 65 percent plan review |
| New furnace or water heater vent through the roof | Mechanical permit | Appliance vents are mechanical work; appliance vent $38 under the $167 one- and two-family minimum |
What changes in a Wildfire Zone?
PP&D's Brochure 11 says fire-resistant roofing materials are required on a structure in a fire hazard area, and it recommends screening roof vents with wire mesh with openings smaller than 1/4 inch to stop embers, keeping attic vents out of soffits and eave overhangs, and choosing materials such as metal, concrete, clay, slate or composition asphalt; a treated wood shake roof gives the least protection. Check whether your property is in a Wildfire Hazard Zone on PortlandMaps before you order materials, because the permit review will look at the roof covering class. Zoning does not regulate a like-for-like reroof, but historic resources and design overlays can add review when the roof's appearance changes; confirm with a planner at 503-823-7300 if your house is in a historic district.
Who can do the work and how do you apply?
Roofing contractors must hold an Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) license and list it on any permit application. A homeowner may reroof their own house and sign the application as owner. When a permit is required, apply through Development Hub PDX (DevHub) with a site plan and a description of the roof assembly and materials; townhouse reroofs may need to show the fire separation at the party wall, so ask the plans examiner what to include. Fees are due before the permit is issued. Request the final inspection through the 503-823-7000 line, and keep inspections within 180 days of each other or the permit expires. Even on an exempt reroof the work must meet the Oregon Residential Specialty Code, and the 2026 edition is expected to be adopted October 1, 2026 with a phase-in to March 31, 2027.
How to Get a Roof Replacement Permit in Portland
Check for a trigger
Confirm the house is not a townhouse, is not in a Wildfire Zone on PortlandMaps, and that the new covering is of similar weight. If all three hold, no building permit is needed.
Describe the job for a permitted reroof
Note the roof area, existing and new materials, sheathing replacement and any structural change. Ask the plans examiner whether your submittal is plan-review exempt.
Apply on DevHub
Submit the building permit application with a site plan and roof assembly description through Development Hub PDX. Add a mechanical application for any new vents.
Pay the fees
Permit, surcharge, Development Services fee and plan review or processing fee are due before issuance; PP&D emails the final fee total.
Reroof and get the final inspection
Request the final inspection on the 503-823-7000 line with your IVR number. Keep the permit active by scheduling inspections within 180 days.