Shed permit checklist — Portland, Oregon
Assembled from Portland’s own published permit rules. Every line below is quoted from a city document and linked to it. Nothing here is generated, estimated, or inferred from another jurisdiction.
Do you need a permit?
Portland requires a permit for a shed.
A building permit is required for a non-heated, non-habitable accessory structure that is over 200 square feet, measured from the interior of the exterior walls, or taller than 15 feet measured from the grade plane to the average height of the highest roof surface. Non-habitable structures 200 square feet or smaller do not need a building permit, though a zoning permit may be required. On lots over 2 acres, no building permit is needed when the structure is under 400 square feet and is located at least 20 feet from property lines and other structures. A building permit is required for habitable structures regardless of size.
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Sources
- shed — permit rules ↗verified August 2026
Other permits Portland publishes rules for
Listed because the city publishes a separate rule for each type — not because this project necessarily triggers one. Whether it does depends on your scope of work.
- Deck permit checklist
- Fence permit checklist
- Water heater permit checklist
- Re-roof permit checklist
- Retaining wall permit checklist
- Electrical work permit checklist
- General building work permit checklist
BuildSpec is a reference, not the authority having jurisdiction. Confirm requirements with Portland before you build.