Dwelling Permit Information

The City of Salem issues a Dwelling Permit for new single family dwellings and duplexesA Dwelling Permit for a new house covers structural, electrical (except temporary power), mechanical, and plumbing work for the structure. It does not cover Public Works permits, e.g., SDC, water, sewer, or right-of-way. Electrical, mechanical, and plumbing contractors do not purchase permits for new single family dwellings or duplexes. However, they are required to place a specialty sticker on the permit card prior to commencing the work. Work involving remodeling requires separate permits for electrical, structural, mechanical, and plumbing components, as needed.   SRC Code Links: Community Development Standards or Sewer & Water or Streets & Public Ways

Dwelling Permit—Plans Review

Plans review fees are based on square footage of the structure. This square footage must include all interior footage (finished or unfinished) and the garage.

View our current fee schedule to determine permit costs.

Dwelling Permit—Permit Fee

The cost of the Dwelling Permit Fee is based on square footage plus 8 percent state surcharge and a $2.50 automation fee for the transaction.

Dwelling Permit—Specialty Stickers

As noted above electrical, plumbing, and mechanical contractors will not obtain individual permits for the construction of new single family dwellings and duplexes. The inspection fees, with the exception of temporary power, are covered in the cost of the Dwelling Permit.

Specialty contractors will instead obtain electrical, mechanical, or plumbing stickers which they will adhere to the hard card. These stickers will indicate to the inspector who is doing the work, etc.

To obtain specialty stickers, the contractor must make this request in person at the Permits Application Center, City Hall - 555 Liberty Street SE - Room 320. City staff must verify license numbers and license expiration dates.  There is no charge for the specialty stickers.  A processing/automation fee is required each time the applicant's Construction Contractor Board registration expires.

When starting a project, the contractor must put his/her company name on the sticker and then place that numbered sticker on the hard card next to the type of work that he/she is doing. This lets the inspector know who is doing the work. The inspector can then verify that the number corresponds to the contractor listed.

Specialty contractors must affix the numbered label on the hard card prior to beginning work; failing to do so is the same as working without a permit. If an inspector arrives at a job site where there is no specialty sticker on the hard card, that inspector will not perform the inspection and will assess an investigation fee equal to the specialty permit fee. Investigation fees must be paid prior to further inspections. Only one warning will be given per contractor.

Dwelling Permit—Inspection Services

Even though specialty permits are not required, inspections will be required for the same items as before.

Work Exempt from Dwelling Permits

Permits shall not be required for the following as indicated by the 2000 International Residential Code.

1. Nonhabitable one-story detached accessory structures, provided the floor area does not exceed 200 square feet or a height of 10 feet measured to the highest point.
2. Except for barriers around swimming pools, fences not over 6 feet hight.
3. Retaining walls that are not over 4 feet in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless supporting a surcharge.
4. Water tanks supported directly upon grade if the capacity does not exceed 5,000 gallons and the ratio of height to diameter or width does not exceed 2 to 1.
5. Concrete sidewalks, slabs, and driveways not more than 30 inches above adjacent grade and not over any basement or story below.
6. Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, counter tops, interior wall, floor or ceiling covering and similar finish work.
7. Prefabricated swimming pools that are less than 24 inces deep.
8. Swings and other playground equipment accessory to a one- or two-family dwelling.
9. Window awnings and patio covers supported by an exterior wall not over 120 square feet in area.
10. Nonbearing partitions, except when such partitions create habitable rooms.
11. Replacement or repair of siding not required to be fire-resistant.
12. Retrofitted insolation.
13. Masonry repair.
14. Porches and decks, where the floor or deck is not more than 30 inches above grade and where the edge of the porch, deck or floor does not come closer than 3 feet to property lines.
15. Gutters and downspouts.
16. Door and window replacements (where no structural member is changed).
17. Reroofing, except in wildfire hazard zones as provided in Section R328 (of the 2000 International Residential Code) or where replacement or repair of roofing does not exceed 30 percent of the required live load design capacity and is not required to be fire resistant.
18. Plastic glazed storm windows.
19. Framed-covered accessory buildings not more than 500 square feet in area, one story in height or closer than 3 feet to the property line, where the structure is composed of a rigid framework to support tensioned membrane that provides a weather barrier. 

Other Permit Types

• Electrical
• Plumbing
• Mechanical