Pop. 97,494 · Washington County
Garage conversions to ADUs are permitted in Beaverton. Existing legal non-conforming structures can be converted to ADUs provided the conversion does not increase the non-conformity. Building, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical permits are required. The converted unit must have a separate exterior entrance and meet all ADU standards.
Beaverton regulates carports as residential accessory structures under the Beaverton Development Code Chapter 60 (Special Requirements), Section 60.50 (Accessory Dwelling Units and Residential Accessory Structures). Carports must meet the same yard setbacks as the principal dwelling under the underlying residential zone in BDC Chapter 20, and garage door or vehicle-entry setbacks are measured from the door elevation to the property line. Building permits are administered under BMC Chapter 8.02, which adopts the Oregon Residential Specialty Code.
Beaverton defines a driveway as any alley or access drive from a street to public or private property. No parking is permitted on sidewalks, curbs, planting strips, or medians within the public right-of-way. Vehicles must not block driveways or mailboxes (10-foot clearance on each side of mailboxes 8 AM – 6 PM, except Sundays/holidays).
Recreational vehicles, trailers, boats, and similar non-transportation devices parked on Beaverton public streets must be moved at least 1/10 mile within 48 hours. Motor trucks are prohibited near residences between 9 PM and 7 AM. Vehicle camping on public streets is generally prohibited unless authorized under a city-managed program.
Beaverton Code Chapter 6 (Traffic - Parking) sets the city's street-parking rules. Vehicles must park parallel to the curb, headed in the direction of lawful traffic, with curbside wheels within 12 inches of the curb. Vehicles must hold current registration; a vehicle that has not moved within 48 hours and appears inoperable, lacks current registration, or is not registered to a nearby address is considered abandoned and subject to tow. The Beaverton Police Department enforces street parking; there is no separate transportation bureau.
Motor trucks as defined by the Oregon Vehicle Code are prohibited from parking on Beaverton streets between 9 PM and 7 AM near residences, motels, apartments, hotels, or other sleeping accommodations. Standard parking rules apply at all other times. Commercial vehicles must comply with general street parking regulations.
Washington County requires electrical permits for Level 2 EV chargers under OAR 918-311-0065. HOAs cannot prohibit EV charger installation on owner property under ORS 94.798. County Building Services issues EVSE permits via ePermitting.
Washington County Chapter 8.16 limits use of a vehicle or RV for overnight lodging on the public right-of-way to 48 hours maximum at any location (or within a 2-mile radius). Recent rules further restrict RV street parking.
Washington County Sheriff's Office tags and tows abandoned vehicles on public rights-of-way under ORS 819.110 and county Chapter 8.16. A vehicle on public street for 24+ hours meeting abandonment criteria can be tagged; 24 more hours before tow. On private property, ORS 98.830 applies.
Beaverton STR operators must collect and remit multiple transient lodging taxes totaling approximately 14.5%: Beaverton city TLT of 4%, Washington County TLT of 9%, and Oregon state TLT of 1.5%. The city's 4% lodging tax supports the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts. Platforms like Airbnb may collect some taxes automatically.
Beaverton has not adopted a dedicated short-term rental ordinance and does not publish a guest-per-bedroom occupancy formula. STRs operate under the city's general business license requirement (Beaverton Municipal Code Chapter 7.01) and Oregon's statewide rental occupancy rule (ORS 90.262), which caps any occupancy guideline at no more restrictive than two persons per bedroom.
Beaverton has not adopted a city-specific short-term rental ordinance and does not codify a numeric liability insurance minimum for STR operators. Hosts must still hold a general business license under Beaverton Code Chapter 7 and remit transient lodging taxes - 4% Beaverton city, 9% Washington County, and 1.5% Oregon state (ORS 320.300 to 320.365) - for a combined rate of about 14.5%. Industry best practice is at least $1,000,000 in liability coverage through an STR endorsement, because standard Oregon homeowner policies typically exclude transient lodging activity.
As of 2025, Beaverton does not have a dedicated short-term rental ordinance. STRs are treated as regular rentals requiring a standard business license. Operators must comply with general building and zoning requirements. The city has considered but not yet enacted STR-specific regulations.
No STR-specific noise rules exist in Beaverton. Standard noise ordinance (BMC Chapter 5.15) applies to all properties including STRs. Quiet hours are 10 PM – 7 AM with a 50 dBA nighttime threshold factor. Hosts are responsible for guest compliance with noise standards.
Beaverton has no STR-specific parking rules. Standard parking code (BMC Chapter 6.02 Article V) applies. Motor trucks are prohibited from parking near residences 9 PM – 7 AM. Recreational vehicles and trailers must move at least 1/10 mile every 48 hours on public streets. No parking on sidewalks, curbs, or planting strips.
Neither Beaverton nor Washington County imposes breed-specific bans on dogs. Oregon takes a behavior-based approach under ORS 609.035 to 609.110, defining 'potentially dangerous' and 'dangerous' dogs by conduct (menacing, chasing, biting) rather than breed. Beaverton Code Chapter 5 (Animals) and Washington County Code Chapter 6.04 (Animals) supplement state law and authorize Washington County Animal Services to manage dangerous-dog declarations and licensing countywide.
Beaverton Municipal Code Section 9.08.190 prohibits allowing any animal to roam at large or on a leash exceeding 8 feet. Owners must keep animals under control and immediately remove all solid waste. Washington County requires all dogs to be licensed and on a physical leash of 7 feet or shorter when off the owner's property.
Beaverton does not have a specific beekeeping ordinance. The Development Code defines agriculture to include apiaries. Oregon state law (ORS 602) requires registration with the Oregon Department of Agriculture for beekeepers with 5 or more colonies. Local governments may adopt ordinances consistent with best practices per ORS 602.035.
Beaverton Code Chapter 5 (Animals) prohibits keeping wild, exotic, or dangerous animals within the city, with narrow exceptions for licensed zoological or scientific exhibits. Oregon state law ORS 609.305 to 609.355 separately prohibits private possession of 'exotic animals' including non-human primates, non-domesticated felines (except service animals), non-wolf canines, and bears, except under a state permit issued before 2010 (grandfathered). Livestock and poultry are also restricted under Beaverton Code Chapter 5 except for permitted household pets such as urban chickens (no roosters).
Urban unincorporated Washington County allows backyard chickens in R-5/R-6/R-9 zones with hen-only rules; roosters prohibited outside EFU/AF zones. Larger livestock restricted to AF-5, AF-10, AF-20, and EFU lands protected under Oregon Right to Farm (ORS 30.930).
Oregon ORS 496.731 authorizes ODFW officers to order removal of wildlife attractants for bear, cougar, coyote, and wolf. Washington County has no standalone wildlife feeding ordinance, but feeding creating a nuisance is enforceable under Chapter 8.20.
Oregon prosecutes animal hoarding under ORS 167.325 through 167.333, with felony charges available when 11 or more animals are involved or domestic animals are neglected. The criminal framework applies in every county.
Beaverton Code Chapter 5 (Public Nuisances) defines noxious vegetation to include grass exceeding 10 inches in height and weeds going to seed. Property owners must keep their lot and the abutting public right-of-way (the planting strip between sidewalk and curb) free of noxious vegetation. After notice, the City may abate the nuisance by mowing and charge the cost back to the property, with the unpaid charges becoming a lien on the property.
Beaverton residents are served by either the Tualatin Valley Water District (TVWD) or the City of Beaverton Water Department depending on location, with some areas receiving wholesale water from the Portland Water Bureau or the Joint Water Commission. Both TVWD and the city follow the Regional Water Providers Consortium curtailment framework (four stages from voluntary conservation to mandatory outdoor watering bans). Mandatory restrictions are not in effect year-round and are triggered by drought conditions or supply constraints; year-round conservation practices (efficient irrigation, leak repair) are always encouraged.
Beaverton regulates tree trimming and removal under the Beaverton Development Code Chapter 60.60 (Trees and Vegetation), which protects designated Significant Trees, Significant Tree Groves, and Historic Trees. Routine pruning of small private trees is allowed without a permit, but pruning, topping, or removing a Significant Tree or any street tree in the public right-of-way requires city approval through Beaverton Planning. Property owners are responsible for keeping trees clear of sidewalks, streets, and intersection sight lines.
In Beaverton, tree removal permits are generally not required for trees under 10 inches in diameter at 4.5 feet above ground, unless the tree is a designated landscape or street tree. Fruiting trees and invasive Lombardy Poplars are exempt. Street trees require city permits. Significant Tree/Grove and Historic Tree designations require special permits.
Rainwater harvesting is permitted in Washington County for outdoor irrigation and non-potable use under Oregon Water Resources Department policy. Systems over certain thresholds require plumbing permits under OAR 918. Many Bethany and Hillsboro HOAs encourage rain barrels.
Washington County enforces weed abatement under ORS 105.550-105.570 and county nuisance provisions. Vacant lots in unincorporated Aloha, Metzger, Cedar Mill, and Bull Mountain receive targeted enforcement, especially during late-spring growth peaks.
Washington County and Metro encourage native Willamette Valley plantings for stormwater and habitat. Tualatin SWCD offers the native plant sale. Clean Water Services requires native plantings in vegetated corridors along streams.
Washington County allows artificial turf on residential properties without a specific permit. Stormwater runoff from impervious turf may trigger Clean Water Services rules if over 1,000 sq ft disturbed or grading involved.
Backyard burning of yard debris is prohibited year-round throughout Beaverton because the city lies inside the permanent burn-ban boundary jointly enforced by Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue (TVF&R) and Oregon DEQ under OAR 340-264-0060. Only properly conducted recreational fires (IFC 307.4) and approved barbecues are allowed. Land-clearing burns, demolition burns, and agricultural burns inside this boundary are not permitted without rare special variances. DEQ issues air-quality advisories that may suspend even recreational fires.
Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue (TVF&R) is Beaverton's fire authority and regulates recreational fires under the Oregon Fire Code (International Fire Code Section 307), which Beaverton adopts through Beaverton Code Chapter 8 (Fire Code adoption). A 'recreational fire' is limited to a fuel area no more than 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet in height, must be at least 25 feet from any structure or combustible material (15 feet for portable outdoor fireplaces), must be constantly attended, and must have an extinguisher or water source on hand. Only seasoned firewood may be burned - no yard debris, garbage, or treated wood.
Beaverton allows Oregon-legal consumer fireworks (ground-based only). Oregon law bans fireworks that fly, explode, or travel more than 6 feet on the ground or 12 inches into the air. Bottle rockets, Roman candles, and firecrackers are illegal statewide. Fireworks purchased from Oregon retailers are generally legal. City noise ordinance applies after 10 PM.
Washington County, OR follows SB 762 wildfire hazard mapping with defensible space obligations concentrated in wildland-urban interface (WUI) zones along the west county foothills near the Tillamook State Forest. Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue (TVF&R) is the primary fire agency and enforces Oregon Fire Code clearance rules.
Oregon Statewide Wildfire Hazard Map (SB 80, 2023) classifies Washington County parcels as low, moderate, or high hazard. Only high-hazard parcels in the Wildland-Urban Interface are subject to defensible space and fire hardening code. Coast Range foothills are most affected.
Barking-dog complaints in Beaverton are handled by Washington County Animal Services under Washington County Code Chapter 6.04 (Animals), which defines a public-nuisance dog to include one that disturbs persons by frequent or prolonged barking. Beaverton Code Chapter 5 (Public Nuisances) and the city's noise ordinance also apply. Enforcement typically starts with a notice to the owner; repeat or unresolved complaints can lead to citations and, in extreme cases, a public-nuisance declaration.
Beaverton Code Chapter 5 (Public Nuisances - Noise Control) sets nighttime quiet hours from 10 PM to 7 AM, during which yelling, shouting, whistling, singing, and amplified sound in residential areas is specifically restricted. The city uses a 50 dBA nighttime threshold at the property line of the nearest noise-sensitive property as a primary evaluation factor. Oregon DEQ rules at OAR 340-035 provide the baseline industrial-noise framework (55 dBA day / 50 dBA night).
Beaverton strictly limits residential construction noise to 7 AM – 7 PM under Municipal Code Section 5.15.030. Construction activities including erection, excavation, demolition, alteration, or repair of buildings in or within 300 feet of a residential or noise-sensitive area are prohibited outside these hours except with an emergency permit.
Washington County has no countywide leaf blower ordinance; unincorporated area rules default to the general noise provisions of WCCO Chapter 8.20 and ORS 467, with hours mirroring construction windows. Cities inside the county (Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tigard, Tualatin) apply their own local restrictions, and OAR 340-035 DEQ standards set the outer ceiling.
Amplified sound in unincorporated Washington County is regulated under the county noise ordinance and ORS 467, with outdoor amplification at public venues and events requiring a special event or temporary use permit through Land Use & Transportation. Cities within the county (Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tualatin) layer their own amplification permit systems on top.
Aircraft noise in Oregon is preempted by federal law and ORS Chapter 836, which gives the Oregon Department of Aviation regulatory authority over airports. Local ordinances cannot restrict overflight noise or set in-air sound limits.
Oregon DEQ adopted statewide industrial noise standards under OAR 340-035-0035, setting maximum allowable decibel limits for new and existing industrial sources. While DEQ enforcement was defunded in 1991, the rules remain on the books and are referenced statewide.
Beaverton Municipal Code Section 8.07.380 requires swimming pools holding water over 24 inches deep to be properly maintained — water must not become green, brown, or black, and must not be stagnant or provide habitat for mosquitoes. Pool setbacks require at least 3 feet from side and rear lot lines and outside public utility easements.
Beaverton residential swimming pools must comply with the Oregon Residential Specialty Code (ORSC) Appendix V (formerly Appendix G of the IRC), which requires a minimum 48-inch barrier around any pool capable of holding water more than 24 inches deep. Gates must be self-closing and self-latching, with the release at least 54 inches above ground (or with specific child-safe configurations if lower). Beaverton Code Chapter 8.02 adopts the ORSC, and the Beaverton Building Division issues pool and pool-barrier permits.
Above-ground pools in Beaverton holding water over 24 inches deep are subject to the same barrier, maintenance, and permit requirements as in-ground pools under BMC Chapter 8.05 and Section 8.07.380. A 48-inch barrier is required under Oregon state standards. Pools must be at least 3 feet from lot lines.
Building permits are required for swimming pools, spas, and permanent hot tubs in Washington County under the Oregon Residential Specialty Code and OAR 918-480. The county Building Services Division issues permits for unincorporated areas; cities handle their own jurisdictions.
Washington County requires electrical permits for hot tubs (240V circuit with GFCI). Structural permits may apply for raised installations. Hot tubs with ASTM F1346 safety covers are exempt from pool barrier rules.
Beaverton requires building permits for fences over 7 feet tall, fences over 8 feet for open chain link or woven wire, and all fences serving as swimming pool barriers. Applications should be made through the city's building department. Always check with the Planning Division for zoning and land use requirements before building.
Oregon does not have a shared fence cost statute for urban areas. ORS 105.175–105.190 covers line fences in rural areas only. In Beaverton, fence disputes between neighbors are generally private civil matters. The city enforces code violations (height, materials, nuisance conditions) but does not mediate neighbor fence disputes.
Beaverton Development Code limits fences in residential zones to 6 feet in side and rear yards and 3.5 feet (42 inches) in the front yard or in any street-facing yard. Fences along corner lots and within the vision-clearance triangle at intersections and driveways are further restricted to maintain sight lines. Fences over 7 feet require a building permit under the Oregon Residential Specialty Code adopted by Beaverton Code Chapter 8.02; barbed-wire and electrified fences are prohibited along sidewalks and public ways under Beaverton Code Chapter 5.
Washington County requires pool and spa barriers meeting Oregon Residential Specialty Code Appendix G / Chapter 42. Minimum 48-inch barrier with self-closing, self-latching gate. Inspected at building permit.
Washington County Community Development Code §411 permits standard residential fencing materials — cedar, vinyl, composite, wrought iron — and prohibits barbed wire and razor wire in residential zones. Cedar dominates due to the wet Willamette Valley climate; chain-link is allowed but discouraged in front yards.
Washington County requires a building permit for retaining walls over 4 feet tall measured from the bottom of foundation to top of wall (CDC 419-4). Walls supporting surcharge loads or taller than 4 feet require engineered plans stamped by a licensed Oregon PE.
Beaverton requires a Home Occupation permit for any business operated from a home. The Development Code Section 40.40 provides two types: Type 1 for low-impact businesses (no customers, no non-resident employees, no exterior changes) and Type 2 for higher-impact businesses (limited customer visits, one non-resident employee allowed).
Beaverton's home occupation regulations generally prohibit exterior signage for Type 1 home businesses. Type 2 home occupations may have limited signage subject to Development Code Section 60.40 (Sign Regulations). Signs must not alter the residential character of the neighborhood. Check with Community Development for specific sign allowances.
Beaverton regulates customer traffic to home occupations through the Beaverton Development Code Chapter 60 (Home Occupations) and a Home Occupation permit administered by the City. Type 1 home occupations prohibit customer or client visits to the residence. Type 2 home occupations may allow limited customer visits with on-site parking provided and are capped at up to two delivery or pickup trips per day from commercial vehicles, with no traffic, noise, or activity inconsistent with the residential character of the neighborhood.
Oregon ORS 329A.440 (HB 3109) requires that family child care homes be treated as residential use. Registered Family (up to 10) and Certified Family (up to 16) homes are licensed by ODELC. Washington County cannot require conditional use permits.
Oregon Domestic Kitchen law (ORS 616.706) allows limited direct sale of low-risk, shelf-stable homemade foods. Registration with ODA is not required under $50,000 annual gross sales. Washington County follows the state law with no additional local layer.
Beaverton participates in FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program and regulates development in mapped Special Flood Hazard Areas under the Beaverton Development Code Chapter 60.05 (Special Districts and Overlay Zones, including Floodplain). The primary Beaverton floodplains follow Beaverton Creek, Fanno Creek, Johnson Creek, and Hall Creek (FEMA Zone AE). New construction and substantial improvements in SFHAs must meet elevation, floodproofing, and Oregon-specific PICM (Pre-Implementation Compliance Measures) habitat-protection standards.
Washington County requires grading permits for earthwork over 50 cubic yards or on slopes over 15%. Drainage cannot be diverted onto adjacent properties. Clean Water Services rules and Oregon Plumbing Specialty Code (OAR 918-750) apply to drainage systems.
Washington County stormwater is managed by Clean Water Services (CWS) under the county's Phase I MS4 permit. CWS Design & Construction Standards trigger on-site detention for projects creating 1,000 sq ft of new impervious. Post-construction facilities are owner-maintained.
Washington County is entirely inland in the Portland metropolitan area. Oregon Coastal Zone Management Act and LCDC Goals 17/18 do not apply. The nearest coastline is ~60 miles west at Cannon Beach and Tillamook County. No coastal development rules apply within the county.
Erosion control in Washington County follows Clean Water Services' Erosion Prevention and Sediment Control Manual and DEQ's 1200-C permit. Ground disturbance of 1+ acre triggers state NPDES permit; smaller projects use CWS BMPs including silt fencing and construction entrances.
Washington County and its cities require adjacent property owners to clear snow and ice from sidewalks typically within 24 hours after snowfall. Beaverton BC 9.05.040 and Hillsboro HMC 11.08.050 specify clearing obligations; liability attaches for slip-and-fall injuries.
Washington County property maintenance codes and city nuisance rules require garage sale items to be stored out of sight overnight and fully removed within 24 hours of sale end. Left-at-curb items trigger blight citations from code enforcement.
Washington County enforces vegetation and debris standards on vacant lots under Chapter 8.20 and CDC 430. Grass and weeds over 10 inches, accumulated trash, and fire fuel loads are subject to abatement. Fire season adds additional rules.
Washington County requires mandatory garbage collection service under Chapter 8.04 through franchised haulers. Bins must be out of public view between collection days. Metro regional rules govern solid waste disposal.
Washington County Chapter 8.20 (Nuisances) and Chapter 8.44 (Chronic Nuisance Property) authorize code enforcement against blighted properties. Abatement and liens available. Chronic nuisance designation triggers escalating penalties.
Washington County cities including Beaverton, Forest Grove, and Hillsboro designate heritage or landmark trees. Oregon Heritage Tree program through the State Historic Preservation Office recognizes culturally and historically significant specimens countywide.
Washington County regulates significant tree removal through CDC §407 and sensitive areas under CWS rules. Cities like Beaverton (BC 9.04), Hillsboro (HMC 12.32), and Tigard (Urban Forestry Manual) have robust tree codes. Street trees cannot be removed without permit.
Tree replacement requirements apply when permitted removals occur in Washington County cities. Beaverton, Tigard, and Hillsboro require 1:1 to 3:1 replacement planting with minimum 1.5-2 inch caliper native/adapted species, with fee-in-lieu options for the municipal tree fund.
Commercial drone operators in Washington County must hold an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. Hillsboro Airport Class D airspace requires LAANC authorization. Oregon requires additional registration for government operations under ORS 837.360.
Recreational drone use in Washington County follows FAA rules (49 USC §44809, Part 44809) and ORS 837.300. Restricted airspace around Hillsboro Airport (HIO) and Portland-Hillsboro's Class D boundary constrains much of the east/central county.
No-soliciting signs carry legal weight in most Washington County cities. Beaverton and Hillsboro operate no-knock registries; ignoring a posted sign or registered address is a civil violation. Political and religious canvassing remain exempt.
Washington County does not issue countywide solicitor permits; cities regulate independently. Beaverton (BC 7.04), Hillsboro (HMC 5.08), Tigard (TMC 5.04), and Tualatin all require permits with background checks for door-to-door commercial solicitation.
Washington County CDC caps residential heights at 35 ft in most R zones, 45 ft in R-24/R-25+, and 50-75 ft in commercial/industrial zones near MAX corridors. Rural AF-zones allow 35 ft. Hillsboro Airport AGL limits apply on approach paths.
Washington County CDC sets maximum lot coverage from 40-60% depending on zone. R-5 and R-9 cap at 50%; higher-density R-24 zones allow up to 70%. Clean Water Services post-construction stormwater standards trigger above 1,000 sq ft new impervious.
Washington County Community Development Code sets setbacks by zone: R-5 requires 20 ft front, 5 ft side, 15 ft rear; R-9 requires 15/5/10; AF-5 and rural require 30 ft front, 10 ft side, 30 ft rear. Cities within the county apply their own zoning.
Washington County solid waste service is franchised by the county Department of Health & Human Services Solid Waste & Recycling program, with weekly garbage and every-other-week recycling. Haulers include Republic Services, Pride Disposal, Waste Management, and Hillsboro Garbage Disposal, by service territory.
Bulk items in Washington County are handled through franchise hauler on-call pickup or direct drop-off at Metro transfer stations — Metro South (Oregon City) and Metro Central (NW Portland) — plus the Hillsboro Landfill. Refrigerants, electronics, and HHW have separate rules.
Residential recycling follows Metro's regional list: paper, cardboard, metal cans, and plastic bottles/jars/jugs in the mixed recycling cart; glass in a separate bin. Contamination (plastic bags, film, clamshells, Styrofoam, food waste) results in skipped pickups.
Washington County franchise rules require carts placed at the curb by 6 AM with wheels to the house and a 3-foot clearance. Carts must return out of public view within 24 hours of pickup, per hauler and city codes.
Washington County applies Oregon state juvenile curfew under ORS 419C.680 in unincorporated areas; cities layer local ordinances. Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Tigard each enforce 10 PM-6 AM on school nights for minors under 18, with 12 AM-6 AM weekend hours.
Washington County Parks and THPRD (Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District) parks close from dusk to dawn or 10 PM depending on the site. Violations constitute trespass under ORS 164.245. Metro-managed regional parks (Cooper Mountain, Tualatin River NWR) have posted hours.
Washington County does not require garage sale permits for unincorporated areas. Most cities within the county (Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tigard, Tualatin) also allow garage sales without permits, relying on frequency and signage limits instead.
Garage sales in Washington County cities typically run 8 AM to 6 PM or dusk. Most cities prohibit sales before 8 AM or after sunset/10 PM. Items and signs must be cleaned up each evening with final removal within 24 hours of sale end.
Cities in Washington County typically limit households to 2-4 garage sales per year, each 2-3 days long. Exceeding limits triggers classification as an ongoing retail use requiring home occupation review and business licensing.
Oregon Measure 91 allows adults 21+ to grow up to 4 cannabis plants per household in Washington County. Plants must be out of public view. Unincorporated county and most cities (Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tigard) permit home grows consistent with state law.
Washington County and most cities allow OLCC-licensed cannabis retailers in commercial zones with state-mandated 1,000-ft school buffers. Hillsboro, Beaverton, Tigard, and Tualatin host dispensaries; Sherwood and Forest Grove have historically restricted. CDC §430 applies to unincorporated lands.
Mobile food units in Washington County require a Washington County Public Health food service license under OAR 333-150 and OAR 333-157, plus a business license from each city of operation. Commissary kitchens and annual inspections are mandatory.
Food truck vending zones vary by city in Washington County. Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Tigard each regulate mobile vending locations through zoning and right-of-way permits, with popular cart pods concentrated along Canyon Rd, Cornell Rd, and downtown districts.
Washington County regulates outdoor lighting through CDC §414 requiring shielded fixtures and no light trespass onto neighboring properties. Cities including Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Tigard enforce dark-sky-inspired standards in commercial and industrial zones near residential edges.
Washington County Community Development Code Section 415 regulates outdoor lighting on development sites. Light sources must be shielded so direct light does not trespass on adjacent residential property. Code enforcement handles complaints in unincorporated areas.
Washington County prohibits garage sale signs in the public right-of-way along county roads. Temporary signs on private property are allowed under CDC 414. Signs must be removed immediately after the sale.
Washington County allows political signs on private property under CDC 414. Signs in public right-of-way are prohibited and may be removed without notice under ORS 368.942 and R&O 98-197. Content-neutral time/place/manner rules apply per Reed v. Gilbert.
Washington County allows holiday displays on residential property without permits. Displays must not obstruct sight lines, create fire hazards, or violate noise rules. HOA rules in subdivisions may impose additional limits.
Oregon ORS 94.762 prohibits HOAs from banning or unreasonably restricting solar panel installations. HOAs may impose reasonable aesthetic guidelines but cannot effectively prevent solar. Washington County CDC 427 protects solar access for lots.
Washington County requires permits for residential solar installations under the Oregon Solar Installation Specialty Code. Most systems qualify for prescriptive (expedited) solar permits via the county's Building Services division and ePermitting.
Oregon SB 608 requires landlord just cause to terminate a tenancy after the first 12 months. No-cause terminations are only allowed in the first year. Washington County enforces the statewide standard; Board Ordinance 888 extends 90-day no-cause notice countywide.
Washington County has no general rental registration or landlord licensing program. Rentals are governed by Oregon Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (ORS 90) and state habitability standards. Portland operates a registry, but the county does not.
Oregon SB 608 (2019) and SB 611 (2023) set a statewide rent cap. For 2026, maximum rent increases are 9.5% (or 6% for mobile home parks with 30+ spaces). Washington County has no additional local rent control.
ORS 653.025 sets a three-tier statewide minimum wage and ORS 653.017 preempts cities and counties from adopting different local minimums.
ORS 653.601 mandates paid sick leave statewide, and Paid Leave Oregon under ORS Chapter 657B provides paid family and medical leave benefits.
ORS 653.412 to 653.485 require large retail, food, and hospitality employers to provide advance schedules and predictability pay.
Oregon issues concealed handgun licenses through county sheriffs under ORS 166.291, with statewide eligibility, training, and reciprocity standards.
Oregon law preempts most local firearm regulation but permits limited city and county rules in public buildings and on adjacent grounds.
Open carry of firearms is generally lawful in Oregon, but limited local ordinances may restrict loaded carry in incorporated public places.
Oregon allows firearms in private vehicles, but concealed loaded handguns inside a vehicle generally require a concealed handgun license under ORS 166.250.
Oregon does not mandate E-Verify use by private employers and has no statewide statute requiring electronic employment eligibility verification beyond federal I-9 rules.
Oregon enacted the nation's oldest statewide sanctuary law, ORS 181A.820, barring state and local agencies from using resources to enforce federal civil immigration law.
ORS Chapter 215 establishes Exclusive Farm Use zones that limit non-farm development and preserve agricultural land statewide.
ORS 30.930 to 30.947 protect farm and forest practices from most nuisance and trespass claims when conducted on land zoned for those uses.
HB 2509 bans most single-use plastic checkout bags statewide and requires a minimum charge for paper or thicker reusable bags at retailers.
SB 543 prohibits restaurants and food vendors from using polystyrene foam containers and bans the sale of polystyrene foam packing peanuts statewide.
ORS 459A.876 limits when restaurants and convenience stores may distribute single-use plastic straws, requiring customer request first.
Oregon prohibits the sale or distribution of tobacco and inhalant delivery systems to anyone under age 21 under ORS 431A.175.
Oregon has no statewide flavored tobacco ban, but ORS 431A.190 authorizes counties and cities to adopt stricter local tobacco rules.
Oregon licenses tobacco and inhalant delivery system retailers and bans online or mail-order sales of vapor products to consumers.