Gresham, OR Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- Oregon Structural Specialty Code
- Permits issued by
- City Building Official
- Covers
- construction, alteration, demolition, moving
- Exception
- work within the public way
- Conflict rule
- GRC provisions prevail over OSSC
Summary
Gresham enforces the Oregon Structural Specialty Code as its building code, and the Building Official must issue a permit before construction, alteration, demolition, or moving of a building anywhere in the city outside the public way.
(OSSC 104.2) The building official shall receive applications, review construction documents and issue permits for the erection, and alteration, demolition and moving of buildings and structures, inspect the premises for which such permits have been issued and enforce compliance with the provision of the Oregon Structural Specialty Code or other local ordinances.
(5) The following shall be regulated by the Oregon Structural Specialty Code, except as modified in this code, and enforced as part of GRC Article 10.05:
(a) Signs: Appendix H of the Oregon Structural Specialty Code, as amended or revised by the State of Oregon.
(b) Tanks:
(i) Tanks that contain, house or support water or fire-suppression material, or equipment required for the protection of essential or hazardous facilities or special occupancy structures.
(ii) Tanks that are housing, supporting, or containing toxic or explosive substances. (c) Monopoles: Cellular phone, radio, and other telecommunication and broadcast towers.
(d) Ground-mounted photovoltaic: Ground-mounter photovoltaic systems over 10 feet in height measured to the highest point of installation.
(e) Fences: Fences over 7 feet in height.
(f) Retaining Walls:
(i) Retaining walls over 4 feet in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall.
(ii) Retaining walls located adjacent to a building or structure a distance of no more than 2 times the height of the wall.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
GRC Article 10.05, the City of Gresham Building Code, adopts the Oregon Structural Specialty Code for construction, erection, alteration, moving, enlargement, demolition, repair, improvement, conversion and maintenance of any building or structure, except work located in a public way. Under GRC 10.05.050(4), the Building Official receives applications, reviews construction documents, issues permits, inspects permitted work, and enforces the OSSC and other local ordinances. Where the OSSC and GRC provisions listed at 10.05.110 conflict, the Gresham Revised Code prevails.
Violations & Fines
Work performed without a required permit is enforced by the Building Official under GRC Article 10.05, and can also draw nuisance-abatement action and fees set by council resolution under the city's broader code enforcement provisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Gresham use its own building code or the state code?
Who reviews and issues my building permit in Gresham?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gresham
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Building Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Multnomah County handle building permits.