Tigard, OR Building Safety: Building Inspections (2026)
Key Facts
- Administering official
- Building Official, under the Community Development Director
- Work covered
- Structural, electrical, mechanical and plumbing
- Inspection authority
- Tigard Municipal Code Section 14.16.420
- Entry without consent
- Search warrant from the City's Municipal Court
- Requested inspections
- Fee set by City Council resolution, Section 14.16.430
- Permit-less electrical work
- Investigation fee equal to the permit fee
Summary
In the City of Tigard, Oregon, the Building Official runs the program of plan review, permit issuing and inspection for structural, electrical, mechanical and plumbing work. Every permitted construction job is subject to inspection, and entry onto private premises needs the owner's consent or a search warrant.
A. The city shall provide a program of building code administration, including plan review, permit issuing and inspection for structural, electrical, mechanical and plumbing work. The program shall be administered by the building official, under the supervision of the community development director. ... A. Inspections. ... All buildings, structures, or other improvements regulated by this chapter and all construction work for which a permit is required shall be subject to inspection by the Building Official. B. Right of Entry. Whenever the Building Official has reasonable cause to suspect a violation of any provision of this chapter exists or when necessary to investigate an application for or revocation of any approval under any of the procedures described in this title, the Building Official may enter on any site or into any structure for the purpose of investigation, provided that no premises shall be entered without first obtaining the consent of the owner or person in control of the premises if other than the owner, or by obtaining a search warrant.
Full Breakdown
Tigard Municipal Code Section 14.04.040 puts building inspection inside a single City program. The City provides building code administration covering plan review, permit issuing and inspection for structural, electrical, mechanical and plumbing work. The Building Official runs it under the supervision of the Community Development Director, and it operates under the state specialty codes listed in Section 14.04.030. Fees for permits and related services under the program are set by resolution of the City Council rather than written into the code.
Section 14.16.420 supplies the inspection authority for Chapter 14.16, the Property Maintenance Regulations. All buildings, structures and other improvements regulated by that chapter, and all construction work for which a permit is required, are subject to inspection by the Building Official. The sections quoted here set the authority and the entry rules, and they do not list individual inspection stages.
Right of entry has two triggers: reasonable cause to suspect a violation of Chapter 14.16, or the need to investigate an application for or revocation of an approval under the procedures described in Title 14. Even then no premises can be entered without the consent of the owner, or of the person in control of the premises if that is someone else, or without a search warrant. If consent cannot be obtained, subsection C requires the Building Official to secure a search warrant from the City's Municipal Court before any further attempt to gain entry.
Two related rules round out the process. Under Section 14.16.430, a requested inspection of a residential structure that is not part of the City's code enforcement program is made as soon as practical after payment to the Building Official of the fee specified by resolution of the City Council. For electrical work started without a permit, Section 14.04.065.H requires a special investigation before a permit can issue, and an investigation fee equal to the permit fee is collected in addition to it.
Violations & Fines
A violation of Chapter 14.16 is a Class 1 civil infraction under Chapter 1.16, each violation of a separate provision is its own infraction, and each day a violation continues counts again. Section 1.16.640 caps a Class 1 penalty at $250 per day. Obstructing, impeding or interfering with anyone lawfully repairing, vacating or demolishing a structure, or abating a nuisance, is unlawful under Section 14.16.460. Electrical work done without a permit triggers an investigation fee equal to the permit fee under Section 14.04.065.H.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who performs building inspections in the City of Tigard?
Can a Tigard inspector enter my property without permission?
What is subject to inspection under Tigard's code?
How do I get an extra inspection of a residential structure in Tigard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tigard
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