Benton County, OR Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- Oregon Plumbing Specialty Code (OAR 918-750-010)
- Enforcing office
- Benton County building official
- Permit expiration
- 180 days if work not started; void at 6 months
- Unpermitted work fine
- Up to $1,000 per violation, per day
- Appeal path
- Oregon Building Codes Division
Summary
Plumbing work in unincorporated Benton County runs under the Oregon Plumbing Specialty Code, enforced locally under Benton County Code Chapter 11. The Community Development building official reviews plans and issues the permit once fees are paid; unpermitted or noncompliant work can draw a fine of up to $1,000 per violation, with each day a separate offense.
11.105 - Issuance. (1)The application, plans, specifications, computations and other data filed by an applicant for a permit shall be reviewed by the building official. ... If the building official finds that the work described in application for a permit and the plans, specifications and other data filed therewith conform to the requirements of this code and other pertinent laws and ordinances, and that the fees have been paid, the building official shall issue a permit therefor to the applicant. ... 11.205 - Plumbing Code. 11.210 - Enforcement of State Code. The Oregon Plumbing Specialty Code, as adopted by 918-750-010, except as modified in this code, is enforced as part of this code. ... 11.320 - Penalties. ... Any person violating any of the provisions herein for which a special penalty has not been expressly provided shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine not to exceed $1000 per violation. Each day that a violation exists is a separate offense.
Full Breakdown
210 enforces the Oregon Plumbing Specialty Code (adopted at OAR 918-750-010) as part of the county building code, subject to any local modifications in Chapter 11. 105, and once the official finds the submission conforms to code and other pertinent laws, and the fees are paid, a permit is issued. Approved plans must stay on the job site while work is in progress. A plumbing permit expires if work is not commenced within 180 days, or if work is suspended or abandoned for 180 days, and it becomes void 6 months after issuance if final inspection has not been obtained; a lapsed permit can be reinstated within a year for half the original fee if the code has not changed and the plans have not been altered. 130. Permits are not transferable between persons or firms. 095 go to the State of Oregon Building Codes Division, not to a county board.
Violations & Fines
Doing plumbing work without the required permit, or continuing after a stop-work order, exposes the property owner or contractor to the county's general Chapter 11 penalty: a fine of up to $1,000 per violation under § 11.320, with each day the violation continues counted as a separate offense. The building official can also issue a stop-work order under § 11.060 and require correction before work resumes; unpermitted work discovered after the fact must go through the special investigation and added fee process under § 11.130 before a permit can be issued retroactively.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to replace plumbing fixtures in unincorporated Benton County?
How long is a Benton County plumbing permit valid?
What happens if I do plumbing work without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Benton County
Compare Benton County to another location·View the Oregon building safety overview
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