Before You Build in Tualatin, OR: Permit & Rule Checklist (2026)

Construction and placement of private residential fences are generally not regulated by the Tualatin Development Code, but fences over 6 feet tall need a building permit per the city's Fences handout, and TDC 73.400(16) bars any fence 30 inches to 8 feet above curb height inside a vision clearance triangle.

Tualatin does not require a permit for most residential fences, but the city's Fences handout requires a building permit for fences over 6 feet tall, fences around any pool, pond, or hot tub deeper than 24 inches, and retaining walls over 4 feet or supporting a fence or surcharge.

Oregon does not have a shared fence cost statute. Each property owner is responsible for their own fence. Fences on property lines are not specifically regulated beyond height and material standards. Spite fences may be actionable as a nuisance under common law.

Building permits and inspections are required for all pools and spas. Oregon Residential Specialty Code (OAR 918-480) governs construction standards. Anti-entrapment drain covers required per federal VGB Act. Plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits may all be needed.

Above-ground pools are subject to the same barrier and permit requirements as in-ground pools under Oregon Residential Specialty Code. Pool barriers are required regardless of pool type. Building permit application through the Tualatin Building Division.

Pool barriers are required under the Oregon Residential Specialty Code (ORSC Appendix G). Barriers must be at least 42 inches high with self-closing, self-latching gates. Vertical spacing between fence members must not exceed 1.75 inches when horizontal members are less than 45 inches apart.

Per TDC 40.220 (RL zone) and TDC 41.220 (RML zone), accessory dwelling units are a permitted housing type subject to TDC 34.600. The city's ADU page confirms three reviews — land use, engineering, and building — are required.

Converting a Tualatin garage into living space requires Building Division permits (building, plumbing, mechanical, electrical). If the conversion becomes a separate dwelling unit it must also meet ADU standards under TDC 34.600 and pass land use approval.

Tualatin Development Code Chapter 40 (Low Density Residential RL Zone) governs carports and other accessory structures. Table 40-3 sets minimum setbacks of 15 feet front, 5 feet side, 15 feet rear, and 20 feet for a garage door, with a maximum structure height of 35 feet and a maximum lot coverage of 45 percent for single-family dwellings. A non-habitable detached accessory structure under 200 square feet and 15 feet tall does not require a building permit but must still meet TDC setbacks.

Per Tualatin's Planning FAQ, a non-habitable one-story detached accessory structure like a shed needs no building permit if its floor area does not exceed 200 square feet and it is no higher than 15 feet. Zone setbacks under TDC 40 and 41 still apply.

Tualatin sits inside Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue's (TVF&R) jurisdiction, and TVF&R - operating under the Oregon Fire Code (adopted statewide) - sets the operative rules for backyard fire pits, fire tables, and campfires in the city. Recreational fires are allowed if the fuel/burn area stays at three feet in diameter and two feet in height, in a safe location away from combustibles and vegetation, and are fully extinguished after use.

Outdoor burning in Tualatin is governed by Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue (TVF&R) under the Oregon Fire Code. TVF&R recognizes two backyard burn seasons - Spring (March 1-June 15) and Fall (October 1-December 15) - but burn rules change daily with weather and air quality, and TVF&R routinely enacts High-Fire Danger Burn Bans that suspend all open burning of yard debris, agricultural waste, and land-clearing material.

Property owners are responsible for maintaining adjacent sidewalks, tree grates, and planter strips in good condition. Trees and shrubs must be trimmed to prevent hazards. Owners may be liable for injuries caused by negligent sidewalk and vegetation maintenance.

Tualatin has no mandatory day-of-week outdoor watering schedule. The city buys water wholesale from the Portland Water Bureau and asks residents to follow the Regional Water Providers Consortium's voluntary Weekly Watering Number guidance from April through September.

Tualatin Development Code Chapter 33 regulates removal of any tree eight inches or larger in diameter (measured 4 feet above grade) on private property. Homeowners may remove up to four qualifying trees per calendar year without a permit, but heritage trees and site-plan trees always require review.