Original Art Mural Permits

← root

Breadcrumb: Original Art Mural Permits

Source: Original Art Mural Permits ↗ Last modified: Fri, 17 Apr 2026 20:07:56 GMT

What is an Original Art Mural?

3432 SE BELMONT ST, Artists: Maddo and Jade Sturms, Sponsor: Portland Street Art Alliance

Original Art Murals are defined as a hand-produced work of visual art that is tiled or painted by hand directly upon, or affixed directly to, an exterior wall of a building or structure.  Murals can provide many benefits to a city and surrounding communities.  Murals can provide opportunities to share place-based histories and community-centered stories.  Murals can foster a greater sense of place and create unique experiences.  Mural projects can actively engage citizens, increase social capital, community connections, and promote positive social change.  Murals can also help to increase foot traffic, business district vitality, and tourism.

Planning and Zoning staff reviews all Mural Permit applications to make sure all provisions of Title 4, Original Art Murals ↗, and the Administrative Rule for Original Art Murals ↗ are met.  These regulations speak to where murals can be located and how big they can be, but do not regulate the content of the mural.

Original Art Murals:

• Must be maintained for at least two years, and the property owner cannot receive compensation for the display of the mural.
• Cannot exceed a height of 30 feet above grade (no other size limits apply).
• Must meet additional standards if located in a Design Overlay Zone or on a noncontributing building in a historic or conservation district.

Original Art Murals permitted under Title 4 are not: 

• Mechanically produced or computer-generated prints or images, including but not limited to digitally printed vinyl.
• Murals containing electrical or mechanical components.
• Changing image murals.

Original Art Murals are not permitted:

• On sites with residential buildings with four or fewer units.
• On sites with historic or conservation landmarks or contributing buildings in a historic or conservation district.
• On stormwater facilities.

Murals that do not fit within this definition and do not receive an Original Art Mural Permit may be permitted as public art through the Regional Arts and Culture Council Public Art Murals Program ↗ or may be considered signs and regulated by Title 32 (Signs and Related Regulations) ↗.

Five Simple Steps to get an Original Art Mural permit:

An Original Art Mural Permit is required for murals that are installed using the standards included in Title 4 Original Art Murals and the City’s Mural Administrative Rules. On-site work on the mural cannot begin until the permit is issued. It takes approximately 30-40 days from the time of permit application to issuance due to the public notice requirements, please consider this timeline when planning your mural project.

1036 SE BELMONT ST, Artists: William Hernandez, Anisa Asakawa, Jordan Domont, Kyra Watkins, Sponsor: Color Outside the Lines