TL;DR (generated, confidence: high)

Retaining walls over 4 feet high or supporting a surcharge require building permits in Portland; contractors must be CCB-licensed, and applications require site plans and supporting documentation.

Key points:

Building permit required if wall exceeds 4 feet high (measured bottom of footing to top) or supports a surcharge (additional load beyond normal level earth backfill weight) (Retaining Wall ↗)
If building permit not required, project may need zoning permit or Site Development permit (for complex sites or slope stabilization) (Retaining Wall ↗)
Contractors must hold Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) license; license number required on permit application and company materials (Retaining Wall ↗)
Homeowners can perform work themselves but must meet specific application requirements noted by State of Oregon (Retaining Wall ↗)
Permit applications require site plans and building permit application forms; additional documentation may be requested for unique projects (Retaining Wall ↗)
Residential retaining wall permits regulated by Oregon Residential Specialty Code and Title 33 Zoning Code (Retaining Wall ↗)
Permit fees determined by permit type, work scope, work valuation, and staff review requirements; see fee schedule for details (Retaining Wall ↗)

Entities: organization: Oregon Construction Contractors Board | code: Oregon Residential Specialty Code · Title 33 Zoning Code | permit_type: Building permit · Site Development permit

Retaining Wall

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Source: Retaining Wall ↗ Last modified: Sun, 19 Apr 2026 20:05:55 GMT

Does your retaining wall project need a building permit?

A building permit is required when constructing a retaining wall that:

is more than four (4) feet high, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall; OR,
supports a surcharge. A surcharge is an additional load, beyond the normal weight of a level earth backfill is to holding back.

If a building permit is not needed, you may need a zoning permit ↗ - contact the General Inquiries phone number with questions.

For complex sites or if slope stabilization is needed, you may need a Site Development permit ↗ - contact the General Inquiries phone number with questions.

Who can do the work

Contractors must have a license to work in Oregon. The Oregon Construction Contractors Board ↗ (CCB) issues licenses to contractors. The permit application and their company materials must list the license number. Need help finding a contractor? The CCB website has good tips on how to search for one. Plumbing and electrical contractors have additional license requirements.

If you are a homeowner doing the work yourself, please note what is required for a completed application. The State of Oregon has some helpful information for homeowners:

Building permit application and important forms and information

The following information is part of the application. This is everything you might need when applying for a retaining wall permit. Since every project is unique, there may be some situations where you will be asked to provide additional information. Things you need to apply for this permit may include some or all of the following. Read more about site plans and what to include in your application ↗.

If you aren't sure what forms you need, contact Permitting Services. You might want to read our step-by-step guide for completing a building permit application ↗. Permit forms include:

Building permit application

Additional forms for a retaining wall permit application

Step 1: Research what you need for a residential retaining wall

How to check the permit history for a house

Depending on the age of your house, we may have information about the permit history. It is important to verify the permit records, and not rely on the tax information from the county assessor’s office.

If you want to review the permit history, some records are available online. Visit the How to Request Public Property Records webpage ↗.

Codes and Rules

Residential retaining walls that require building permits ↗ are regulated by the following codes:

Oregon Residential Specialty Code
Title 33 Zoning Code ↗

Other codes may apply based on the scope of work. The City and State Codes, Administrative Rules, Code Guides and Program Guides ↗ web page has the codes, administrative rules, code guides and program guides.

Permit Fees

Permit fees are based on the type of permit, the work proposed, the valuation of the work, and the staff that need to review the work. Get permit fee information ↗.