Salem Adds E-Permitting Service

City joins 17 other cities and counties in offering customers online building permits.

Salem-News.com

(SALEM, Ore. ) - Starting today, contractors building in Salem can buy simple permits from the city any time of the day or night, seven days a week via the Internet at www.BuildingPermits.Oregon.gov.

The site, hosted by the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services’ Building Codes Division, allows contractors to apply and pay for multiple permits from multiple jurisdictions in one transaction.

Eighteen building departments in the state now offer over-the-counter electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits through www.BuildingPermits.Oregon.gov.

Marion County began offering online permitting in April.

Other cities and counties that offer the e-permitting service include Medford, Cannon Beach, Corvallis, Eugene, Lane County, and several in the Portland metro area.

“Delivering quality service through streamlined processes is one of our top goals,” said Salem’s Building and Safety Administrator Tom Phillips. “Joining the state’s e-permitting Web site allows us to offer one or more services that will make it possible for our customers to buy permits from the convenience of their home or office.”

One customer who is happy with the service is Dan Dorn, president of Sunco Homes and Remodeling, and past president of the Oregon Home Builders Association and the Home Builders of Marion County.

“I applaud the efforts of the state to streamline the permitting process and make it easier for contractors to do business,” he said.

The e-permitting program is part of Gov. Kulongoski’s regulatory streamlining initiative.

The Governor recently signed into law House Bill 2405, which will expand the existing program to create the nation’s first comprehensive statewide e-building program, and allow contractors to conduct more building department activities, such as receiving plan approval and scheduling inspections, online, morning, noon, and night, with any city or county in the state.