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City of Bend permits: what to expect and how we file yours

You bring the plans; we file and respond to the City. A real person calls you within 24 business hours.

Bend building permit packages: from $1,250. Includes a SiteFacts Report. The site plan is not included.

Start my permitCall (541) 316-0371

Submitted within 5 business days of complete information. Every correction round is at no added fee.

Hand unrolling a residential site plan on a wooden desk

City of Bend building permits for a new home come from the Building Safety Division, reviewed with City Planning and Private Development Engineering. Under the Bend Development Code (BDC) 4.2.400, a new home can add frontage improvements, such as a sidewalk if one exists within 600 feet, and a new driveway approach needs a right-of-way permit. Confirm with the City.

Who issues which permits in Bend?

PermitOfficeApply
Building, electrical, mechanical, plumbingBuilding Safety DivisionOnline Permit Center
Zoning review of a new home, ADU, townhome or plex on an existing lotCity PlanningIn the building permit, no separate application (BDC 4.2.400(A)(1)). Confirm with the City.
Driveway aprons, curb cuts, street sidewalksPrivate Development EngineeringRight-of-way permit
Septic, if the lot can stay off sewerCity signs; county issuesSeptic Authorization form; county septic permits

What are the steps for a Bend building permit?

  1. Check zoning and frontage.

    Read BDC 4.2.400.

  2. Settle sewer or septic.

    A new single-family home on a vacant parcel within 300 feet of sewer must connect unless the City Engineer waived it (Septic Authorization form). Confirm with the City.

  3. Apply for the building permit.

    Unflattened PDFs are returned for correction (Residential Submittal Checklist). Pay fees and system development charges (SDCs) at application, or defer.

  4. Get the right-of-way permit.

    A new curb cut or driveway approach needs one (guide).

  5. Pass other inspections.

    (Inspection Requests page)

  6. Pay deferred SDCs, then request the final.

    (SDC deferral memo)

What fees should you plan for in Bend?

Effective 7/1/2026 (City fees and charges).
ItemAmount
City SDCs, single-unit home (SDC schedule)$11,930 (under 600 sq ft) to $33,080 (over 3,001 sq ft)
Parks SDC, Bend Park and Recreation District, collected by the City (fee schedule)$8,603 to $13,470 by home size

Fees change. Confirm amounts with the City.

How long do City of Bend permits take?

Current City of Bend permit processing times

Live dashboard published by the City of Bend. The City doesn't guarantee review times. Confirm with the City.

Open the City's dashboard

What catches people building in Bend?

Frontage improvements on a new home

A new home can add sidewalk and paved driveway requirements under BDC 4.2.400(A)(3). The sidewalk applies when a public sidewalk exists within 600 feet.

Sewer within 300 feet can mean connecting

On a vacant parcel within 300 feet of sewer, a new single-family home must connect unless waived (Septic Authorization form).

Wildfire rules apply to new home applications

R327 (Oregon's wildfire-resistant building rules) applies to new residential permit applications submitted on or after May 15, 2026 (City news release).

Confirm each item with the Permit Center: (541) 388-5580.

For a new home, BDC 4.2.400(A)(3) requires sidewalks along all frontages when an existing public sidewalk exists within 600 feet of the front property line on the same side of the street. Driveways and parking areas must be paved with asphalt, concrete or comparable surfacing; gravel is not allowed.

In our experience, a frontage waiver is its own review: on a recent Bend project, City staff estimated 60 to 90 days before the building permit could move. In our experience, a deviation filed with the right-of-way permit can be faster than a full waiver.

On a 2026 Bend home, the right-of-way permit came back with corrections requiring driveway changes.

Before you buy a Bend lot, order a SiteFacts Report on its zoning, soils, utilities and permits, with every claim sourced.

Talk to us

Some Bend HOAs, Awbrey Butte among them, require their design approval before plans go to the City. Confirm with your HOA. Our Central Oregon HOA design review guide lists 15 communities and how their reviews work.

Vacant west side Bend lot with tall ponderosa pines, sagebrush and a gravel street edge, with a forested butte in the distance under a clear sky.

How do we file a Bend permit?

  1. We start with an intake review. If your project needs a planning application, HOA review or anything else outside our services, we flag it early.
  2. Every building permit package starts with a SiteFacts Report.
  3. If the City asks for something else, we respond and resubmit.

We file building permits in the City of Bend, part of Deschutes County. Land divisions and other land use applications need a City planning application and are outside our service. Because of Bend's complexity, we require a site plan from a local engineering firm for a Bend building permit package.

Before we file in Bend, plan for:

Start my permit
"I am so grateful Don was available to assist us with the permitting process for our new home and shop."
Heather, five-star Google review

Builders who work with us: Simplicity Homes, HiLine Homes and JF Homes.

Questions

Who issues building permits in Bend?
The City's Building Safety Division issues them, reviewed with City Planning and Private Development Engineering. Apply in the Online Permit Center. On an existing lot, a new home, ADU, townhome or plex has zoning checked in the building permit, with no separate application (BDC 4.2.400(A)(1)). Confirm with the City.
Does Bend require sidewalks for a new home?
For a new home, BDC 4.2.400(A)(3) requires sidewalks along all frontages when an existing public sidewalk exists within 600 feet of the front property line on the same side of the street. The Director can waive street improvements (BDC 3.4.150). Confirm with the City.
Can a Bend lot use a septic system?
On a vacant parcel within 300 feet of sewer, a new single-family home must connect unless the City Engineer waived it (Septic Authorization form). Beyond that, the owner may apply to Deschutes County, which issues septic permits. The form is dated 2020: confirm with the City.
Does Bend require wildfire-resistant construction?
For new homes, yes. Bend adopted R327 for new residential building permit applications submitted on or after May 15, 2026. It does not apply to additions or renovations (City news release). Confirm the trigger date with the City.
What are the setbacks in the Bend Development Code?
RS (Standard Density): front 10 feet (20 with a street-facing garage), side and rear 5 (BDC 2.1.300); coverage 50% single-story, 45% otherwise (BDC 2.1.700). RL (Low Density): front 20, side and rear 10 (BDC 2.1.300); coverage 35% (BDC 2.1.700). Confirm your zone and the code.
Does Sand & Sage prepare site plans in Bend?
No. The City's Residential Submittal Checklist requires a site plan. We require one from a local engineering firm, because of Bend's complexity. Sun Country Engineering & Surveying is a typical referral. The site plan is not in our packages. Your engineer prepares it, and we file the permit.

Hand off the permit work.

Tell us about your project. A real person calls you within 24 business hours. We file your application with the plans and documents you and your engineer provide, checked against the City's Residential Submittal Checklist, and we answer the City's corrections.

Permit fees are paid to the county or city.

Sand and Sage SolutionsTerrebonne, OR(541) 316-0371Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Last reviewed: October 2026

Fees and rules change. Confirm with the City of Bend Permit Center, (541) 388-5580.