Bolthole Index

Clackamas County, Oregon

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Canby, Oregon

Canby, Oregon, in Clackamas County, applies its own zoning and development code inside city limits1. City approval is required before Clackamas County can issue a building permit in Canby2, and the county issues the building, plumbing and electrical permits2. Septic permits for lots without city sewer go through the Clackamas County Septic Program3.

At a glance

Zoning
Set by the City of Canby; Development Services handles land-use applications12
Building permit
Issued by Clackamas County, only after City approval and payment of City fees24
Septic
City sewer connection is required where a public sewer is available; otherwise the county septic program53
Floodplain
City development permit required before building in a special flood hazard area6
Owner-builder
Oregon's owner-builder rule eases some structural requirements but does not remove the permit7

Who to call

Zoning

City of Canby Development Services (Planning)

Zoning, land-use applications, subdivisions and partitions, and the City approval that must come before a building permit

503-266-7001

[email protected]

222 NE 2nd Avenue, Canby, OR 97013

Building permits

Clackamas County Building Permitting

Building permits, plan review and inspections; issues the permits for construction inside Canby after City approval

503-742-4240

[email protected]

150 Beavercreek Road, Oregon City, OR 97045

Online permits →

Septic permits

Clackamas County Septic Program

Septic installation, repair and maintenance for homes and businesses not served by community sewer

503-742-4740

[email protected]

150 Beavercreek Road, 2nd Floor, Oregon City, OR 97045

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Canby means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Canby, Oregon have zoning, and what does it mean for your lot?

Yes. The City of Canby publishes a zoning and development code that governs land inside Canby city limits1. The City's index lists residential, commercial and industrial zones plus downtown and industrial-park overlays8. The zoning map and the "index of allowed uses" are on the Development Services page2.

Which district your lot sits in decides what you can build, so check the zoning map before you make an offer. We could not confirm Canby's rules on minimum lot size, setbacks, accessory dwellings, manufactured homes, RVs or tiny homes from the sources we reviewed, because those standards vary by district. Ask a planner at City of Canby Development Services; the department says "when in doubt, ask a planner"2. Clackamas County's separate zoning ordinance applies only to unincorporated land9.

Do you need a building permit in Canby, and who issues it?

Yes, building work in Canby is permitted, but in two steps. The City of Canby gives land-use approval first, and Clackamas County then issues the building, plumbing and electrical permits2. The City's own process states that the building permit will not be issued until the City has given an approval letter and all City fees are paid4. Both the City and the County charge review fees10.

For projects that need site and design review, the process includes a written decision and a 10-day appeal period, and the building permit cannot be issued until that period ends4. Canby has adopted the Oregon specialty building codes by reference11. Applications go through the county's Development Direct portal12.

How do septic permits work inside Canby?

Septic is a different question from building permits. Inside Canby, an owner whose building abuts a street or right-of-way with a City public sanitary sewer must connect within 90 days of official notice, provided the sewer is available at the property and the structure is within 100 feet of it5. Where no public sewer is available, the building sewer connects to a private system that must meet DEQ, the Oregon plumbing code and Clackamas County requirements13.

The Clackamas County Septic Program regulates septic installation, repair and maintenance for properties not served by community sewer14. Construction permits are needed to install, replace, repair or alter a septic system, and an approved site evaluation is required for most types3. We could not confirm a Canby-specific septic permit or inspection rule, so call the Septic Program at 503-742-4740 before you plan on a septic system within city limits14.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Canby?

We could not confirm it. The City's zoning index did not show an operative rule on living in an RV, camping on private land or tiny-home occupancy inside Canby, so ask City planning before you buy or park anything. Clackamas County's rule allowing one RV as a second dwelling covers only unincorporated land outside cities15, so it does not answer the question for a lot inside Canby. Call City of Canby Development Services at 503-266-70012.

Building a home in Canby: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district and allowed uses with City of Canby Development Services2.
  2. Check whether the lot is in a special flood hazard area; if so, a City development permit is required before construction or fill begins6.
  3. Get City land-use approval, including site and design review where it applies, and pay City fees4.
  4. Take the City's approval letter and approved site plan to Clackamas County for release of the building permit4.
  5. Arrange sewer connection with the City, or a county septic permit if no sewer is available53.
  6. Build under county inspections; the county does the final building inspection only after all other required inspections are approved16.

If you plan to build your own home, Oregon's owner-builder rule exempts an owner-built dwelling from the structural code's ceiling-height and room-size requirements, but a building permit is still issued7. We could not confirm a separate owner-builder rule inside Canby.

What stays with Clackamas County, and what to check before you buy in Canby

Outside Canby city limits, the county's rules apply instead: for land in unincorporated Clackamas County, see the Clackamas County page. Inside Canby, the county still issues the building permits2 and runs the septic program14; floodplain development permits inside the city come from the City6.

Before you buy, check the zoning district, flood hazard status, sewer availability at the lot line, and what the property tax will be. Clackamas County's effective property tax rate is 0.9%17. Oregon requires a state approach permit from ODOT for a new driveway connection to a state highway18; we could not confirm Canby's own driveway rule.

Watch-outs

  • The City of Canby does not issue building permits itself; Clackamas County does, and only after City approval and payment of City fees24.
  • Both the City and Clackamas County charge review fees, so budget for two sets of fees10.
  • We could not confirm Canby's setbacks, minimum lot size, building height, accessory dwelling or short-term rental rules; ask City planning at 503-266-7001 before you rely on any of them2.
  • A building permit cannot be issued until the 10-day land-use appeal period ends for projects that need site and design review4.

Sources

  1. Complete Zoning/Development Code (Canby), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Canby Development Services (Planning) (canbyoregon.gov)
  3. How to Apply for a Permit: Septic | Clackamas County, quoted and re-checked
  4. New Development Project Planner (Canby), quoted and re-checked
  5. Canby Code § 13.08.020, Use of public sewers required (Canby), quoted and re-checked
  6. Canby Code § 15.12.120, Development permit required (Canby), quoted and re-checked
  7. 2023 Oregon Residential Specialty Code - ORS 455.320 reprinted (Oregon statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Complete Zoning/Development Code (Canby), quoted and re-checked
  9. Planning and Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  10. New Development Project Planner (Canby), quoted and re-checked
  11. Canby Code § 15.04.010, Adoption of codes (Canby), quoted and re-checked
  12. Clackamas County Building Permitting (clackamas.us)
  13. Canby Code § 13.08.030, Private sewage disposal (Canby), quoted and re-checked
  14. Clackamas County Septic Program (clackamas.us)
  15. ADUs and RVs as options for secondary dwellings, quoted and re-checked
  16. Residential Inspections, quoted and re-checked
  17. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  18. Access Management (Oregon statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Canby

Canby’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction regulated inside Canby city limits.

    • The City adoption incorporates Oregon specialty codes by reference; each listed code is subject to modifications in the chapter.
    “The following specialty codes, rules and standards are adopted and incorporated herein by this reference as if included in this chapter in full.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Canby city limits.

    • Development is subject to the City zoning/development code and applicable review procedures.
    “Below are all chapters of the Zoning Code, including sections related to key terms (see definitions), specific zones (e.g., residential and commercial), overlay zones (i.e., Downtown and Industrial Park), planning procedures, and specific issues (e.g., fences, parking, signage, and telecommunications facilities).”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Canby city limits.

    • The City-published index identifies residential, commercial, industrial, and overlay-zone chapters.
    “Below are all chapters of the Zoning Code, including sections related to key terms (see definitions), specific zones (e.g., residential and commercial), overlay zones (i.e., Downtown and Industrial Park), planning procedures, and specific issues (e.g., fences, parking, signage, and telecommunications facilities).”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Private sewage disposal where public sanitary sewer is unavailable inside Canby city limits.

    • The building sewer must connect to a private sewage disposal system.
    • The system must comply with DEQ, State Plumbing Code, and Clackamas County requirements.
    • Owner operation and sanitary maintenance are required.
    “Where a public sanitary sewer is not available, the building sewer shall be connected to a private sewage disposal system complying with the requirements of the Oregon State Department of Environmental Quality, the Plumbing Code of the State of Oregon and Clackamas County.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Occupied houses, buildings, or properties inside Canby city limits served by an available City public sanitary sewer.

    • The property must abut a street, alley, or right-of-way with a City public sanitary sewer.
    • The sewer must be available to/on the property or at its property line, and structures/buildings must be within 100 feet.
    • Connection is required within 90 days after official notice; the owner may timely file written objections, which are heard by Council.
    • When sewer becomes available to a privately served property, direct connection and abandonment/filling of private facilities are required.

    connection deadline after official notice: 90 days (Subject to written objections and Council decision.) · maximum structure distance from public sewer: <= 100 feet (Also requires sewer availability to/on the property or at its property line.)

    “The owner of all houses, buildings or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation or other purposes, situated within the city limits and abutting on any street, alley or right-of-way in which there is a public sanitary sewer of the city, is hereby required at his or her expense to install suitable toilet facilities therein and to connect those facilities directly with the proper public sewer, either by gravity or with approved pumping facilities, in accordance with the provisions of this title, within 90 days after the date of official notice to do so, provided that the public sewer is available to or on the property and/or at a property line of the property, and the structures or buildings are within 100 feet of the public sewer.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivisions inside Canby city limits.

    • City planning processes the land-use application.
    • The published zoning/development-code index includes chapters for subdivision applications, design standards, and final procedures/recordation.
    “Planning is responsible for processing all land use applications within the City of Canby which includes subdivisions, partitions, and site and design review.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Construction or development in any Canby area of special flood hazard established under § 15.12.050.

    • Permit is required before construction or development begins.
    • Applies to all structures, including manufactured homes, and all development, including fill and other activities.
    • Application is made on City Building Official forms and may require specified plans, elevations, floodproofing certification, and watercourse-alteration information.
    “A development permit shall be obtained before construction or development begins within any area of special flood hazard established in § 15.12.050. The permit shall be for all structures including manufactured homes, and for all development including fill and other activities.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Building and associated City review for projects inside Canby city limits.

    • City approval and all City fees are required before the building permit is issued.
    • The City and County both charge review fees.
    “For the time being, the process is somewhat duplicative but the City needs certain materials for its own records. Note that the City and County both charge review fees.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    New development projects inside Canby city limits.

    • City approval letter, approved site plan, and payment of City fees are needed before County permit release.
    • For projects requiring site-and-design review, the stated process includes review, a written decision, a 10-day appeal period, and County permit release after City approval.

    land-use appeal period after written decision: 10 days (Building permit cannot be issued until the appeal period ends.)

    “However, your building permit will not be issued until the City has given you an approval letter and all City fees are paid. A copy of the City’s approval letter and an approved site plan must be taken to Clackamas County for release of the building permit.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Canby or Clackamas County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Canby city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new or altered structures inside Canby city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in Canby residential zones.
  • Minimum lot size — Single-family dwellings in Canby residential zones.
  • Setbacks — Development inside Canby city limits.
13 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Canby publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Clackamas County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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