Bolthole Index

Jackson County, Oregon

Zoning, building permits and septic in Central Point, Oregon

Central Point, Oregon (Jackson County) sets its own zoning under city code Title 171 and runs its own building division, which reviews plans, issues permits and inspects residential construction inside city limits2. Septic permits in Jackson County come from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, not the city3. Land outside city limits falls under Jackson County's rules instead.

At a glance

Building permit
Issued by the Central Point building division, with inspections2
Zoning
City zoning code Title 17, including R-1 single-family districts1
R-1 front setback
20 feet minimum4
Building height (R-1)
35 feet maximum5
Accessory dwelling (R-1)
Allowed subject to chapter 17.776
Manufactured home (R-1)
Multi-sectional, at least 1,000 square feet7
Septic permits
Oregon DEQ, Medford office3
Owner-builder
State exemption from some structural-code room rules8

Who to call

Building permits

City of Central Point Building Division

Plan review, building permits and inspections inside Central Point city limits

541-423-1024

Septic permits

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Onsite Septic Program, Medford Office

Septic site evaluations and permits for Jackson County

(541) 776-6010

221 Stewart Avenue, Suite 201, Medford, OR 97501

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Central Point, OR have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Central Point has its own zoning code, Title 17, and applies it to land inside city limits1. Single-family residential land is the R-1 district, split into R-1-6, R-1-8 and R-1-10 subcategories shown on the city's official zoning map9.

In R-1, minimum interior lot area is 4,500, 8,000 and 10,000 square feet for R-1-6, R-1-8 and R-1-1010. Central Point R-1 lots need a front yard of at least 20 feet, an interior side yard of at least 5 feet, a street side yard of at least 10 feet and a rear yard of at least 15 feet4. Maximum building height is 35 feet5. Maximum lot coverage is 50% in R-1-6 and R-1-8 and 40% in R-1-1011.

We read only the R-1 chapter, so check the zoning map and the city's planning staff for commercial, multifamily and other districts9.

Can you put a manufactured home or accessory dwelling in Central Point's R-1 district?

A manufactured home in the R-1 district must be multi-sectional and enclose at least 1,000 square feet7. It also needs an excavated and back-filled foundation, a pitched roof, and siding and roofing similar to surrounding dwellings7.

An accessory dwelling unit is allowed in R-1, subject to the requirements in chapter 17.77 of the city code, which we did not read6. Confirm the details with Central Point's planning staff before drawing plans.

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

Central Point's building division reviews plans, issues permits and inspects all commercial and residential construction inside city limits, including plumbing, mechanical and electrical work2. Staff apply the state code standards12.

A permit application form must be submitted with plans, and homeowners acting as their own general contractor also complete a property owner statement13. Submittals go online through Oregon ePermitting13. The city lists a building permit fee schedule on its building page14.

The Jackson County Building Division handles building permits only for unincorporated land, not inside Central Point15.

How do septic permits work in and around Central Point, OR?

Septic permits anywhere in Jackson County are issued by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality out of its Medford office3. The county itself refers residents to DEQ16.

Property inside a city limit, urban growth boundary or sanitary district needs a written statement from the municipality with sewer authority when applying for a septic permit17. If sewer is legally and physically available, septic approval may be denied or a sewer connection required18. We could not confirm how Central Point's own sewer rules apply to a particular lot, so ask the city's building division at 541-423-102415.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Central Point?

We could not confirm Central Point's rules on RV occupancy, temporary camping or tiny homes inside city limits. Ask the city's building division before parking or placing either one.

The county's RV rules apply only to unincorporated Jackson County, not inside the city19.

Building a home in Central Point: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district and R-1 subcategory for your lot on the city's official zoning map9.
  2. Ask the city whether sewer is available, and get the written statement DEQ requires if you want a septic permit17.
  3. Submit your application form and plans through Oregon ePermitting13.
  4. Pay the building permit fees and pass-through fees listed by the city14.
  5. Schedule inspections through Oregon ePermitting2.
  6. Request a certificate of occupancy from the building official before moving in; Oregon requires one for a new dwelling20.

What stays with Jackson County and the state, and what to check before you buy

Land outside Central Point city limits follows Jackson County's rules, where the county's building division and planning division handle unincorporated land15.

Oregon's owner-builder exemption covers only structural-code requirements for ceiling heights, room sizes and temperature levels, and the owner must not have used it in the previous 5 years8. Jackson County's effective property tax rate is 0.8%21. Typical home value in Jackson County is about $441,51322.

Watch-outs

  • Fee amounts, the exact code edition and the city's septic, well, floodplain and driveway rules were not confirmed; ask the Central Point building division at 541-423-102415.
  • Oregon's 2026 Residential Specialty Code becomes mandatory April 1, 2027, so check which edition your plans must use23.
  • Do not use Jackson County's unincorporated zoning standards for a lot inside Central Point; the city's Title 17 controls there1.

Sources

  1. Chapter 17.20 R-1, Residential Single-Family District - City of Central Point, OR (eCode360) (Central Point), quoted and re-checked
  2. Building - Central Point, OR (Central Point), quoted and re-checked
  3. Residential Septic Permitting, quoted and re-checked
  4. Chapter 17.20 R-1, Residential Single-Family District - City of Central Point, OR (eCode360) (Central Point), quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 17.20 R-1, Residential Single-Family District - City of Central Point, OR (eCode360) (Central Point), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 17.20 R-1, Residential Single-Family District - City of Central Point, OR (eCode360) (Central Point), quoted and re-checked
  7. Chapter 17.20 R-1, Residential Single-Family District - City of Central Point, OR (eCode360) (Central Point), quoted and re-checked
  8. 2023 Oregon Residential Specialty Code - Owner-built dwellings, quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 17.20 R-1, Residential Single-Family District - City of Central Point, OR (eCode360) (Central Point), quoted and re-checked
  10. Chapter 17.20 R-1, Residential Single-Family District - City of Central Point, OR (eCode360) (Central Point), quoted and re-checked
  11. Chapter 17.20 R-1, Residential Single-Family District - City of Central Point, OR (eCode360) (Central Point), quoted and re-checked
  12. Building - Central Point, OR (Central Point), quoted and re-checked
  13. Building - Central Point, OR (Central Point), quoted and re-checked
  14. Building - Central Point, OR (Central Point), quoted and re-checked
  15. City of Central Point Building Division (centralpointoregon.gov)
  16. Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Onsite Septic Program, Medford Office (jacksoncountyor.gov)
  17. Onsite Wastewater (Septic) Rules Update, quoted and re-checked
  18. Residential Septic Permitting, quoted and re-checked
  19. Jackson County Land Development Ordinance, Chapter 6 — Use Regulations, quoted and re-checked
  20. 2023 Oregon Residential Specialty Code - Certificate of Occupancy provisions, quoted and re-checked
  21. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  22. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  23. Oregon Building Codes Division - Adopted codes online, quoted and re-checked

Written October 14, 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 Central Point

Central Point’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside Central Point city; city building division enforces state code standards

    • Specific code edition not confirmed on the page read
    “building staff work with contractors and citizens to help ensure that their construction projects meet the state code standards.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Commercial and residential construction inside Central Point city

    • Inspections scheduled through Oregon ePermitting
    “the building division helps ensure that our community's buildings are safe through the review of plans, issuance of permits, and inspection of all commercial and residential construction”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Central Point city limits; city zoning code Title 17 with R-1 residential district

    • Evidence read is the R-1 chapter of Title 17 Zoning
    “the purpose of the r-1 district is to stabilize and protect the urban low density residential characteristics of the district while promoting and encouraging suitable environments for family life.”
  • Zoning districtsPartial

    R-1 district subcategories inside Central Point city; other districts not read

    • Only the R-1 chapter was read
    “the density and lot requirements of the r-1 zoning district are governed by the subcategories of r-1-6, r-1-8 and r-1-10 districts, as delineated on the official zoning map of central point.”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    R-1 single-family district subcategories R-1-6, R-1-8, R-1-10 inside Central Point city

    • Subcategory is delineated on the official zoning map
    • Interior lot minimums: R-1-6 4,500; R-1-8 8,000; R-1-10 10,000 sq ft (unit as in table)
    • Corner lot minimums: R-1-6 7,000; R-1-8 8,000; R-1-10 10,000

    R-1-6 minimum lot area interior: >= 4500 sq ft · R-1-8 minimum lot area interior: >= 8000 sq ft · R-1-10 minimum lot area interior: >= 10000 sq ft

    “minimum lot area (interior) 4,500 8,000 10,000 maximum lot area (interior) 9,000 12,000 15,000”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    R-1-6, R-1-8 and R-1-10 districts inside Central Point city

    • Interior side yard increases by one-half foot for each foot of building height above fifteen feet
    • Street side yards must meet clear vision and special setback rules in section 17.60.090
    • Driveway-served side yard part such as garage must be 20 feet

    front yard: >= 20 feet · interior side yard: >= 5 feet (increased with height above 15 feet) · street side yard: >= 10 feet (20 feet for part served by side driveway) · rear yard: >= 15 feet

    “minimum front yard 20 feet 20 feet 20 feet minimum side yard (interior) 5 feet* 5 feet* 5 feet* minimum side yard (street side) 10 feet** 10 feet** 10 feet** minimum rear yard 15 feet 15 feet 15 feet”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    R-1-6, R-1-8 (50%) and R-1-10 (40%) districts inside Central Point city

    R-1-6 maximum lot coverage: <= 50 percent · R-1-8 maximum lot coverage: <= 50 percent · R-1-10 maximum lot coverage: <= 40 percent

    “maximum building height 35 feet 35 feet 35 feet maximum lot coverage 50% 50% 40%”
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-1 residential district inside Central Point city

    maximum building height: <= 35 feet

    “a maximum height of thirty-five feet is allowed in an r-1 district.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Single-family manufactured homes in the R-1 residential district inside Central Point city

    • Must be multi-sectional and enclose at least 1,000 square feet
    • Placed on excavated and back-filled foundation, not more than 12 inches above grade
    • Pitched roof with minimum slope of 3 feet in height per 12 feet in width
    • Siding and roofing similar to surrounding dwellings
    • Garage or carport of like material
    • Must meet same development standards as conventional dwellings

    minimum enclosed space: >= 1000 sq ft

    “the manufactured home shall be multi-sectional and enclose a space of not less than one thousand square feet.”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

    R-1 residential district inside Central Point city

    • Subject to the requirements in chapter 17.77, not read
    “j. accessory dwelling unit subject to the requirements in chapter 17.77.”
  • Permit feesPublished

    Building permit fees inside Central Point city

    • Fee schedule PDF listed on city building page but its amounts were not opened
    “supporting documents central point building permit fees (pdf) design criteria (pdf) residential basic submittal checklist (pdf)”
  • Permit processPublished

    Building permit applications inside Central Point city

    • Online submittal through Oregon ePermitting
    • Pass-through fees (SDC, school excise tax) paid by check or cash
    “an application form, which you can find in the supporting documents is required to be submitted with plans when applying for a permit.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Central Point or Jackson County directly.

  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Central Point city
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Central Point city
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Central Point city
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Central Point city
  • Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Central Point city
11 more unanswered
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • 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 Central Point publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Jackson County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Jackson County: county rules, score and offices