Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Medford, Oregon

At a glance

Building permit

Issued by the City of Medford Building Safety department; fees are based on project valuation¹

Zoning

Medford's own planning department and commissions apply the city's zoning code²

Septic

Oregon DEQ Medford office, not the city or county³

Sewer

Where sewer is legally and physically available, septic approval may be denied or sewer connection required⁴

Owner-builder

Oregon's statewide owner-builder exemption exists; whether the city applies it as-is was not confirmed⁵

Fee schedule

Planning publishes a fee schedule PDF⁶

Who to call

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

Does Medford, Oregon have zoning, and who applies it?

Yes. Medford applies its own zoning inside city limits through its Planning Department, where the planning director reviews land use applications for compliance with zoning codes². The Planning Commission approves zone changes, conditional use permits, exceptions and land divisions².

The city links an interactive zoning map and its Medford Land Information tool from the Planning page⁷. We could not read the district text of the city code, so minimum lot sizes, setbacks and rules for RVs or tiny homes inside Medford are unconfirmed; ask the Planning Department before you buy.

Jackson County's zoning ordinance applies only to unincorporated land, not to parcels inside Medford⁸.

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

Building permits inside Medford come from the City of Medford Building Safety department, which reviews plans and issues permits to confirm projects meet building codes¹. The department also provides residential and commercial plan review and inspections tied to those permits¹.

We could not read the city's permit-exemption list, so ask Building Safety whether a specific shed, fence or repair needs a permit. Medford's building permit fees are based on project valuation¹, and Planning publishes a fee schedule for planning fees⁶.

The county's Building Division handles building permits only outside city limits⁹.

How do septic permits work inside Medford?

Septic permits in Jackson County, including the Medford area, are issued by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, not by the city or the county³. Applications go through Oregon e-Permitting; email, mail and in-person submissions are not accepted⁴.

Inside a city limit, sewer availability matters first: where sewer is legally and physically available, septic approval may be denied or a sewer connection required, and a written statement from the sewer authority accompanies a septic application¹⁰. Whether a given Medford lot counts as sewer-available is a question for the city; we could not confirm it. Most buyers inside the city will connect to sewer rather than install a septic system.

Building a home in Medford: the steps, in order

1. Confirm the zoning of the parcel and what it allows with the Planning Department².
2. If the project needs a land use decision such as a conditional use permit or land division, expect a Planning Commission review².
3. Ask the city sewer authority whether sewer is available; if it is not, contact Oregon DEQ about a septic site evaluation¹⁰.
4. Apply for a building permit with Building Safety, which reviews plans¹.
5. Request inspections from Building Safety as work proceeds¹.
6. Before anyone occupies a new dwelling, a certificate of occupancy from the building official is required under the state code¹¹.

What stays with Jackson County and the state (and what to check before you buy)?

Septic permits and inspections stay with Oregon DEQ's Medford office³. Landowner-drilled wells fall under state rules: a landowner permit and bond must be obtained before work begins¹².

Oregon's owner-builder exemption covers certain structural-code requirements for owner-built dwellings¹³; ask Building Safety how the city handles it, since we could not confirm that.

For land outside Medford city limits, see the Jackson County page, where the county's own building, zoning and RV rules apply¹⁴. Jackson County's effective property tax rate is 0.8%¹⁵.

Watch-outs

• Setbacks, lot sizes, ADU rules and RV or tiny-home rules inside Medford are unconfirmed, because the city publishes its zoning map but we could not read the district rules⁷; call the Planning Department.
• County rules for unincorporated land, such as the county's RV occupancy limits, do not apply inside Medford city limits¹⁴.
• Septic permits for Jackson County come from Oregon DEQ, and a sewer connection may be required instead where sewer is available¹⁰.

Sources

1. City of Medford Building Safety (medfordoregon.gov)
2. Planning - City of Medford (Medford), quoted and re-checked
3. Residential Septic Permitting, quoted and re-checked
4. Residential Septic Permitting, quoted and re-checked
5. 2023 Oregon Residential Specialty Code - ORS 455.320 reprinted (Oregon statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
6. Planning - City of Medford (Medford), quoted and re-checked
7. Planning - City of Medford (Medford), quoted and re-checked
8. Jackson County Land Development Ordinance — Chapter 5, Zone Districts, quoted and re-checked
9. Jackson County, Oregon Development Services - Building Division, quoted and re-checked
10. Onsite Wastewater (Septic) Rules Update, quoted and re-checked
11. 2023 Oregon Residential Specialty Code - Certificate of Occupancy provisions, quoted and re-checked
12. Landowner Constructed Wells, quoted and re-checked
13. 2023 Oregon Residential Specialty Code - Owner-built dwellings, quoted and re-checked
14. Chapter 6. Use Regulations, quoted and re-checked
15. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

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.