Bolthole Index

Linn County, Oregon

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Millersburg, Oregon

Building a home in Millersburg, Oregon requires building approval through a shared city–Linn County process: the city signs off and the county reviews the application.1 Millersburg sets zoning inside city limits, while Linn County Environmental Health handles septic approvals where onsite wastewater systems apply.23 City sewer service and a sewer-connection permit may be relevant instead of septic.4

At a glance

Building approval
Shared city signoff and Linn County review1
Zoning
City Development Code and zoning map apply inside city limits2
Septic approvals
Linn County Environmental Health where onsite systems apply3
Water and sewer
City service where available; public sewer connections require a city permit4
Floodplain
Floodplain development permit before building permits in the special flood hazard area5
Owner-builder
Limited structural-code exemption; building permit still required6

Who to call

Building permits

Millersburg City Hall — Building Applications

City construction applications, shared building approval, and city floodplain development applications

458-233-6300

[email protected]

4222 NE Old Salem Road Millersburg, OR 97321

Online permits →

Zoning

Millersburg Planning & Zoning

City zoning, land divisions and land-use planning

458-233-6300

4222 NE Old Salem Road Millersburg, OR 97321

Septic permits

Linn County Health Services, Environmental Health & Vital Records

Septic site approvals, plan reviews, permits and inspections for new systems and changes in use of existing systems

541-967-3821

315 SW 4th Ave 2nd Floor Albany, OR 97321

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Do you need a building permit in Millersburg, OR?

Millersburg building applications use a shared approval process: city signoff, Linn County review and approval, then final city processing.1 The city’s forms page says most building applications go directly through county ePermitting, but every new structure also needs a Combined Construction Permit Application submitted to Millersburg.7 Submit the city application alongside the county building application rather than treating county submission as the whole process.7 Oregon’s owner-builder exemption only addresses ceiling heights, room sizes and maintaining specific temperatures; a building permit must still be issued.6

Who handles Millersburg building applications and fees?

Start with Millersburg City Hall for city construction applications; the city accepts the Combined Construction Permit Application in person or by email.7 Linn County reviews building submissions after city signoff, and complex projects may need city drawings and supporting documents in addition to the electronic county submission.1 For Millersburg building fees, county plan-review costs are paid when the application is submitted, with remaining fees communicated before issuance.8 System development charges are paid separately to Millersburg, so ask City Hall for both the building-related charges and the city development charges for your proposed project.8

Does Millersburg have zoning, lot-size rules and setbacks?

Millersburg administers its own zoning through the city Development Code and zoning map, rather than the county’s unincorporated-area zoning.2 Millersburg publishes approved zoning and overlay maps, including Residential Low-Density and Rural districts.9 Ask Millersburg Planning & Zoning to identify the parcel’s district and confirm the proposed dwelling, lot area, setbacks and any overlay before settling on a house layout.10 We could not confirm district-specific dimensional thresholds or a general minimum floor area for primary dwellings; ask the city planner for the standards applicable to your design.10 Millersburg also handles land divisions, so ask the city about subdivision approval before assuming a tract can be split.11

How do septic permits and sewer connections work in Millersburg?

Linn County Environmental Health provides septic site approvals, plan reviews, permits and inspections for applicable onsite systems inside Millersburg.3 Oregon requires a site evaluation for an undeveloped site that has never received septic approval, and construction permits cover new systems as well as alterations and repairs.12 Millersburg provides water and sewer service to most citizens, and making or altering a public sewer connection requires a city permit.4 Ask City Hall about sewer service for the parcel before planning an onsite system, then ask Environmental Health about septic approval if an onsite system is applicable.43 A composting toilet does not remove Oregon’s approved wastewater-disposal requirements or the sewer-connection requirement within a sewer district.13

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Millersburg?

We could not confirm a complete Millersburg rule for living in an RV on an ordinary private residential lot, or a standalone tiny-home occupancy rule; ask Millersburg Planning & Zoning about the proposed structure and occupancy before buying one.10 Describe whether the proposal is a wheeled vehicle, a permanent dwelling or an accessory dwelling, and ask the city which land-use approvals apply.10 Oregon’s rural-residential RV rental rule applies to qualifying property outside an urban growth boundary; that rule should not be treated as permission for an ordinary city lot.14 Water and wastewater still need a separate answer: city sewer connections require city approval, while applicable septic systems go through Linn County Environmental Health.43

Building a home in Millersburg: what are the steps?

  1. Ask Millersburg Planning & Zoning to confirm the district, overlays and suitability of the proposed use.29
  2. Establish the wastewater route with City Hall for public sewer or Linn County Environmental Health for an applicable onsite system.43
  3. If the parcel is in the special flood hazard area, obtain the city floodplain development permit before building permits are issued.5
  4. Submit the county building application and the city Combined Construction Permit Application for a new structure; the city form also covers driveway, curb and public-improvement standards.7
  5. Pay county plan-review costs at submission and arrange the remaining fees and separate city system development charges before issuance.8

What should you check before buying land in Millersburg?

Millersburg administers floodplain development inside city limits, and the special flood hazard area requires a development permit before construction and before building permits are issued.75 Ask City Hall about floodplain status and the public improvements covered by the city construction application before budgeting site work.7 We could not confirm the complete city-specific private-well or agricultural-building rules; ask City Hall before relying on either option.7 Oregon allows incorporated cities to regulate agricultural buildings within their boundaries, so a statewide structural-code exemption does not settle the Millersburg answer.15 For land outside Millersburg city limits, use the Linn County guide: county zoning applies in unincorporated areas.16

Watch-outs

  • A county ePermitting submission does not replace Millersburg’s Combined Construction Permit Application for a new structure.7
  • Millersburg floodplain development approval must come before building permits in the special flood hazard area.5
  • We could not confirm RV occupancy, tiny-home occupancy or minimum primary-dwelling floor area in Millersburg; ask Millersburg Planning & Zoning before committing to a design.10

Sources

  1. Building Permits & Applications (Millersburg), quoted and re-checked
  2. Comprehensive Plan & Zoning (Millersburg), quoted and re-checked
  3. Septic Systems (Millersburg), quoted and re-checked
  4. Utility Billing (Millersburg), quoted and re-checked
  5. Development Code 2.12.120 — Establishment of a Development Permit (Millersburg), quoted and re-checked
  6. 2023 Oregon Residential Specialty Code - ORS 455.320 reprinted (Oregon statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  7. Millersburg City Hall — Building Applications (millersburgoregon.gov)
  8. Building Permits & Applications (Millersburg), quoted and re-checked
  9. Zoning and Development Maps (Millersburg), quoted and re-checked
  10. Millersburg Planning & Zoning (millersburgoregon.gov)
  11. Comprehensive Plan & Zoning (Millersburg), quoted and re-checked
  12. Housing and Onsite Wastewater Management (Oregon statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. What do I do with the finished material? (Oregon statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Oregon Revised Statutes, ORS 215.490 (Oregon statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Oregon Revised Statutes, Chapter 455 (Oregon statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Just v. City of Lebanon, LUBA No. 2003-106, quoted and re-checked

Written October 11, 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 Millersburg

Millersburg’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Millersburg city limits; the City administers its own planning and zoning program.

    • The City's adopted Development Code and zoning map govern land development and use.
    “Planning oversees all planning and zoning issues for the City. Our City Planner provides professional expertise and policy guidance on all issues related to planning and zoning.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts and overlays inside Millersburg city limits.

    • The City publishes an approved zoning map and overlay map and links its adopted Development Code.
    • The RL and RU dimensional sections independently confirm Residential Low-Density and Rural zones.
    “Approved Zoning Map (PDF) Overlay Map (PDF)”
  • Who permits septicCounty

    On-site wastewater systems located inside Millersburg city limits, where such systems are applicable.

    • Linn County Environmental Health provides the septic approvals, plan reviews, permits, and inspections; statewide OAR and ORS requirements also govern siting and construction.
    “Linn County Environmental Health provides septic site approvals, plan reviews, permits and inspections for new systems and changes in use of existing systems.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

    Development and utility service inside Millersburg city limits where City water and sewer service is available.

    • The City provides water and sewer services to most citizens.
    • A public sewer connection requires a City permit before making or altering a connection.
    • The cited sewer section does not state a universal distance threshold for every parcel.
    “No unauthorized person shall uncover, make any connections with or opening into, use, alter, or disturb any public sewer or appurtenance thereof without first obtaining a permit.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Land divisions and subdivisions inside Millersburg city limits.

    • The City's planning and zoning program expressly includes land division services.
    • Detailed approval criteria and procedures are in the City's Development Code land-divisions and review-procedures articles.
    “This includes land use planning, zoning and land division services, environmental review of public and private projects, and much more.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Construction and other development within the special flood hazard area inside Millersburg city limits.

    • A floodplain development permit is required before construction or development and before building permits are issued in the special flood hazard area.
    • The requirement applies to structures, manufactured dwellings, fill, and other development as defined in the Code.
    • Applications may require scaled plans, elevations, floodproofing certifications, watercourse information, base-flood data, substantial-improvement calculations, and fill or excavation details.
    “A development permit shall be obtained before construction or development begins, more specifically before building permits are issued within any area horizontally within the special flood hazard area established in Section 2.12.040.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Building permits and related development inside Millersburg city limits.

    • County plan-review costs are paid at application submission.
    • The City and County notify the applicant of remaining fees before issuance.
    • System development charges are paid separately to the City.
    • The City page links a 2026-27 Master Fee Schedule marked 'no change'.
    “The Building Permit Fees Are Submitted in Essentially Two Steps- an Applicant Must Pay the County "Plan Review" Cost at the Time of the Application Submittal to Assure the County's Review Costs Are Covered.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building permit applications inside Millersburg city limits.

    • Submit through City Hall initially using Linn County forms and templates, or use Linn County Accela ePermitting.
    • The City signs off before sending the request to Linn County.
    • Linn County reviews and approves; the permit returns to City Hall for final processing and pickup.
    • Complex projects may require City drawings and supporting documents in addition to the electronic county submission.
    “All permits for building/construction in the City of Millersburg are processed through the City Hall initially using Linn County forms and templates. Once the City has signed off on the submission, the permit requests are sent to Linn County for review and approval. Once Linn County has approved, permits are returned to City Hall for final processing and pick up.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Minimum dwelling size — Primary dwellings inside Millersburg city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Millersburg city limits.
  • Well permit — Private wells inside Millersburg city limits.
  • Agricultural exemption — Agricultural buildings or agricultural uses inside Millersburg city limits.
  • Driveway access — Driveway access for development inside Millersburg city limits.
1 more unanswered
  • 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 Millersburg publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Linn County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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