Bolthole Index

Marion County, Oregon

Keizer, Oregon building permits, zoning and septic rules

Keizer, Oregon requires building permits for new homes and covered structural work; the city issues building permits, while Marion County handles building plan review and inspections.12 Keizer administers its own zoning inside city limits.3 For septic-served property in Keizer, city land-use approval stays separate from Marion County septic site evaluations, installation/repair permits and inspections.4

At a glance

Building permits
Required for new homes and covered structural work; Keizer issues building permits.12
Building inspections
Marion County handles building plan review and inspections inside Keizer.52
Zoning
Keizer administers zoning districts and district-specific use standards.3
Septic
Keizer handles land-use approval; Marion County handles site evaluations, installation/repair permits and inspections; DEQ handles WPCF permits.4
Manufactured homes
Where permitted as a special use on individual lots outside mobile-home parks, manufactured homes must be multi-sectional and at least 1,000 square feet.6
Owner-builder
A narrow structural-code exemption is available; building permits and other applicable requirements remain.7

Who to call

Building permits

Keizer Building Permit Division

Building permit applications and coordination with Marion County inside Keizer

503-856-3440

Zoning

Keizer Planning Department

Keizer zoning, development proposals and land-use review

503-856-3441

Building permits

Marion County Building Inspection

Building plan review and inspections inside Keizer under the city/county division of responsibility

503-588-5147

[email protected]

Septic permits

Marion County Building Inspection — Onsite Sewage Disposal Program

Septic site evaluations, installation/repair permits and inspections for Keizer properties not served by community sewer; DEQ retains reserved systems

503-588-5147

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 Keizer means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Keizer, Oregon?

Keizer requires a building permit for new residential construction and covered work to enlarge, alter, repair or move a residential building or structure.1 Some listed residential improvements are exempt from a building permit, but exempt work can still require electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits.1 Keizer’s Building Permit Division says separate permits are required for each structure.8 Owner-building does not remove the building permit requirement: Oregon’s owner-built dwelling exemption is limited to structural-code requirements for ceiling heights, room sizes and maintaining specified temperatures, subject to the owner-construction and recording conditions.7

Who issues building permits and handles inspections in Keizer?

Start a Keizer building permit application with the Keizer Building Permit Division at 503-856-3440.8 Keizer handles building permit issuance, land-use approval, site-plan approval and driveway approval; Marion County handles building plan review and inspections.2 For the county review and inspection side, contact Marion County Building Inspection at 503-588-5147 or [email protected].9 The city warns that some applications go to Keizer and others directly to Marion County, so ask the Building Permit Division where each part of your proposed project belongs before submitting.8

Does Keizer have zoning, and what does it mean for a small home?

Keizer has its own development code with zoning districts and district-specific use standards inside city limits.3 Ask the Keizer Planning Department at 503-856-3441 to review the proposed use against the parcel’s district before committing to a design.10 Where manufactured homes are permitted as a special use on individual lots outside mobile-home parks, Keizer requires a multi-sectional home with at least 1,000 square feet and additional foundation, roof, siding, energy, garage/carport, setback and height standards.6 That manufactured-home threshold is not a general minimum size for every Keizer dwelling.11

How do septic permits work inside Keizer?

For a Keizer property using onsite sewage disposal, Keizer provides land-use approval while Marion County handles septic site evaluation, installation/repair permits, existing-system evaluation and inspections; DEQ handles WPCF permits.4 Marion County’s Onsite Sewage Disposal Program can be reached at 503-588-5147.12 Oregon requires a site evaluation for an undeveloped site never evaluated for septic approval and an affirmative Land Use Compatibility Statement before a new-construction or alteration septic construction permit is issued.13 A composting toilet does not eliminate the need for approved wastewater treatment, and Oregon’s guidance says buildings within a sewer district still need a sewer connection.1415

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

We could not confirm permission to live in an RV on an ordinary private lot in Keizer; ask Keizer Planning to review the proposed occupancy, not just where the vehicle can be parked.10 Oregon protects RV occupancy in specified settings, including qualifying parks with lawful service connections and certain disaster-related placements, rather than granting every Keizer lot the same permission.16 Keizer’s public-space camping restrictions concern public sidewalks, city property and rights-of-way and do not establish a private-lot residential entitlement.17 For a small permanent dwelling, Keizer’s attached-ADU rules provide a separate route: an attached ADU generally needs at least 300 square feet and the primary dwelling at least 600 square feet, with a full-floor conversion exception and other conditions.18

What are the steps to building a home in Keizer?

  1. Ask Keizer Planning to review the proposed use and parcel zoning before finalizing the building design.10
  2. Arrange Keizer land-use and site-plan approval, including driveway approval where applicable.2
  3. For septic-served land, obtain the necessary site evaluation and coordinate city land-use approval with Marion County’s septic installation/repair permitting; DEQ retains WPCF permitting.413
  4. Submit the building permit application through Keizer and coordinate building plan review with Marion County.2
  5. Arrange building inspections with Marion County and septic inspections with the county when an onsite system is part of the project.519

What should you check before buying land in Keizer?

Ask Keizer Planning about the parcel’s district, the proposed residential use and the applicable lot-size, setback, coverage and height schedule; we could not confirm those residential district dimensions here.310 Keizer’s special flood hazard areas carry additional standards for construction, improvements, utilities and development, including protection of onsite waste systems against flood impairment or contamination.20 We could not confirm Keizer’s general new-home public-water and sewer connection thresholds; ask the Building Permit Division to identify the applicable service approvals before choosing an off-grid design.8 For property outside Keizer city limits, consult the Marion County guide, because the county’s unincorporated zoning regimes apply outside municipal jurisdiction.21

Watch-outs

  • Keizer building permit issuance and Marion County building inspections are separate responsibilities; start with the city for the application route.2
  • We could not confirm Keizer’s tiny-home occupancy rules or permission for RV living while building; ask Keizer Planning before treating either as a housing plan.10
  • A composting toilet does not remove Oregon’s approved wastewater treatment requirements.14

Sources

  1. About Oregon residential building permits (Keizer), quoted and re-checked
  2. Where to Apply for Permits (Keizer), quoted and re-checked
  3. Code of Ordinances: Appendix A - Development Code, § 2.110.02 Permitted uses (Keizer), quoted and re-checked
  4. Where to Apply for Permits (Keizer), quoted and re-checked
  5. Where to Apply for Permits (Keizer), quoted and re-checked
  6. Code of Ordinances: Appendix A - Development Code, § 2.402 Manufactured Homes (Keizer), quoted and re-checked
  7. 2023 Oregon Residential Specialty Code, Chapter 1 (Keizer), quoted and re-checked
  8. Keizer Building Permit Division (keizeror.gov)
  9. Marion County Building Inspection (co.marion.or.us)
  10. Keizer Planning Department (keizeror.gov)
  11. Code of Ordinances: Appendix A - Development Code, § 2.402 Manufactured Homes (Keizer), quoted and re-checked
  12. Marion County Building Inspection — Onsite Sewage Disposal Program (co.marion.or.us)
  13. Housing and Onsite Wastewater Management (Oregon statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. What do I do with the finished material? (Oregon statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. What do I do with the finished material? (Oregon statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Oregon Revised Statutes, ORS 197.493 (Oregon statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Code of Ordinances: Chapter 36, § 36-3 Camping (Keizer), quoted and re-checked
  18. Code of Ordinances: Appendix A - Development Code, § 2.403.01 Attached accessory dwelling unit (Keizer), quoted and re-checked
  19. Where to Apply for Permits (Keizer), quoted and re-checked
  20. Code of Ordinances: Appendix A - Development Code, § 2.122.04 Provisions for flood hazard reduction (Keizer), quoted and re-checked
  21. Zone Codes, Comprehensive Plan and Other Regulations, 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 Keizer

Keizer’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Keizer city limits; Keizer administers a development code with zoning districts and district-specific use standards.

    “The following uses, when developed under the applicable development standards in the zoning ordinance, are permitted in the CM zone:”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Manufactured homes on individual lots outside mobile-home parks.

    • This is a manufactured-home minimum, not a general minimum dwelling size for all homes.

    minimum area: >= 1000 square feet (manufactured homes on individual lots outside mobile-home parks)

    “The manufactured home shall be multi-sectional with a minimum area of 1,000 square feet.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Camping on public sidewalks, city property, public rights-of-way, and designated park camping areas inside Keizer city limits.

    • Camping is unlawful on public sidewalks, city property, and public rights-of-way except for the listed exception in § 36-3(b)(3).
    • The supplied excerpt continues with additional prohibited locations and conditions.
    • Designated park camping areas may allow overnight presence subject to director-set maximum nights and persons.
    “Except as set forth in subsection (b)(3) of this section, it is unlawful for any person to camp in or upon any public sidewalk, city property, or public rights-of-way.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes on individual lots outside mobile-home parks inside Keizer city limits.

    • Use is subject to being permitted as a special use.
    • The home must have been manufactured after June 15, 1976 and display the Oregon Department of Commerce HUD-compliance insignia.
    • The home must be multi-sectional and meet the listed foundation, roof, siding, energy, garage/carport, setback, and height requirements.

    minimum area: >= 1000 square feet · manufacture date: > 1976-06-15

    “Where permitted as a special use, manufactured homes located on individual lots outside of a mobile home park shall meet the following requirements: [...] The manufactured home shall be multi-sectional with a minimum area of 1,000 square feet.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Attached accessory dwelling units inside Keizer city limits.

    • No more than two dwelling units and no more than one ADU per lot, unless the lot is in the River-Cherry Overlay District.
    • Only one attached garage and driveway is allowed.
    • The ADU is limited to 40 percent of total dwelling square footage excluding garage or accessory structure.
    • The ADU must contain at least 300 square feet and the primary dwelling at least 600 square feet, except for full-floor conversions.
    • The ADU may not be separately owned and must visually match the primary dwelling.

    ADU maximum share: <= 40 percent of total dwelling square footage (excluding garage or accessory structure) · ADU minimum floor area: >= 300 square feet (full-floor conversion exception) · primary dwelling minimum floor area: >= 600 square feet (full-floor conversion exception)

    “The attached ADU must contain at least 300 square feet of floor area and the primary dwelling must contain at least 600 square feet of floor area. [...] Area requirements do not apply to the conversion of an entire level or floor of a primary dwelling.”
  • Building in a floodplainLimited

    New construction, substantial improvements, utilities, subdivisions, and other development in Keizer special flood hazard areas.

    • On-site waste disposal systems must avoid impairment or contamination during flooding consistent with Oregon DEQ.
    • Development proposals greater than 50 lots or five acres, whichever is lesser, must include base flood elevation data.
    • Additional anchoring, flood-resistant construction, utility, tank, critical-facility, and flood-zone requirements apply.

    base-flood-elevation data threshold: 50 lots or five acres, whichever is lesser (new subdivision proposals and other proposed new developments)

    “All new subdivision proposals and other proposed new developments (including proposals for manufactured dwelling parks and subdivisions) greater than 50 lots or five acres, whichever is the lesser, shall include within such proposals base flood elevation data.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building and development permitting inside Keizer city limits.

    • Keizer handles land-use approval, building permits, site-plan approval, and driveway approval.
    • Marion County handles building plan review and inspections.
    • The city contact listed by Marion County is Megan Hurley, (503) 856-3440.
    “BUILDING | City | County | Other [...] Land Use Approval | X |   | Permit | X |   | Plan Review |   | X | [...] Site Plan Approval | X |   | Driveway Permit/Approval | X |   | [...] Inspections |    | X |”

Rules another office applies inside Keizer

Keizer does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Building permitRequired

    Residential construction inside Keizer city limits, with permits issued through the local jurisdiction identified for the work.

    • A building permit is required for new construction and listed structural work.
    • Certain listed residential improvements are exempt, including certain nonhabitable detached accessory structures under 200 square feet and other enumerated work.
    • Work exempt from a building permit may still require mechanical, electrical, or plumbing permits.
    “A building p​ermit is required to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, or move a residential building or structure.”
  • Owner-builder exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    Owner-built single-family dwellings and adjacent auxiliary structures inside Keizer city limits.

    • Structural components must be constructed entirely by the owner intending to occupy the structures, or by the owner with unpaid friends or relatives.
    • The exemption applies only to structural-code requirements for ceiling heights, room sizes, and maintenance of specific temperature levels.
    • The building permit must note compliance; if the structure does not comply, the owner-builder must file the permit with the county clerk for permanent deed recording.
    • Owner-built dwellings remain subject to permitting and other applicable requirements.
    “Owner-built dwellings and outbuildings shall be exempt from any requirements of the structural code for ceiling heights, room sizes and the maintenance of specific temperature levels in those structures.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Building inspections for construction inside Keizer city limits are shown as county-administered under Marion County's jurisdiction-responsibility table.

    • The table states that incorporated-city jurisdiction varies by permit type.
    • Keizer land-use approval and permits are marked City; inspections are marked County.
    “#### City of Keizer [...] BUILDING | City | County | Other [...] Inspections |    | X |”
  • Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

    Inside Keizer city limits, Keizer handles land-use approval while Marion County handles septic site evaluation, installation/repair permits, existing-system evaluation, and inspections; DEQ handles WPCF permits.

    • The Marion County table lists WPCF permits under DEQ.
    • This claim records the actual split shown for Keizer, not a countywide rule for unincorporated land.
    “ONSITE SEWAGE/SEPTIC PERMITS | City | County | Other [...] Land Use Approval | X |   | Site Evaluation |   | X | Installation/Repair Permit |   | X | Existing System Evaluation |   | X | Inspections |   | X | WPCF Permit |   |   | DEQ”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Installation or repair of onsite sewage systems inside Keizer city limits.

    • Marion County administers installation/repair permits for Keizer; Keizer retains land-use approval.
    • A separate WPCF permit may be administered by DEQ.
    “Installation/Repair Permit |   | X | [...] Land Use Approval | X |   |”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Onsite sewage inspections inside Keizer city limits.

    • Marion County is shown as responsible for inspections in the Keizer row.
    “Inspections |   | X | WPCF Permit |   |   | DEQ”

Still unanswered

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

  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for buildings inside Keizer city limits.
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in Keizer residential and agricultural districts.
  • Setbacks — Setbacks in Keizer residential and agricultural districts.
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage in Keizer residential and agricultural districts.
  • Building height — Building height in Keizer residential and agricultural districts.
8 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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 Keizer publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Marion County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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