Building permits, zoning and land rules in Sherman County, Oregon

Yes. Sherman County requires land-use approval before planning staff can sign off on a building-code application, and final building-code materials go to the Oregon Building Codes Division's Pendleton field office¹. The field office administers structural, electrical, mechanical and plumbing services for Sherman County².

A qualifying agricultural building may be exempt from the structural permit and inspections, but a dwelling does not qualify and electrical, mechanical, plumbing and septic permits remain separate⁹. Oregon's 2026 residential specialty code for one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses takes effect October 1, 2026, with either the 2023 or 2026 edition allowed during a six-month phase-in and the 2026 edition mandatory April 1, 2027¹⁰. An owner-builder must still obtain a building permit, use licensed subcontractors where required, request inspections and correct failed work⁶.

Start with the Sherman County Community Development and Planning Department, which processes land-use applications and inquiries⁴. The office is at 66365 Lonerock Road in Moro and its phone number is 541-565-3601⁴.

After county approval, the Oregon Building Codes Division's Pendleton field office provides plan review, permitting and inspections². The field office is at 800 SE Emigrant Ave., Suite 360 in Pendleton and its main number is 541-276-7814¹¹. Work must remain accessible until each required inspection is approved, and a final inspection follows completion of the permitted work¹². A new dwelling or townhouse ordinarily needs a certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in¹².

Yes. Sherman County administers zoning approval and land-use planning and publishes both a current zoning map and the county zoning ordinance⁴. Incorporated cities may have separate local requirements inside their limits, while septic permits remain with North Central Public Health District^3,4. Confirm the parcel's mapped district with the Planning Department because allowed uses and application requirements depend on the applicable ordinance provisions⁴.

Sherman County's schedule lists a non-farm-dwelling conditional-use permit at $300, a variance at $200 and a zone change at $500¹³. Administrative review for a building permit, Land Use Compatibility Statement or water-resource signoff is listed at $0.00, separate from state building-code fees¹³. We could not confirm countywide figures for minimum dwelling size, setbacks, lot coverage or building height; ask Planning for the standards in the parcel's district⁴.

North Central Public Health District administers Sherman County's onsite wastewater program as Oregon DEQ's contracted local agent^3,14. A permit is required to install, alter or repair a septic system, and a site evaluation alone does not authorize installation³.

After installation, the applicant submits final-inspection materials and district staff schedule a pre-cover inspection; the system must be approved before it is covered³. Only about 26% of Sherman County soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field, so test feasibility early¹⁵. Where public sewer is unavailable, wastewater-producing plumbing fixtures must connect to an approved onsite system³. The district's onsite-wastewater number is (541)506-2603³.

Oregon allows occupancy of a camping vehicle on private land with the owner's consent when the parcel has adequate approved water and sewage facilities and the occupant follows applicable state and local utility and sanitation standards⁵. We could not confirm Sherman County's current rule for long-term RV occupancy or general temporary camping, so obtain a parcel-specific answer from Planning before moving in⁴.

Oregon allows occupancy of a manufactured dwelling on private land under similar water, sewage and local-rule conditions, and installation must comply with the state installation code⁵. A state source says tiny homes used as temporary dwellings are under the purview of the local city council or county commission, and it does not establish permission for permanent tiny-home occupancy¹⁶. We could not confirm a Sherman County rule specifically authorizing tiny-home occupancy or a general minimum dwelling size⁴. A qualifying owner-built home may receive a narrow exemption from structural-code requirements for room sizes, ceiling heights and temperature levels, but permits and other applicable rules remain¹⁷.

1. Ask the Sherman County Planning Department to confirm the parcel's zoning district, dwelling use and required land-use application⁴.

1. Establish water and septic feasibility; a new onsite system requires district approval before installation³.

1. Obtain county land-use approval, then submit final building-code materials to the state Pendleton field office¹.

1. Resolve road access with the correct authority; a state-highway approach requires an ODOT permit, while the available county-road evidence is project-specific and does not establish a general rule^18,19.

1. Keep work exposed for required state building inspections and arrange the separate septic pre-cover inspection^3,12.

1. Obtain the certificate of occupancy required for a new dwelling before moving in¹².

Confirm the parcel's zoning on the county's current map and ask Planning about overlays as well as the underlying district⁴. A documented Flood Hazard Combining Zone applies in the Cottonwood Canyon State Park area mapped as a floodplain, but that evidence does not establish countywide floodplain standards²⁰.

Check septic feasibility early because only about 26% of county soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field¹⁵. For a private well, separate the right to use groundwater from permission to construct it: groundwater use generally needs a water right, although specified uses may be exempt, while owner-performed well construction generally requires a permit and bond^7,8. Verify driveway authority too, because a new connection to a state highway requires ODOT approval and the general county-road rule remains unconfirmed¹⁸.