Business licenses and permits in Oregon

What applies everywhere in Oregon

14 requirements are set by Oregon itself and apply whichever city you open in. Local permits sit on top of them.

Sources

Every statewide figure above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

1. Oregon Secretary of State — annual report renewal, due on the anniversary of the original filingOregon Secretary of State · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
2. Oregon Secretary of State — business registry fee scheduleOregon Secretary of State · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
3. Oregon Secretary of State — reinstating a business administratively dissolved for failing to file an annual reportOregon Secretary of State · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
4. Oregon Business Xpress license directory — business corporation registration, confirming the $100 feeOregon Secretary of State · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
5. Oregon Business Xpress license directory — limited liability company registration, confirming the $100 feeOregon Secretary of State · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
6. Oregon Business Xpress license directory — the state's official register of every license, which returns no match for automotive repairOregon Secretary of State · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
7. Oregon Department of Revenue — business identification number and combined payroll tax registrationOregon Department of Revenue · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
8. Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care — certified child care centre licensing and its capacity-scaled feeOregon Department of Early Learning and Care · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
9. Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care — registered family child care home, $30 for a two-year licenseOregon Department of Early Learning and Care · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
10. Oregon Construction Contractors Board — the fee increase from $325 to $400, effective for renewals in 2024 and new applications in 2025Oregon Construction Contractors Board · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
11. Oregon Construction Contractors Board — license requirements, pre-license training and examinationOregon Construction Contractors Board · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
12. Oregon Construction Contractors Board — endorsement chart with bond and insurance amounts by endorsementOregon Construction Contractors Board · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
13. Oregon Department of Revenue — Corporate Activity Tax, with the $750,000 registration threshold and $1 million filing thresholdOregon Department of Revenue · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
14. Oregon Administrative Rule 817-040-0003 — Board of Cosmetology fee schedule, effective 1 July 2024Oregon Health Licensing Office · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
15. Oregon Health Licensing Office — cosmetology facility license application, showing the $295 total to openOregon Health Licensing Office · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
16. Oregon Health Authority — food handler card, $10 for three years and required within thirty days of starting workOregon Health Authority · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
17. Multnomah County — 2026 environmental health licence fee schedule, restaurants banded by seatingMultnomah County · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
18. Oregon Health Authority — environmental health delegation guidance, on the statutory duty to delegate food licensing to local public health authorities that adopt their own feesOregon Health Authority · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
19. Clackamas County — environmental health fees effective 1 January 2026, restaurants banded by seatingClackamas County · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
20. Oregon Secretary of State — starting a business, stating that the state does not issue a general business licenseOregon Secretary of State · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
21. Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board — fee schedule, with facility registration at $225 initial and renewalOregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03

Which Oregon city are you opening in?

• Eugene, ORThe City's Business Licenses page states that the City of Eugene does not issue a general business license to all businesses; it licenses or registers only a short, named list (payday lenders, public passenger vehicle companies, recycling/solid waste haulers, and first aid vehicle, medical transport and limousine services) that excludes every one of the ten industries covered here. Unlike Salem, though, Eugene levies a general business tax: the Community Safety Payroll Tax, a three-part payroll/self-employment tax (Employer, Employee and Self-Employment components) administered by Central Services Finance, applying to any employer or self-employed person with a physical location inside city limits. The Planning and Development Department (Building & Permit Services and the Planning Division) issues building, sign, zoning/zone-verification and occupancy permits. Oregon delegates food licensing to counties, and inside Eugene the actual food-permitting authority is Lane County Health & Human Services, Environmental Health, not the Oregon Health Authority. Eugene-Springfield Fire (a joint city-city fire department, formally the Eugene-Springfield Fire Marshal's Office) issues fire-code operational permits, including a standing permit specific to auto repair garages and a separate one for food carts with smoke/grease-producing equipment or food cart pods. A cart's exact local requirements vary further by site: none beyond the county license on private property, but a distinct City of Eugene Downtown Activity Zone agreement for Kesey Square/the Park Blocks, or a separate Parks and Open Space vending agreement for City parks.17 published records
• Portland, ORPortland and Multnomah County jointly administer a net-income business tax through one Revenue Division. Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D, formerly the Bureau of Development Services) handles building, sign, zoning and occupancy permits. Inside city limits, Multnomah County Environmental Health Services — not the Oregon Health Authority — is the food-permitting and child-care-inspection authority, and it runs an unusually developed food-cart and food-cart-pod licensing system layered with PP&D zoning, PBOT right-of-way, and Portland Fire & Rescue propane permits.16 published records
• Clackamas County, ORClackamas County, Oregon, seat Oregon City; population 425,857 (U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimate). The Census Bureau's 2020 place-by-county file lists 16 incorporated places in Clackamas County: Barlow, Canby, Estacada, Gladstone, Happy Valley, Johnson City, Lake Oswego, Milwaukie, Molalla, Oregon City, Portland (part), Rivergrove, Sandy, Tualatin (part), West Linn and Wilsonville; the same file also lists Lake Oswego, Rivergrove and Wilsonville under neighboring counties. The county's Business License Information page states: 'Unincorporated Clackamas County does not have a business license requirement or fee.' The same page lists 11 cities with their own business license requirement or fee: Canby, Estacada, Gladstone, Happy Valley, Lake Oswego, Milwaukie, Molalla, Oregon City, Sandy, West Linn and Wilsonville. The Public Health Division's Environmental Health program licenses restaurants, mobile food units, commissaries, warehouses, temporary restaurants, vending machines and public pools and spas, and performs child care sanitation inspections, under the delegation from the Oregon Health Authority described in County Code 8.04.030 (ORS 624.510). Its fee page prints figures in effect now ('Through 2026') and figures 'Starting 2027'. Building permits follow the county's jurisdiction table, which splits structural and electrical work between the County and each city. Land use permits, the county recommendation on OLCC liquor license applications and the Sheriff's alarm user permit apply to unincorporated Clackamas County. Each city's own business license, zoning and building requirements stack on the county records here and are not itemized in this entry; Portland and Tualatin city requirements are covered under those cities.14 published records
• Multnomah County, ORMultnomah County, Oregon, seat Portland; population 795,897 (U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimate). The incorporated cities are Portland, Gresham, Troutdale, Fairview, Wood Village and Maywood Park, the cities Multnomah County Animal Services lists as its service area together with all unincorporated areas. Multnomah County Environmental Health Services licenses restaurants, mobile food units, commissaries and warehouses, food cart pods, temporary food events and public pools and spas countywide, in every city and the unincorporated area, under Multnomah County Code Chapter 21; it also inspects child care facilities licensed by the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care and issues the county tobacco retail license. These health licenses run on the calendar year, and the fees adopted by Resolution 2026-039 take effect on 1 January 2027. The Multnomah County Business Income Tax (2.00% of net income, $100 minimum tax for non-exempt filers) and Preschool for All tax withholding are administered for the county by the City of Portland Revenue Division. For unincorporated property, the Sheriff's Office and Board of County Commissioners make the county recommendation on liquor license applications, county Land Use Planning reviews zoning, and Multnomah County Animal Services licenses animal facilities. The county's Service Providers and Regional Land Use Partners page states that building permits are issued by the cities of Portland, Gresham and Troutdale, including for specified areas outside their boundaries, and directs planning questions for property inside Portland, Gresham, Troutdale, Fairview and Wood Village to those cities. City requirements stack on the county records here and are not itemised in this entry.14 published records
• Salem, ORThe City's 'Determine if You Need a Business License' page states that 'only the following businesses need a business license in Salem' and lists a short set of business types licensed under Salem Revised Code Chapter 30 and related sections (marijuana businesses, multifamily housing, short-term rentals, vehicles-for-hire, street vendors, mobile food units, tree trimmers, dealers in used merchandise, special events, night clubs, auto race tracks and tourist parks); of the ten industries this site tracks, only food-truck (as a 'mobile food unit') falls on that list. Salem straddles the Willamette River: the great majority of the city, including downtown, lies in Marion County, whose Health & Human Services Environmental Health Services division is the food-permitting and child-care-inspection authority; the West Salem neighborhood on the river's west bank lies in Polk County, which runs its own separate but not-fully-published Environmental Health program for the same functions. The City's own Community Planning and Development Department (Permit Application Center) issues building, sign and zoning/land-use permits, while the Salem Fire Department's Community Risk Reduction Division issues fire-code operational-use permits and a distinct annual fire-safety inspection specifically for certified child care centers.14 published records
• Deschutes County, ORDeschutes County, Oregon, seat Bend; population 211,535 (U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimate). The county's incorporated cities are Bend, Redmond, Sisters and La Pine; the county's OLCC page tells applicants to 'Contact the cities of Bend, Redmond, Sisters or La Pine for liquor license application requirements within city limits'. Each city's own requirements stack on the county records here and are not itemized in this entry. Nearly every county fee is set by one document, the county's FY 2027 Fee Schedule (pages headed 'FY 2027 Proposed'), adopted by the Board by Resolution No. 2026-020 on June 17, 2026, effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. Deschutes County Health Services' Environmental Health Division licenses restaurants, mobile food units, commissaries and temporary restaurants, licenses public pools and spas, and inspects child care centers and certified family child care homes on behalf of the Department of Early Learning and Care. The Community Development Department's Building Safety Division issues structural permits in unincorporated Deschutes County; its Onsite Wastewater Division handles septic site evaluations and permits; and its Planning Division handles home occupation conditional use permits, sign permits and the county's review of OLCC liquor license applications. Under Deschutes County Code Chapter 5.08, antique, secondhand and junk dealers are licensed by the County Clerk.13 published records
• Lane County, ORLane County, Oregon, seat Eugene; population 382,396 (U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimate). The county's Cities page lists 12 cities: Coburg, Cottage Grove, Creswell, Dunes City, Eugene, Florence, Junction City, Lowell, Oakridge, Springfield, Veneta and Westfir, each with its own website; each city's own business license, zoning and building requirements stack on the county records here and are not itemized in this entry. Lane County Environmental Health licenses restaurants, limited-service restaurants, mobile food units, commissaries, temporary restaurants and public pools and spas countywide, in every city and the unincorporated area, as the Local Public Health Authority holding the state delegation under ORS chapter 624, and inspects day care and school kitchens. Its health fees run on the calendar year: the 2026 figures are as published on the county's 2026 Environmental Health Rate Sheet and apply through December 31, 2026, and the 2027 figures apply from January 1, 2027 under Board Order 26-09-29-05. The Land Management Division of Public Works issues building permits in unincorporated Lane County (Lane Code 11.025 and 11.026 leave urbanizable land inside the Springfield and Eugene urban growth boundaries to those cities), land use approvals such as home occupations, and onsite septic permits. The Sheriff's Office makes the county recommendation on OLCC liquor license applications for unincorporated locations, and Lane Code 9.065 to 9.075 sets tobacco retail location rules for the unincorporated area. Lane Code Chapter 3, 'Licenses and Permits' (contents page dated April 2015), contains subchapters on towing operations, emergency reporting equipment, used merchandise dealers and enforcement.13 published records
• Washington County, ORWashington County, Oregon, seat Hillsboro; population 611,272 (U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimate). The county's Cities page lists 16 cities: Banks, Beaverton, Cornelius, Durham, Forest Grove, Gaston, Hillsboro, King City, Lake Oswego, North Plains, Portland, Rivergrove, Sherwood, Tigard, Tualatin and Wilsonville. The Washington County Environmental Health Program licenses restaurants, mobile food units, commissaries, warehouses, temporary food booths and public pools and spas countywide, in every city and the unincorporated area, under the state delegation in ORS 624.510, and inspects certified child care facilities for the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care. County Ordinance 878, which bans flavoured tobacco and tobacco price promotions, applies to all of Washington County, and the Oregon Department of Revenue collects a $319.45 Washington County fee with the state tobacco retail license from 1 October 2026. Building permits, land use approvals and the county recommendation on OLCC liquor license applications apply to unincorporated Washington County; the county's Building Services and Current Planning FAQs state that their answers apply to unincorporated locations and direct questions about properties within cities to the relevant city websites. Title 5 of the Washington County Code, 'Business Licenses and Regulations', contains chapters on secondhand dealers, cable communications systems and social gambling. County fees are from the FY 2026-27 Adopted Fee Schedule (Resolution and Order No. 26-57, effective 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027). City business license, zoning and building requirements stack on the county records here and are not itemised in this entry.13 published records
• Jackson County, ORJackson County, Oregon, seat Medford; population 221,331 (U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimate). The county's About page states that approximately 71% of residents live in its 11 incorporated cities: Ashland, Butte Falls, Central Point, Eagle Point, Gold Hill, Jacksonville, Medford, Phoenix, Rogue River, Shady Cove and Talent. The Health & Human Services Environmental Public Health program licenses restaurants, mobile food units, temporary restaurants, commissaries, warehouses, vending and public pools and spas in the cities and the unincorporated area alike, under the state programs named in Codified Ordinance 1830.01 (ORS 624, 446 and 448), and inspects child care centers for state licensing. The Development Services Building Division applies the Oregon specialty codes, and the Planning Division applies the Land Development Ordinance, to development within the county's jurisdiction; the Building Division's Forms & Applications page directs anyone planning a project within the limits of an incorporated city to contact that city's planning or building department. Codified Ordinances chapter 868 requires an annual county license for secondhand dealers in the unincorporated area. County fees are from Exhibit A to Board Order No. 172-26 (adopted 24 June 2026, effective 1 July 2026). Requirements set by the cities themselves are not itemized in this entry.10 published records
• Marion County, ORMarion County, Oregon, seat Salem (the state capital); population 352,867 (U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimate). The county's About page states that 'There are 20 incorporated cities and 37 unincorporated communities in Marion County' and lists the cities as Aumsville, Aurora, Detroit, Donald, Gates, Gervais, Hubbard, Idanha, Jefferson, Keizer, Mill City, Mt. Angel, Salem, Scotts Mills, Silverton, St. Paul, Stayton, Sublimity, Turner and Woodburn. Marion County Health & Human Services, Environmental Health Services licenses restaurants, mobile food units, commissaries, temporary restaurants and pools and spas in every city and the unincorporated area under the state delegation recorded in MCC 8.35.020, inspects certified child care facilities each year, and takes applications for the county street vendor permit (MCC 10.10.230). The Public Works Planning Division handles land use 'for all unincorporated areas of the county'; the Building Inspection Division reviews construction 'in unincorporated areas of the county and for cities that do not have building inspection programs' and runs the onsite septic program under contract with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. The County Clerk takes requests for the county recommendation on OLCC liquor license applications for premises outside an incorporated city (ORS 471.166). Title 5 of the Marion County Code, 'BUSINESS LICENSES AND REGULATIONS', contains chapters 5.05 Wrecking Businesses, 5.10 Cable Communications Systems, 5.15 Social Games, 5.20 Ambulance Service, 5.25 Psilocybin Businesses and 5.30 Prohibition of Marijuana Facilities. Each incorporated city applies its own business license, zoning and building requirements on top of the county records here; those city requirements are not itemized in this entry.10 published records

Is there a single Oregon business license?

Who issues permits in Oregon?

• Oregon Secretary of State, Corporation DivisionEntity registration · Annual reports · Assumed business names5 permits
• Oregon Department of RevenueCorporate Activity Tax · Payroll tax registration3 permits
• Oregon Health Authority, Foodborne Illness Prevention ProgramFood service facility rules · Food handler cards2 permits
• Oregon Construction Contractors BoardConstruction contractor licensing · Endorsements, bonds and insurance1 permit
• Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care, Child Care Licensing DivisionCertified child care centres · Registered family child care homes1 permit
• Oregon Health Licensing Office, Board of CosmetologyCosmetology facility licensing · Practitioner certification1 permit
• Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining BoardVeterinary facility registration · Veterinarian licensing1 permit

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