ePermitting Building Permit Program

City of Florence uses the statewide Accela ePermits online permitting system

General contractors and others may apply for virtually all types of building permits via the ePermits system. The ePermits system is the culmination of a multi-year effort on the part of the Oregon Building Codes Division (BCD) and cities like Florence. That effort has been funded by a surcharge on building permit fees to create the nation’s first statewide electronic permitting system. ePermits is based on software developed by the Accela Corporation for use by governments. Accela has contracted with the state to provide this system at no additional purchase cost to the participating jurisdictions.

Contractors may apply and pay online for plumbing, mechanical, or electrical permits that require no plan review or permits that require a plan review. The program has been very well received by the contractors using it, as it has brought convenience and savings to their business practices, while encouraging the act of obtaining necessary permits through the ease of use. It has been a benefit to system users. 

Plan reviews and permit routing can be tracked and followed in the system. Fees can be assessed and paid online with a credit card. In fact, because the system is web-based, eligible parties can apply and pay from anywhere on the planet. This accessibility is a real benefit to general contractors and others that have a need for building permits.

The system will even e-mail a response to your designated address or smart-phone. Additionally, the BuildingPermits.Oregon.gov web-site for ePermits has a “citizen access” function that will allow people to access the electronic building department files, request inspections, and track many of the system features.

Maintaining files and records of permits is required by law; the ePermits system will take on that costly burden, as relating to building permits anyway.  Senior Building Analyst, Eric Rines, states that ePermits will allow permitting, record keeping, tracking of inspections and project progress in one electronic file that is kept by the State of Oregon. Eric has also found that ePermits system in use has greatly simplified work for permits and record keeping.

Senior Building Analyst, Eric Rines states, "I am excited and proud that the City of Florence got to be one of the first jurisdictions to participate in this ground-breaking effort with the State of Oregon in 2011." Links to the system will be posted on the city web-site. You may also find training and tutorials at
https://aca-oregon.accela.com/oregon/Default.aspx