Bolthole Index

Washington County, Oregon

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Sherwood, Oregon

Sherwood, Oregon requires a building permit for residential work inside city limits, and the City of Sherwood's Building Department handles it through the state's ePermitting system12. The city sets its own zoning, including the VLDR, LDR and MDR single-family districts3. Septic permits are a Washington County matter, and Sherwood's code expects sewer connections for new development45.

At a glance

Building permit
Required inside Sherwood city limits, with some exemptions1
Who issues building permits
City of Sherwood Building Department (electrical permits go through Washington County)12
Zoning
Sherwood sets its own zoning, including VLDR, LDR and MDR residential districts3
Sewer or septic
Sewer connection expected for new development; septic only when connection is impractical56
Septic permits
Washington County Environmental Health7
Owner-builder
State exemption from some structural-code requirements, with conditions8
Accessory dwelling units
Allowed where single-family homes are allowed, after Type I land-use review9

Who to call

Building permits

City of Sherwood Building Department

Residential and commercial building permits and inspections inside Sherwood city limits

(503) 625-4226

building@sherwoodoregon.gov

22560 SW Pine St. Sherwood, OR 97140

Online permits →

Septic permits

Washington County Environmental Health (Onsite Sewage Program)

Septic system permits, site evaluations and inspections for properties not on public sewer

503-846-8722

EHSeptic@washingtoncountyor.gov

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Sherwood, Oregon?

Yes. Oregon requires a building permit to construct, enlarge, alter, repair or move a residential building inside Sherwood city limits1. Sherwood states that accessory structures below 200 square feet and below 12 feet average height do not need one1.

The permit comes with inspections. Sherwood residential work is inspected at each stage, and a new dwelling needs a certificate of occupancy (or a temporary one) before anyone moves in1011. Building fees are in section 10 of Sherwood's fee schedule, with system development charges listed separately12.

Electrical permits inside Sherwood are the exception: they are obtained through Washington County, not the city1.

Who issues building permits in Sherwood, and how do you reach them?

The City of Sherwood Building Department issues building permits for land inside Sherwood. The office is at 22560 SW Pine St. in Sherwood, and the main number is (503) 625-42262. Washington County Building Services, which handles unincorporated land, is the wrong counter for a Sherwood address.

Applications are paperless. Homeowners create an Oregon ePermitting account, upload the homeowner acknowledgment form and plans, and then wait for an email from Building Department staff when fees are ready and again when the permit is ready to issue13. Combination permits may need more than one permit13.

Does Sherwood have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

Sherwood has its own zoning. The city's single-family residential districts are Very Low-Density Residential (VLDR), Low-Density Residential (LDR) and Medium Density Residential (MDR)3. Zoning rules are set by the City of Sherwood, not by Washington County.

Accessory dwelling units are allowed in Sherwood districts that permit single-family homes, and they go through Type I land-use review under section 16.52 of the city's development code9.

We could not confirm Sherwood's lot sizes, setbacks, height limits, lot coverage, minimum dwelling size, or whether RV, tiny-home or manufactured-home occupancy is allowed. Ask the City of Sherwood Building Department at (503) 625-42262 before you plan around any of these.

How do septic permits work inside Sherwood?

Sherwood expects sewer. The city's development code says sanitary sewers must be installed to serve all new developments and connect to existing mains5. A septic tank may be approved only when connecting to a trunk sewer is impractical, sealed future sewer laterals are installed, and the temporary system meets City, Clean Water Services, Washington County and State standards6.

Where septic is allowed, Washington County Environmental Health issues septic system permits for households not served by public sewer714. Permits cover new systems and repairs or alterations of existing septic tanks and drainfields15. A site evaluation does not guarantee approval, because a separate construction-installation permit is required4. The city does not take over septic permits from the county.

We could not confirm a Sherwood-specific septic inspection rule or private-well rule inside city limits; ask Environmental Health at 503-846-872214.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Sherwood?

We could not confirm whether Sherwood allows living in an RV, camping on private land, or occupying a tiny home or manufactured home inside city limits. No Sherwood code provision on these uses was found. Ask the City of Sherwood Building Department at (503) 625-42262 before moving anything onto a Sherwood lot.

A permanent accessory dwelling unit is the route the city's code clearly provides, in districts that allow single-family homes9. Washington County's RV and tiny-home answers apply to unincorporated land only, not to addresses inside Sherwood.

Building a home in Sherwood: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district for your lot and ask the city about lot size, setbacks and height, which we could not confirm3.
  2. Confirm sewer service. New development is expected to connect to the city sewer, and septic is the exception5.
  3. If septic is allowed, get a site evaluation and a construction-installation permit from Washington County Environmental Health414.
  4. Create an Oregon ePermitting account, upload the homeowner acknowledgment and plans, and pay fees when Building Department staff email you13.
  5. Order electrical permits through Washington County1.
  6. Schedule inspections at each stage and obtain a certificate of occupancy before moving in1011.

Owner-builders get a state exemption from structural-code requirements for ceiling heights, room sizes and specific temperature levels, not from permits. The owner must not have used the exemption in the preceding five years8.

What stays with Washington County, and what to check before you buy

Washington County keeps septic permits and electrical permits for Sherwood addresses71. For land outside city limits, the county's own rules apply; see the Washington County page.

County-level numbers give context: Washington County's effective property tax rate is 0.9% and the median property tax bill is $4852 a year1617. Washington County's typical home value is about $56857518. Only 2.2% of the county's soils are rated not limited for a conventional septic drain field, so a lot needing septic should expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system19.

We could not confirm Sherwood's rules on driveways, floodplain development, agricultural uses, subdivision or short-term rentals. Ask the Building Department before you buy2.

Watch-outs

  • Sherwood's lot-size, setback, height, RV and tiny-home rules were not confirmed; call the City of Sherwood Building Department at (503) 625-4226 before buying2.
  • Septic is the exception in Sherwood, not the default: new development is expected to connect to the sewer5.
  • Electrical permits for Sherwood projects come from Washington County, not the city1.
  • Washington County's unincorporated-land answers, such as its building services counter, do not apply inside Sherwood city limits3.

Sources

  1. About Oregon residential building permits (Sherwood), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Sherwood Building Department (sherwoodoregon.gov)
  3. Residential Design Standards Code Update and Implementation of House Bill 2001 Housing Choices - City of Sherwood (Sherwood), quoted and re-checked
  4. Residential Septic Permitting - Oregon DEQ (Sherwood), quoted and re-checked
  5. Sherwood Zoning and Community Development Code, Division VI (Sherwood), quoted and re-checked
  6. Sherwood Zoning and Community Development Code, Division VI (Sherwood), quoted and re-checked
  7. Onsite Sewage, quoted and re-checked
  8. 2023 Oregon Residential Specialty Code, Chapter 1 (Sherwood), quoted and re-checked
  9. Residential Design Standards Code Update and Implementation of House Bill 2001 Housing Choices - City of Sherwood (Sherwood), quoted and re-checked
  10. Building - City of Sherwood (Sherwood), quoted and re-checked
  11. 2023 Oregon Residential Specialty Code, Chapter 1 (Sherwood), quoted and re-checked
  12. Building - City of Sherwood (Sherwood), quoted and re-checked
  13. Permitting Process - City of Sherwood (Sherwood), quoted and re-checked
  14. Washington County Environmental Health (Onsite Sewage Program) (washingtoncountyor.gov)
  15. Onsite Sewage Permits, quoted and re-checked
  16. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  17. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  18. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  19. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 24, 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 Sherwood

Sherwood’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Sherwood city limits.

    • City residential zoning districts include VLDR, LDR, and MDR.
    “Single-family residential zoning districts: Very Low-Density Residential (VLDR), Low-Density Residential (LDR), and Medium Density Residential (MDR).”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Sherwood city limits.

    • The cited City page identifies VLDR, LDR, and MDR as single-family residential zoning districts.
    “Single-family residential zoning districts: Very Low-Density Residential (VLDR), Low-Density Residential (LDR), and Medium Density Residential (MDR).”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

    Accessory dwelling units in Sherwood zoning districts that allow single-family residential dwellings.

    • ADUs undergo Type I land-use review.
    • Standards are in Sherwood Zoning and Community Development Code section 16.52.
    “The State of Oregon passed Senate Bill 1051 in 2017, requiring cities of a certain size (Sherwood included) to allow for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in zoning districts that allowed for single-family residential dwellings.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    New development inside Sherwood city limits where immediate trunk-sewer connection is impractical.

    • Septic tanks may be approved only when sealed future sewer laterals are installed.
    • The temporary system must meet applicable City, Clean Water Services, Washington County, and State sewage-disposal standards.
    “Provided, however, that when impractical to immediately connect to a trunk sewer system, the use of septic tanks may be approved, if sealed sewer laterals are installed for future connection and the temporary system meets all other applicable City, Clean Water Services, Washington County and State sewage disposal standards.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

    New development inside Sherwood city limits.

    • A septic tank may be approved when immediate trunk-sewer connection is impractical, if sealed future sewer laterals are installed and all listed City, Clean Water Services, Washington County, and State standards are met.
    • Water lines must connect to existing mains or appropriately sized new mains.
    “Sanitary sewers shall be installed to serve all new developments and shall connect to existing sanitary sewer mains.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Building permits inside Sherwood city limits.

    • Building fees are in section 10 of the City's fee schedule.
    • System development charge fees are in section 7 and Appendix A.
    “Building fees can be located in Section 10 of the Fee Schedule. See also System Development Charge (SDC) fees in Section 7 and Appendix A.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications inside Sherwood city limits.

    • Homeowners create an Oregon ePermitting account, upload homeowner acknowledgment and plans, and receive fee and issuance notifications.
    • Combination permits may require more than one permit.
    “Sherwood Building Department staff will contact you via email once permit fees are ready for payment and again, after your permit is ready to be issued.”

Rules another office applies inside Sherwood

Sherwood 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 building work inside Sherwood city limits that is not within an applicable permit exemption.

    • Some work is exempt; Sherwood states that accessory structures below 200 square feet and below 12 feet average height do not require a permit.
    • Electrical permits inside Sherwood are obtained through Washington County.
    “A building permit is required to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, or move a residential building or structure.”
  • Owner-builder exemptionConditional

    Owner-built single-family residences and adjacent auxiliary structures inside Sherwood city limits.

    • Owner must not have used the exemption during the preceding five years.
    • Structural components must be constructed entirely by the owner, or by the owner assisted on an unpaid basis by friends and relatives.
    • The exemption is limited to ceiling heights, room sizes, and specific temperature levels.
    • A noncomplying owner-built project requires recording the permit with the county clerk.
    “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.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Residential construction inside Sherwood city limits, subject to locally administered permitting and applicable local land-use rules.

    • The Oregon Residential Specialty Code is adopted pursuant to Oregon statutes.
    • Local land-use and permit requirements remain applicable.
    “R102.1.1 Statutory references. This code is adopted pursuant to Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS). Where this code and the statutes specify different requirements, the statute shall govern.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted residential and commercial construction inside Sherwood city limits, except electrical work administered by Washington County.

    • Inspection is associated with permitted work.
    • Electrical work is permitted and inspected by Washington County.
    “Work shall not be done beyond the point indicated in each successive inspection without first obtaining the approval of the building official.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    New residential dwellings and townhouses inside Sherwood city limits.

    • A temporary certificate of occupancy may be issued instead.
    • Before issuance, the permit holder must provide specified contractor contact and license information to the building official.
    “Prior to occupancy of a new residential dwelling or townhouse the building official must issue a certificate of occupancy in the form and format established by the Division, unless a temporary certificate of occupancy is issued by the building official.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Installation, alteration, or repair of a septic system inside Sherwood city limits when septic is allowed under City development rules.

    • The applicable local jurisdiction administers septic permitting in Washington County under DEQ contracting arrangements.
    • A site evaluation does not guarantee approval; a separate construction-installation permit is required.
    “Septic permits are required to install a new septic system, alter an existing septic system, or repair an existing septic system.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings in Sherwood residential zoning districts.
  • Minimum lot size — Lots in Sherwood residential zoning districts.
  • Setbacks — Principal dwellings in Sherwood residential zoning districts.
  • Lot coverage — Residential lots in Sherwood city limits.
  • Building height — Principal dwellings in Sherwood residential zoning districts.
11 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • 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 Sherwood publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Washington County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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