Which license each job needs in Portland
| Work | License | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Any paid construction work: remodels, roofing, decks, painting, handyman | CCB license (residential general, specialty or limited) | CCB License Search |
| Electrical | CCB license plus a BCD electrical license; both numbers go on the permit | CCB, and the BCD license search |
| Plumbing | CCB license plus an Oregon State Plumbing Board license | CCB, and the BCD license search |
| Heating and air conditioning | CCB license; the permit application lists the CCB number | CCB |
The CCB license page says "anyone who works for compensation in any construction activity involving improvements to real property" needs a license (read 26 October 2026). Portland's electrical permit page says contractors need a CCB license and a BCD electrical license, and the permit application must list both. The CCB's bond amounts, since 1 January 2024:
| Residential license | Bond |
|---|---|
| General contractor | $25,000 |
| Specialty contractor | $20,000 |
| Limited contractor | $15,000 |
How to run the lookup in five minutes
- Ask for the CCB number. The CCB says a search by license number is the most accurate.
- Search the CCB License Search: check the license is active, the type (general, specialty, limited) fits the job, and the bond and insurance are current; read any complaints.
- Electrician or plumber: also search the person's trade license on the BCD license search.
- Look up the house on PortlandMaps, as the Portland building permit search guide shows, and get the permit number before work starts.
Doing the work yourself
| Work | Portland's rule for homeowners |
|---|---|
| Electrical | "The homeowner can do electrical work only if they own and live in the home"; recorded owner, not an LLC; not on rentals, homes for sale or ADUs (ORS 479.540) |
| Plumbing | "Homeowners can do their own plumbing work" if they are the recorded owner, not an LLC (plumbing page) |
| Heating and cooling | "Homeowners can do their own mechanical work" as recorded owner, not an LLC (mechanical page) |
What our Portland pages add
The CCB answers "is this firm licensed". Our Portland page shows what the City permits and how fast it signs off, October 2024 to September 2026:
| Kind of work | Permits (Oct 2024–Sep 2026) | Oct 2025–Sep 2026 | License needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical | 23,696 | 12,295 | CCB + BCD electrical |
| HVAC | 16,519 | 8,429 | CCB |
| Plumbing | 15,031 | 8,093 | CCB + plumbing license |
| Remodels and repairs | 3,972 | 1,852 | CCB |
| Solar | 3,093 | 1,241 | CCB + BCD electrical |
| New homes | 2,203 | 1,097 | CCB |
| Additions | 792 | 400 | CCB |
| ADUs | 245 | 105 | CCB |
67% of the permits were on homes; 93% of those issued October 2024 to September 2025 were finished, and the usual one took 44 days from issue to final. How long a permit takes has the days by kind of work, the permit statistics page the months, and permits by ZIP code the areas. Local permit rules: electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits. Penalties and the rest of the state rules: How to check a contractor's license in Oregon.
What this lookup does not tell you
The City's permit file names no contractor, so we cannot show who did a job or match firms to CCB records. Roofing barely appears (150 permits) because a re-roof with no structural work needs no permit in Portland, so a roofer's record is in the CCB search, not the permits. Gresham, Beaverton and Lake Oswego issue their own permits.
How we know this
License rules are quoted from the Oregon CCB's license and licensing pages and License Search, the Building Codes Division license search, and Portland Permitting & Development's residential electrical and plumbing permit pages, read 26 October 2026. Counts are Portland Permitting & Development's permit file, read 18 October 2026: permits issued October 2024 to September 2026; finished share and days use permits issued October 2024 to September 2025.
Numbers come from public permit records in 57 cities, data through October 18, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Who needs a contractor license in Portland, Oregon?
Anyone who works for pay on a Portland home, under state law. The Construction Contractors Board says "anyone who works for compensation in any construction activity involving improvements to real property" must be licensed. Portland's permit pages ask for the CCB number; we found no separate City contractor license on them.
- How do I look up a CCB license?
On the CCB's free License Search (search.ccb.state.or.us), by license number, name or business. The record shows the license status, bond, insurance and complaint history.
- Do Portland electricians and plumbers need another license?
Yes. An electrical contractor needs a CCB license and a state electrical license from the Building Codes Division, and Portland's permit application must list both numbers. Plumbing contractors need a license from the Oregon State Plumbing Board. Search both on the Building Codes Division's license search.
- Can a Portland homeowner do their own electrical or plumbing work?
Electrical only if they own and live in the home, as the recorded owner and not an LLC, and not on a rental, a house for sale or an ADU (ORS 479.540). For plumbing and mechanical work, the City says homeowners can do their own work if they are the recorded owner.
- How big is an Oregon residential contractor's bond?
Since 1 January 2024, $25,000 for a residential general contractor, $20,000 for a residential specialty contractor and $15,000 for a residential limited contractor (CCB). It is a bond, not insurance, and a big claim can use it up.
Build your own list
Pick your city and the kind of work. Every firm with a permit on record, sorted by what you value.
Related guides
- Albuquerque contractor license lookup: the CID license, its classification and the City permits
- Ames contractor license lookup: Iowa registration, electrical and PMSB licenses, and the City permits
- Anaheim contractor license lookup: CSLB classifications, the City's permit report and what it shows
- Arlington, VA contractor license lookup: DPOR class and specialty, the County permit search, and what the permits show
- Oregon CCB License Search (2026-10-26)
- CCB License (Do You Need a License?) — Oregon CCB (2026-10-26)
- Licensing (bond amounts) — Oregon CCB (2026-10-26)
- License search (Plumbing, Electrical, MDI) — Oregon Building Codes Division (2026-10-26)
- Residential electrical permits — Portland Permitting & Development (2026-10-26)
- Residential plumbing permits — Portland Permitting & Development (2026-10-26)
- Residential mechanical permits — Portland Permitting & Development (2026-10-26)