STATE LICENSE
RequiredOregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB)
Oregon has no stand-alone HVAC license; heating and air conditioning is named CCB construction activity. What gets licensed separately is the wiring: Oregon's electrical law gives HVAC its own lanes, including a Restricted Energy Contractor license for HVAC thermostat and control wiring (ORS 479.945) and a Limited Maintenance Specialty Contractor HVAC/R license for electrical repair and replacement of existing HVAC/R equipment.
There is one useful carve-out: residential CCB licensees may install Class II and III HVAC control wiring in one- and two-family dwellings without an electrical license (ORS 479.940). Boilers and pressure vessels are licensed separately again by BCD.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Oregon contractor licensing is exclusive to the state: under ORS 701.325(6), cities and counties may not require or issue their own contractor registrations, licenses, or surety bonds for CCB licensees — though they may charge a general, nondiscriminatory business license fee. No city, county, or state agency may issue a building permit without a current, properly endorsed CCB license (ORS 701.325(1)), and any city or county business license requires a signed statement that you are CCB-licensed (ORS 701.325(5)). Mechanical and electrical permits (or BCD minor labels for qualifying repairs) apply per job.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Oregon county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of October 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
Residential CCB licensees may install Class II/III HVAC control wiring in one- and two-family dwellings without an electrical license (ORS 479.940). Commercial and line-voltage work is different.
LHR contractors must create an electrical training record within 60 days of hiring each employee who will do electrical work, and keep an employee list on file with BCD.
The CCB raised the two-year license fee from $325 to $400 — renewals from July 1, 2024 and new applications from July 1, 2025. Older guides quote $325 or $250.
A practical sequence for a new HVAC contractor in Oregon. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
Undertaking, offering to undertake, or bidding construction work for compensation without a current CCB license violates ORS 701.021 — a crime, not just a licensing infraction.
A contractor that was not licensed and properly endorsed when it bid or contracted, and continuously while working, may not perfect a construction lien, file a CCB complaint, or sue or arbitrate for payment.
Electrical installations outside your BCD license scope — including minor-label work beyond the LHR list — draw Electrical and Elevator Board civil penalties.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
| County · City | Permit office | Portal |
|---|---|---|
| Multnomah County Portland | City of Portland — Portland Permitting & Development ↗ Unincorporated: Multnomah County Land Use Planning (Department of Community Services) ↗ | Development Hub PDX (DevHub) ↗ |
| Lane County Eugene | City of Eugene — Planning and Development, Building and Permit Services ↗ Unincorporated: Lane County Public Works — Land Management Division, Building Program ↗ | eBuild |
| Marion County Salem | City of Salem — Permit Application Center (Building and Safety Division) ↗ Unincorporated: Marion County Public Works — Building Inspection ↗ | Permit Application Center Portal |
| Deschutes County Bend | City of Bend — Community Development, Building Safety Division ↗ Unincorporated: Deschutes County Community Development — Building Safety ↗ | Online Permit Center Portal (CityView) |
| Jackson County Medford | City of Medford — Building Safety Department ↗ Unincorporated: Jackson County Development Services — Building Division ↗ | ProjectDox ↗ |
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: Cost of the 16-hour pre-license training course (set by private CCB-approved providers; not published by the CCB) · CCB processing time of six to eight weeks is as stated on the CCB license page and may vary · BCD fees ($75 LHR, $375 CRE, $495 BB) are from Form 440-2888 (revision 1/15); a newer fee schedule may apply · Statutory basis and licensing details for boiler/pressure-vessel work (ORS chapter 480) were not retrieved
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.