Ramps in Oregon: one statewide code and your local permit

Oregon keeps its building rules the same from one town to the next. The state building code applies everywhere, and a city generally cannot write different rules on the same subject without the state's permission. For a family planning a ramp, that consistency is helpful, but it does not settle the practical question of who reviews the project.

That job can fall to a city or county building inspection program. Below are the statutes that set up this arrangement, what Oregon law says about renters who need a ramp, and door equipment that pairs well with one in a wet climate.

Oregon's statewide code and local inspection programs

ORS 455.040 is the anchor: "The state building code shall be applicable and uniform throughout this state and in all municipalities, and no municipality shall enact or enforce any ordinance, rule or regulation relating to the same matters encompassed by the state building code but which provides different requirements unless authorized by the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services."

Enforcement is a different question from content. Under ORS 455.148, "A municipality that assumes the administration and enforcement of a building inspection program shall administer and enforce the program" for the state building code, among other things. ORS 455.150 provides for more limited, selective municipal programs. Where a city or county runs such a program, it is the local office that administers the state code, permits included.

If no local program covers your address, ask the Building Codes Division. We did not find a statute that exempts home ramps from permits by name, so describe the ramp's height, length and attachment to the house when you ask your building department whether a permit is needed.

Tenants are protected by ORS 659A.145, which prohibits "Refusing to permit, at the expense of the individual with a disability, reasonable modifications of existing premises occupied or to be occupied by the individual if the modifications may be necessary to afford the individual full enjoyment of the premises." It continues: "However, in the case of a rental, the landlord may, when it is reasonable to do so, condition permission for a reasonable modification on the renter agreeing to restore the interior of the premises to the condition that existed before the modification, reasonable wear and tear excepted." Refusing reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices or services is also prohibited.

A long wet season and a dry interior

NOAA's Oregon climate summary describes "frequent precipitation west of the Cascade Mountains from October to May," with more than 100 inches a year in parts of the Coast Range, and much drier conditions east of the mountains, where some desert areas receive less than 10. It also projects more frequent nuisance flooding along the coast as sea levels rise.

West of the Cascades, a ramp spends much of the year wet, so surface traction and drainage at the bottom landing deserve real attention. On the coast, keep the base of a ramp out of spots that already flood at high water. At the door, an automatic opener spares the person on the ramp from wrestling a heavy door in the rain.

Entry products for Oregon homes

• Harmar Rubber Threshold Ramp: interlocking non-slip rubber sections for thresholds up to 4 in, from 12 x 39 in at 1 in high to 48 x 46 in at 4 in high, all with 36 in of usable width.
• Open Sesame Residential Automatic Door Opener: runs on a low voltage 24-volt wiring kit, needs at least 1 1/4 in between door and ceiling, and its clutch disengages when idle so the door still works by hand.
• Open Sesame Voice Interface: connects an Open Sesame operator to Wi-Fi and Amazon Alexa for opening the door by voice, on units operating on the 433 MHz frequency.
• Open Sesame 36 in Vertical Push Pad (FW): a 36 in tall wireless wall switch for places that would otherwise need both an upper and a lower button, so one pad serves seated and standing users.

A threshold ramp handles a raised lip at the doorway. Steps up to a porch need a full ramp sized to the rise. The ramp fit check walks through the height of your steps and the space at the entry, and those same measurements are what to have in hand when you ask your building department about a permit.

Access Technologies, Inc.

Access Technologies, Inc. is the program the AT3 Center lists for Oregon, with lending, demonstration, reuse and financing services on record there. Its site lists help "Connecting Oregonians to AT-related devices and services" and with purchasing them, which can be useful for the rest of an accessible entry.

Ordering and delivery to Oregon

We ship to your state. Installation isn't available here yet; email us and we'll help you find a local installer. Shipping covers the lower 48 states and DC; it is free for orders over $500 and $15 for orders under $500, and we cover the sales tax on every order. Most products are processed in 2-5 business days; some brands differ. See shipping to Oregon, or plan a layout with the ramp fit check.

Questions about ramps in Oregon

Can my Oregon city make its own rules for home ramps?

Generally not on the same subject. ORS 455.040 makes the state building code "applicable and uniform throughout this state and in all municipalities," and bars municipalities from enforcing different requirements on matters the code covers unless the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services authorizes it. Zoning and land use rules are a separate matter to check.

Who issues building permits for a ramp in Oregon?

A city or county that has taken on a building inspection program under ORS 455.148 or 455.150 administers the state building code locally, including permits. Ask your local building department first; it can tell you whether your ramp needs a permit under the state code.

Can an Oregon landlord refuse a wheelchair ramp?

ORS 659A.145 prohibits refusing reasonable modifications made at the tenant's expense when they may be needed to fully enjoy the premises. In a rental, the landlord may reasonably require the renter to agree to restore the interior to its prior condition, reasonable wear and tear excepted.

Can I open my door by voice in Oregon?

Open Sesame's Voice Interface links its door operators to Wi-Fi and Amazon Alexa and can be added to existing units on the 433 MHz frequency. Check the operator's frequency, your home Wi-Fi and an Alexa device before choosing it, and pair it with a push pad as a backup.

Shop door openers and threshold ramps in the ramps and door openers collection, size a ramp with the ramp fit check, or plan the whole entry with the full assessment. Questions? Email us at info@faithmobility.com.

Sources

• Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 455 (ORS 455.040, 455.148, 455.150)
• Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 659A (ORS 659A.145)
• NOAA NCEI State Climate Summaries: Oregon (2022)
• AT3 Center: Oregon
• Access Technologies, Inc.
• Harmar Rubber Threshold Ramp product page
• Open Sesame Residential Automatic Door Opener product page
• Open Sesame Voice Interface product page
• Open Sesame 36 in Vertical Push Pad (FW) product page