Kick off the trade sub-permits (electrical, plumbing, mechanical)

How Oregon's trade permitting works

Oregon's permitting model puts the licensed trade on the permit, not the GC. For your addition:

• The electrician pulls the electrical permit when they're ready to rough.
• The plumber pulls the plumbing permit.
• The mechanical contractor (HVAC) pulls the mechanical permit.

Each trade is responsible for their permit, their inspections, and their final sign-off. The GC coordinates the schedule but doesn't sign for the trade work.

This is materially different from jurisdictions that issue sub-permits under a master to the GC. The practical implication: you're hiring or approving the trade subs (the GC usually chooses them), and each sub's licensing has to be current.

Verifying trade licenses

Three different licenses depending on the trade:

• Electrical contractor — Oregon Building Codes Division electrical contractor license.
• Plumbing contractor — Oregon BCD plumbing contractor license.
• Mechanical contractor (HVAC) — Oregon CCB residential or commercial GC with HVAC bond, or specific mechanical license.

Confirm each trade is licensed for residential work in Oregon and currently in good standing before they pull a permit.

What each sub-permit covers

• Electrical — service upgrade (often part of a second-story addition because the old 100A panel can't handle the expanded house), all new circuits, smoke and CO detector wiring, EV charging if added.
• Plumbing — all new fixtures, water and waste lines for the new bathrooms, expansion of the water heater capacity if needed, gas line modifications if applicable.
• Mechanical — new HVAC equipment, new ductwork, new bath fans, range hood, mechanical ventilation.

Each permit is filed online by the licensed trade, gets a quick over-the-counter or 1–2 week review, and issues. They're not the bottleneck on the project schedule; the building permit is.

Timing relative to the building permit

Trade permits don't have to wait for building permit issuance. The electrician can pull theirs the day they're ready. In practice, they often pull a few days before they mobilize.

But: trade permits do require that the building permit's plan review is done — PP&D reviewers want a coordinated set, not separate trade designs reviewed in isolation. The mechanical permit specifically references the energy-compliance Manual J calc from the building permit submittal.