General Contracting Companies in Oregon

Short answer: Exchange lists 11 general contractors and builders in Oregon, clustered in Salem and the Portland metro area (Portland, Damascus, Tigard, Beaverton and Sherwood), with others in Eugene and Albany. Anyone paid to build, remodel or repair in Oregon must hold a Construction Contractors Board license with the right endorsement under ORS 701.021. A residential general contractor carries a $25,000 bond and $500,000 in liability insurance. A Level 1 commercial general contractor carries an $80,000 bond and $2 million in coverage. Residential jobs over $2,000 need a written contract and three state consumer notices.

Licensing agency

The Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) in Salem licenses contractors and runs a dispute resolution service.

Governing law

ORS Chapter 701, the Construction Contractors Licensing Act, plus ORS Chapter 87 for construction liens.

Who needs a license

Anyone who bids on or does construction work for pay. The only exemption for small jobs covers casual, minor or inconsequential work under $1,000 on one structure, and only if the person does not advertise.

Bond and insurance

Residential general: $25,000 bond and $500,000 liability. Commercial general Level 1: $80,000 bond and $2 million. Commercial general Level 2: $25,000 bond and $1 million.

Codes in force

2025 Oregon Structural Specialty Code (2024 IBC base), mandatory since April 1, 2026. 2026 Oregon Residential Specialty Code (2024 IRC base), in effect since October 1, 2026, with the 2023 edition accepted through March 31, 2027.

Lien deadline

File a claim of lien within 75 days after you stop work or the project is complete, whichever comes first. Then sue to foreclose within 120 days of filing.

Who licenses general contractors and builders in Oregon?

The Oregon Construction Contractors Board licenses every construction contractor in the state. Licensing is not split between a state and city level. The board works under ORS Chapter 701, the Construction Contractors Licensing Act. Under ORS 701.021, a person or joint venture that bids on, offers to do or does work as a contractor must hold a current CCB license with an endorsement that fits the work. Chapter 701 defines a contractor broadly. The definition covers anyone who, for pay or with intent to sell, builds, alters, repairs, improves, moves or demolishes a structure or improvement attached to real estate. It also covers anyone who arranges that work for someone else.

Endorsements follow the type of building. Under ORS 701.005, a residential structure is a site-built home, a structure of four stories or fewer above grade that contains one or more dwelling units, a separately owned condominium or rental unit, a modular or manufactured home, or a floating home, along with anything attached to these. A small commercial structure is a nonresidential building with a ground area of 10,000 square feet or less and no more than 20 feet of height. It also includes a nonresidential unit of 12,000 square feet or less inside a larger building, and any nonresidential project where all contractor work totals no more than $250,000. Anything larger is a large commercial structure.

Residential work requires one of nine residential endorsements, such as residential general, specialty, limited or developer. Commercial work uses commercial general or specialty endorsements at Level 1 or Level 2. A residential general contractor may also work on small commercial structures. Many Oregon builders hold both a residential and a commercial endorsement, which affects how a complaint is handled later.

ORS 701.010 lists the exemptions. Casual, minor or inconsequential work on one structure is exempt if all of the person's contracts on it total less than $1,000, but not if the person advertises as a contractor. An owner working on their own property is exempt unless they are building or remodeling to sell. If the owner does not live in the finished building, that is taken as prima facie evidence of intent to sell. Working without a required license is a Class A misdemeanor under ORS 701.990. Under ORS 701.131, an unlicensed contractor cannot perfect a lien, file a CCB complaint, or sue or arbitrate for payment. Under ORS 701.325, a city, county or state agency may not issue a building permit to someone who needs a license unless that license is current and properly endorsed.

What training, bond and insurance does an Oregon contractor need?

An Oregon license requires a trained responsible managing individual, a surety bond and liability insurance sized to the endorsement. Workers' compensation is also required if the business has employees.

Under ORS 701.091, a licensed business must have at least one responsible managing individual (RMI) at all times. Businesses endorsed only as developers are exempt. The CCB defines the responsible managing individual as an owner, officer, partner or employee with management or supervisory authority over the company's construction activities. A person can be listed as the RMI employee on only one license. If the RMI leaves, the company must notify the CCB right away, and a temporary RMI can serve for no more than 14 days.

To qualify, the RMI completes at least 16 hours of pre-license training from an approved provider and passes the Oregon exam. The exam has 80 multiple-choice questions, is open-book and is based on the NASCLA Contractors Guide (Oregon version). It allows three hours, requires a 70 percent score (56 correct) and costs $60, paid to the testing vendor PSI. The license application must be filed within 24 months of passing. A person who has passed the NASCLA commercial exam skips the 16-hour course but still takes the Oregon exam. The CCB says applications can take six to eight weeks.

The license lasts two years. The CCB raised the license fee from $325 to $400, its first increase since 2010. The new fee has applied to renewals since July 1, 2024 and to new applications since July 1, 2025. Under ORS 701.082, a residential contractor must complete eight hours of continuing education in each two-year period to renew. Three of those hours must cover laws, regulations and business practices. Residential licensees who have not held the license for the full six years before renewal must complete eight more hours.

Commercial endorsements also require experienced key employees. Under ORS 701.084, a commercial general contractor Level 1 needs key employees with a combined eight years of experience, and Level 2 needs four years. The general liability certificate must name the CCB as certificate holder and include products and completed operations coverage. Commercial contractors must carry workers' compensation.

Which licenses, endorsements and permits apply in Oregon?

How do I check a general contractor in Oregon before I sign?

8 checks, in order, using the Oregon registers and rules described on this page:

1. Search the CCB license database by name or license number. Confirm the license is active and has the right endorsement: residential general for a home, or commercial Level 1 or Level 2 for a large commercial building.
2. Check that the bond and insurance on file match the endorsement, for example a $25,000 bond and $500,000 liability coverage for a residential general contractor.
3. If the contractor has employees, ask for proof of workers' compensation coverage. The CCB records each licensee as exempt or nonexempt and expects that status to match its policy. Ask who the responsible managing individual is.
4. On any residential job over $2,000, insist on a written contract. It must show the contractor's CCB number, a description of the work, the price, the payment terms and your right to complain to the CCB.
5. Make sure you receive the Consumer Protection Notice, the Notice of Procedure and the Information Notice to Owner About Construction Liens no later than the day you sign.
6. Be wary of a deposit above 50 percent of the price. ORS 701.312 lets the CCB put a contractor on probation for taking one and then not doing the work or not returning it within 10 days of a reasonable demand.
7. Confirm who is pulling the permit, and get the permit number before work starts. In Portland, you can check permit status on Development Hub PDX.
8. Keep every notice of right to a lien you receive from subcontractors and suppliers. Collect lien releases before each payment, so you do not end up paying twice.

What must a residential construction contract in Oregon include, and how are disputes handled?

Any residential job over $2,000 needs a written contract and three state notices, and the CCB runs a mediation-first complaint process for homeowners. Under ORS 701.305, a contractor may not work on a residential structure without a written contract if the total price is more than $2,000. If a smaller job grows past that amount, the contractor must deliver a written contract within five days of knowing it will. A missing contract does not void the deal. But under ORS 87.037, an original contractor that needed a written contract and did not have one cannot claim a lien.

According to the CCB, the contract must list the contractor's name, address, phone number and CCB license number, the customer's name and the job address, a description of the work, the price and payment terms, and the owner's rights, including the right to complain to the CCB. ORS 701.315 bars clauses that limit that right but allows mediation or arbitration clauses. Under ORS 701.310, a homeowner can cancel an initial residential contract in writing until midnight at the end of the next business day. That right ends if both sides agree work will start sooner or once work has substantially begun.

On jobs over $2,000, the contractor who signs with the owner must provide three notices on or before the contract date. The Consumer Protection Notice explains licensing, bonds and insurance. The Notice of Procedure explains what an owner must do before starting arbitration or a lawsuit. The Information Notice to Owner About Construction Liens explains lien law and how to avoid paying twice. Subcontractors do not have to give these notices. Contractors must keep proof of delivery for two years. Failing to give a notice can bring a civil penalty of up to $5,000. Missing the lien notice can also cost the contractor its lien rights.

Under ORS 701.320, a contractor that builds or sells a new home must offer the owner or first buyer a written warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. The offer must come before or when the contract is signed, and the owner may accept or reject it. Manufactured dwellings are excluded.

For a residential bond complaint, the owner must first send the contractor notice of intent by certified mail at least 30 days before filing, under ORS 701.133. The CCB charges a $50 processing fee once it accepts jurisdiction. Under ORS 701.143, the owner of an existing home has one year from substantial completion to file. For a new structure, the deadline is one year from first occupancy or two years from substantial completion, whichever is earlier. Under ORS 701.145, the board tries to mediate on site or by phone. If that fails, the owner can collect from the bond only with a court judgment, or an arbitration award a court has turned into a judgment. Claims against commercial bonds skip CCB mediation. The claimant files in court or starts arbitration first, then sends copies to the CCB and the surety within 90 days.

How do building permits and inspections work in Portland and Salem?

Oregon's building codes apply statewide, but cities and counties issue the permits. In Portland, one bureau now handles every development permit. Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D) launched on July 1, 2024. It merged the Bureau of Development Services with the permitting teams of the Environmental Services, Transportation and Water bureaus and the Urban Forestry Division of Parks & Recreation, under one director. Six of the 11 Exchange listings in this category are in Portland or its suburbs. Those suburbs have their own permit offices, so the PP&D process below applies only inside Portland city limits.

For one- and two-family homes in Portland, a building permit is needed for new homes, ADUs, accessory structures over 200 square feet or 15 feet tall, and decks or stairs more than 30 inches above grade. It is also needed for retaining walls over four feet, fences over seven feet, moving more than 10 cubic yards of earth, additions and conversions, and moving or adding walls. Painting, insulation, interior finishes and reroofing with similar-weight material do not need one. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits are separate. Only an owner who also lives in the home may do their own electrical work there.

PP&D's process has five steps: research, prepare, apply, issuance and inspections. Applicants submit through Development Hub PDX and pay intake fees, and review does not start until those fees are paid. Review runs in three phases, with technical review corrections sent on checksheets. Contractors list their CCB number on the application. Homeowners doing their own work on a single-family home use the Owner Doing Work Form. Once the permit is issued, the inspection card must be posted on site with the approved plans. Inspections are booked online or by phone, and residential re-inspections can be done by remote video. A permit expires 180 days after its Under Review date unless it is extended or reactivated. The Development Services Center at 1900 SW Fourth Avenue offers in-person service on Tuesdays and Thursdays. In 2026, PP&D adopted an interim rule that lets construction start at 6 a.m., Monday through Saturday, on days forecast to exceed 85°F. It also enforces stricter erosion control on ground-disturbing sites from October through the rainy season.

Salem, the other cluster in this listing, has three Exchange listings. Salem takes residential permit applications, plan check fees and inspection requests through its online Permit Application Center portal. Trade permits are separate. If the applicant is not the contractor, the contractor must sign an authorization form before the permit is issued. The first inspection must take place within 180 days of issuance, and each inspection request extends the permit by another 180 days.

Which building codes are in force in Oregon right now?

Oregon adopts one set of state specialty codes through the Building Codes Division (BCD) of the Department of Consumer and Business Services,, and local building departments enforce it.

Commercial and multifamily buildings fall under the 2025 Oregon Structural Specialty Code (OSSC), based on the 2024 International Building Code, Fire Code and Existing Building Code. Its administrative chapter took effect on October 1, 2025. The construction provisions became mandatory on April 1, 2026, after a six-month phase-in when the 2022 OSSC could still be used. The 2025 Oregon Mechanical Specialty Code took effect on the same schedule. In Portland, a project could vest under the 2022 codes only if it was submitted through Development Hub PDX by 11:59 p.m. on March 31, 2026, cleared prescreen, and had its intake fees paid by May 1, 2026. BCD notes that the 2025 OSSC includes an appendix with single-exit provisions for some Group R-2 apartment buildings, and updated design snow loads.

One- and two-family dwellings fall under the Oregon Residential Specialty Code (ORSC). The 2026 ORSC, based on the 2024 International Residential Code, was adopted under OAR 918-480-0005 and took effect on October 1, 2026. Chapter 1 has no phase-in. For the construction chapters, building departments must accept plans under either the 2023 or the 2026 ORSC through March 31, 2027, and the 2026 edition becomes mandatory on April 1, 2027. To vest a Portland residential project in the 2023 code, the application must be on Development Hub PDX by 11:59 p.m. on March 31, 2027, all information requests must be answered, and intake fees must be paid by 5 p.m. on May 1, 2027. The 2026 adoption order also removed the amendments BCD had made to the 2023 ORSC, including the sleeping-loft rules and the locally adoptable wildfire provisions in section R327.

What are Oregon's construction lien and prompt payment rules?

Oregon lien rights depend on short, strict deadlines in ORS Chapter 87, and private and public jobs follow separate payment timetables. Under ORS 87.010, anyone who provides labor, transportation, materials or rented equipment to build an improvement at the request of the owner or the owner's agent has a lien on it. Under ORS 87.035, a person claiming a lien for labor or materials must file a claim with the county recording officer no later than 75 days after they stop providing labor or materials, or 75 days after construction is complete, whichever is earlier. ORS 87.039 requires the claimant to mail the owner and mortgagee notice of the filing within 20 days. Under ORS 87.055, the lien expires 120 days after filing unless a foreclosure suit is brought.

A notice of right to a lien is the written notice a subcontractor or supplier without a direct contract with the owner gives the owner to preserve its lien rights. Under ORS 87.021, the notice protects only labor, materials and services provided from eight business days before it was delivered, not counting weekends and holidays. Notices must be delivered in person or by registered or certified mail. The notice is not required for a commercial improvement. It is required for a residential building, meaning one occupied by the owner as a residence with no more than four units. Under ORS 87.025, a materials supplier that wants priority over a recorded mortgage must also notify the mortgagee within eight business days of delivery.

For private projects, ORS 701.620 to 701.640 set the payment timetable. On work expected to take 60 days or more, the owner must make progress payments within 14 days of receiving a billing and make final payment within seven days of approving the work. A contract can allow longer periods only through a conspicuous notice on every page of the drawings and specifications. Under ORS 701.630, the original contractor must pay a subcontractor or supplier within seven days of being paid for that work. Under ORS 701.635, an unpaid original contractor may suspend work after seven days' written notice, and a subcontractor after three days' notice. These sections do not cover buildings under the Low-Rise Residential Dwelling Code, public contracts, or housing reserved for households at or below 80 percent of area median income. The ORSC is Oregon's low-rise residential dwelling code, so most work on one- and two-family homes is likely outside these sections. Check with a lawyer for a specific contract.

On public improvement contracts, ORS 279C.570 requires monthly progress payments. If a payment is late, interest starts 30 days after the invoice is received or 15 days after the agency approves the payment, whichever is earlier. The rate is three times the Federal Reserve discount rate on 90-day commercial paper, capped at 30 percent. Retainage is limited to five percent and can be reduced or eliminated once half the work is complete. ORS 279C.580 requires prime contractors to pay first-tier subcontractors within 10 days of receiving payment from the agency.

How do Cascadia earthquake and wildfire risks affect building in Oregon?

Earthquake shaking from the Cascadia Subduction Zone and from local crustal faults is the hazard that sets Oregon apart. In 2025 the state also rolled back its mandatory wildfire map, so wildfire construction rules are now a local choice.

The Oregon Department of Emergency Management describes the Cascadia Subduction Zone as a 700-mile fault running 70 to 100 miles off the coast from northern California to British Columbia. Its last great earthquake, estimated at magnitude 9.0, struck on January 26, 1700. The agency cites a roughly 37 percent chance of a magnitude 7.1 or greater megathrust earthquake in the next 50 years, with five to seven minutes of shaking on the coast. A U.S. Geological Survey fact sheet published in September 2025 estimates a 10 to 15 percent chance of a magnitude 9 Cascadia earthquake in the next 50 years. It also estimates a 6 percent chance of a magnitude 6.5 or larger crustal earthquake in the Portland or northern Willamette Valley region over the same period. The fact sheet notes that the 1993 magnitude 5.6 Scotts Mills earthquake damaged a school building in Molalla. Seismic design in Oregon comes from the OSSC and ORSC, so owners planning additions, foundation work or older masonry renovations should ask a bidder how the structural engineer will handle seismic loads.

Wildfire rules have changed several times. Senate Bill 762 (2021) required a statewide wildfire risk map tied to defensible space and building code standards. Senate Bill 80 (2023) shifted the map from risk to hazard. Senate Bill 83 (2025) repealed the statewide wildfire hazard map and its application to defensible space and building codes. In response, BCD made the ORSC section R327 wildfire mitigation provisions available for local adoption and limited them to construction of new buildings. A city or county that adopts them must notify BCD and say where they apply. A temporary rule took effect on August 5, 2025, and the permanent rule on January 1, 2026. For a new home near forest or grassland, ask the local building department whether it has adopted wildfire construction standards before you finalize the design.

What do Exchange listings show about general contractors in Oregon?

Exchange lists 11 general contractors and builders in Oregon as of November 2, 2026, spread across 8 cities and suburbs. The largest cluster is Salem with 3 of the 11 listings. 11 of the 11 listings link to a company website. Across every trade, Exchange holds 52 live listings in Oregon, and general contracting is the number 1 trade by listing count there.

Source: Exchange directory data, counted from live published listings on November 2, 2026. Counts include firms that list general contracting as a secondary category. Counts change as firms join or update their listings; the live list below this guide is always current.

What has changed recently, or is about to change, for general contractors in Oregon?

Last reviewed November 2, 2026 against the primary sources listed below. Dates are effective dates unless marked otherwise.

• October 1, 2026 — In force: The 2026 Oregon Residential Specialty Code, based on the 2024 IRC, took effect. The 2023 ORSC is accepted through March 31, 2027, and the 2026 edition is mandatory from April 1, 2027.
• July 10, 2026 — In force: Portland Permitting & Development fee changes approved on June 11, 2026 took effect, after transportation, environmental services and water bureau fee increases on July 1.
• January 1, 2026 — In force: Under SB 426 (2025), certain property owners and direct contractors are jointly and severally liable for unpaid wages owed to unrepresented workers of subcontractors at any tier, as summarized by the CCB.
• January 1, 2026 — In force: A permanent BCD rule made ORSC section R327 wildfire mitigation provisions available for local adoption, limited to new buildings, after SB 83 (2025) repealed the statewide wildfire hazard map.
• October 1, 2025 — In force: The 2025 Oregon Structural Specialty Code, based on the 2024 IBC, took effect, and it has been mandatory since April 1, 2026.

Where can I verify a license and check the source in Oregon?

Every figure and rule on this page can be checked against the primary source. These are the offices that publish them. Confirm current requirements directly before you rely on any of them:

Oregon Construction Contractors Board — License Search; Oregon Construction Contractors Board — How to Get a License (training, RMI, bond and insurance); Oregon State Legislature — ORS Chapter 701 Construction Contractors and Contracts; Oregon State Legislature — ORS Chapter 87 Statutory Liens; Oregon State Legislature — ORS Chapter 279C Public Improvement Contracts; Oregon Building Codes Division — Commercial Structures (2025 OSSC); City of Portland Permitting & Development — Start Guide: How to Get a Building Permit.

Nearby regions and related trades

General Contracting contractors in other regions: Alabama, Alberta, Arizona, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New South Wales, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Victoria, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.

Other trades in Oregon: Renovation & Remodeling, Roofing & Waterproofing.

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