Salem

1. Special-use eligibility check (~4d)
   Confirm the proposed ADU meets every standard in SRC 700.007 (size, setback, height, accessory to single-family). If yes, no land-use application is required. Run water meter sizing worksheet to confirm pressure adequacy.
2. Submit building permit (only) (~1d)
   Submit through the Salem online permit portal. ADU is a special use, so no separate land-use application required when standards are met. Site plan, floor plan, elevations, ORSC energy worksheet, structural plans required.
3. Building plan review (~30d)
   Building Code, MEP, structural, and water/sewer review concurrently.
4. Corrections cycle (~12d)
   Resubmit corrections; Ready-Build plans typically pass first review; custom plans 1-2 rounds.
5. Permit issuance (~4d)
   Pay residual permit fees (city SDC waived). Permit issued within ~3-5 business days after payment.
6. Construction & inspections
   Foundation, framing, MEP, insulation, drywall, final. Inspections via Salem online portal.
7. Certificate of occupancy (~4d)
   Final inspection sign-off; ADU eligible for occupancy. Note: SRC explicitly prohibits short-term-rental use of the ADU.

• Long-term rental: yes (SRC 700.007; ORS 90 governs landlord-tenant) 30+day rental allowed; ADU is a permanent rental dwelling unit.
• Short-term rental: no (SRC 700.007 / Salem FAQ - ADUs may not be used for short-term rentals) This is a notable Salem-specific constraint. Eugene, Springfield, and Portland allow ADUs as STRs (with conditions); Salem does not.
  • Salem's ADU code explicitly prohibits short-term-rental use of the ADU
  • Permanent housing only - rented or owner-use, but not vacation rental
  • STR license available for the primary dwelling under separate Chapter (not the ADU)
• Office rental: no SRC 700.007 limits ADU to dwelling-unit use.
• Home office: yes Home occupation permitted citywide; foot-traffic and signage limits apply.
• Studio / workshop: yes Personal artist/maker studio is an allowed accessory residential use.
• Agriculture: with-restrictions (SRC residential-district provisions - urban agriculture) Backyard agriculture and limited livestock allowed; ADU itself remains residential dwelling.
• Relative support: yes Family-occupancy explicit use case; multigenerational housing supported.

• City of Salem ADU SDC Waiver — City-imposed System Development Charges waived for newly permitted ADUs. Saves approximately $4,000-$7,000 versus pre-waiver schedule. Salem-Keizer Parks SDC still applies.
• Salem Free Ready-Build ADU Plans — City offers free Ready-Build pre-approved plan for detached ADUs under 600 sqft. Eliminates design fee for participants.

Pre-approved plans Salem Free Ready-Build ADU Plans · 1 free designs · 25% plan-review fee waiver · saves ~4 weeks

Staff: Permit Application Center (Building permit intake and counter), Planning Division (Land use & special-use questions), Public Works Engineering (Water, sewer, stormwater, ROW)

• Water: City of Salem - Public Works (Salem-Keizer water service area) · 22d connect · $2,200
• Sewer: City of Salem - Public Works Wastewater · 18d connect · $1,000
  City wastewater SDC waived for ADUs; physical connection labor still owner cost.
• Electric: Portland General Electric (PGE) - serves most of Salem; small Pacific Power overlap on edges · 35d connect · $1,850
• Gas: NW Natural · 30d connect · $1,450

Realistic total: best 7mo · typical 11mo · worst 17mo

Capital-city steady demand; PNW wet season extends framing/dry-in. Ideabox modular factory sits inside Salem city limits which keeps modular options unusually quick.

Modular pathway Oregon BCD Manufactured Structures Program · inspectors are frequent with modular · 22 modular permits (last 24mo)

Ideabox factory inside Salem city limits drives unusually high modular permit count; Capitol Mall area and downtown narrow streets restrict module width on tight lots.

State ADU loans:

• Oregon ADU Loan (when funded by NOFA) (Oregon HCSD) up to $50,000

STR prohibition removes one liability vector compared to other Oregon cities. Mill Creek floodplain parcels face elevated NFIP premiums.

Salem HOA prevalence is moderate; older neighborhoods near Capitol predominate. State law voids ADU bans in covenants.

• historic-district — Court-Chemeketa Residential Historic District, Gaiety Hill / Bush's Pasture Park, Capitol Mall vicinity, Grant Neighborhood · +25d · +9% cost
  Salem Historic Landmarks Commission reviews exterior design changes visible from public ROW; capital-area neighborhoods have an unusually large historic footprint. (map)
• wui-fire-zone — South Salem hills (Skyline Rd, Croisan Creek), West Salem (over the river in Polk County) edges · +10d · +6% cost
  Defensible space and ignition-resistant assemblies on hill-zone parcels. (map)
• flood-zone — FEMA SFHA Zone AE along Willamette River (downtown to Minto-Brown Island), Mill Creek, Pringle Creek, Battle Creek · +14d · +7% cost
  Finished-floor elevation 1 ft above BFE; flood vents required; Mill Creek and Pringle Creek floodplains affect substantial swaths of central Salem. (map)
• seismic-retrofit-zone — Cascadia Subduction Zone (regional) · +7d · +3% cost
  Seismic Design Category D1; ORSC 2023 hold-down standards apply. Capital Mall and adjacent state buildings sit on liquefiable soils per DOGAMI mapping. (map)
• other — Capitol Mall / South Capitol Mall design standards · +14d · +5% cost
  ADUs near State Capitol may face additional scenic and design-review considerations under area plans. (map)