Portland Rain Drain Permit Fee: The $50 Public-Works Line

Portland’s transportation-review fee schedule lists a $50 permit charge for each rain drain. The line appears beside sewer connection and sidewalk-repair permits, so it should not be treated as a complete drainage-project price. Read the July 10, 2026 schedule.

The fee arithmetic is simple: one listed rain drain is $50; three are $150 ($50 × 3). That calculation applies only if the application counts three separate rain drains under the schedule. The city’s public-works review, connection, right-of-way, excavation, pipe, catch-basin, and restoration costs can be additional. Portland’s permit-development page is the process starting point.

Before a contractor starts, show the city the site plan and identify whether the drain connects to a public system, crosses the right-of-way, or is private surface drainage. Ask who files the permit and whether sidewalk or street-use review is triggered. Have the estimate list each rain-drain line separately from the installation.

Do not use the $50 figure for an interior downspout extension or a private yard swale. It is a Portland municipal line checked September 8, 2026. Reopen the schedule before filing because its effective date and fee categories control.

The application should show the drain count and connection point. Ask whether each drain is part of one public-works permit, whether a sewer connection or sidewalk permit is also required, and whether the city expects a separate inspection. Those questions prevent multiplying a per-drain line when the city treats the work as one application.

The $50 line is therefore a permit-planning input, not the cost of buying or installing a drain. A homeowner replacing a private downspout should first establish whether the outlet enters a public drain or remains a yard-discharge project. Put the outlet, connection point, and number of drains on the sketch and ask Portland to identify the transportation-review row before the contractor prices pipe and excavation.