Permit Prep / Oregon / Portland
Verified jurisdiction — rules read from the department's own published sources
Portland ProjectDox Drawing File Naming & Plan Splitting
Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D) publishes filename rules for plans uploaded to ProjectDox. Permit Prep splits your combined plan set into one PDF per drawing sheet and names each file in that pattern, in your browser.
City of Portland permits only
Portland Permitting & Development publishes one naming standard for every file in a ProjectDox project. Other Oregon jurisdictions — Multnomah County, Gresham, Beaverton, Hillsboro — publish their own standards, so this pattern travels no further than the city line.
Portland leads with an order number, not a permit number
Unlike King County, Portland does not put the permit or record number in the filename. Every name begins with a three-digit ordering number — 001, 002, 003 … 010 … 100 — matching the order in your sheet index, then the sheet number exactly as printed on the sheet (G101, Aii), then a short description. To slot a file between two existing ones, add a decimal such as 001.1.
Fifty characters, and five characters that break uploads
The whole filename is limited to 50 characters, so descriptions get abbreviated. Dashes, periods and ampersands are allowed; apostrophes, commas, underscores, percent signs and hashtags cause errors. Reference-only drawings should say so in the name, for example "006 A102 Site Plan Residential Demo - Reference".
Never rename a file already in ProjectDox
Resubmitted files reuse the exact original filename — no version suffix, no rename, no extra spaces — and ProjectDox versions them automatically. If a file already in ProjectDox genuinely needs a different name, Portland asks you to contact Permitting Services or your Process Manager rather than uploading a renamed copy.
Naming pattern
Template
{order} {sheetNumber} {sheetTitle}
Example
006 A102 Site Plan Residential Demo.pdf
Correct Portland filename examples
| Site plan, sixth in the index | 006 A102 Site Plan Residential Demo.pdf |
|---|---|
| General sheet, first in the index | 001 G101 Cover Sheet.pdf |
| File inserted after 001 | 001.1 Aii Sheet Index.pdf |
| Reference-only drawing | 006 A102 Site Plan Residential Demo - Reference.pdf |
- Every filename begins with a three-digit ordering number (001, 002, 003 … 010 … 100) matching the order in the sheet index.
- Then the sheet number exactly as printed on the sheet and in the sheet index, e.g. G101 or Aii.
- Then a short description of the sheet, abbreviated as needed.
- Filenames are limited to 50 characters.
- Dashes (-), periods (.) and ampersands (&) are allowed. Apostrophes, commas, underscores, percent signs and hashtags cause errors.
- Resubmitted files must use the exact same filename as the original — do not add a version, rename, or add spaces. ProjectDox versions them automatically.
- To insert a new file between two existing ones, add a decimal to the leading number, e.g. 001.1.
Submission requirement summary
Requirements last verified: 2026-09-06. Blank rows mean the published source we read does not state that rule — it does not mean anything goes.
| Submission platform | ProjectDox |
|---|---|
| One PDF per sheet or combined set | One PDF per drawing sheet |
| File naming format | {order} {sheetNumber} {sheetTitle} — e.g. 006 A102 Site Plan Residential Demo.pdf |
| Maximum filename length | 50 characters |
| Spaces in filenames | Not specified in the verified source |
| Prohibited characters | Apostrophes, commas, underscores, percent signs and hashtags cause errors. Dashes, periods and ampersands are allowed. |
| Sheet number requirements | Three-digit ordering number matching the sheet index, then the sheet number exactly as printed on the sheet (e.g. G101 or Aii), then a short description. Insert a file with a decimal, e.g. 001.1. |
| Drawing orientation | Not specified in the verified source |
| Page size | Not specified in the verified source |
| PDF security | Not specified in the verified source |
| Color / grayscale | Not specified in the verified source |
| Other published requirements | Resubmitted files reuse the exact original filename — no version suffix, rename or extra spaces. |
How PDFOnCall Permit Prep helps
- Splits your combined plan set into one PDF per drawing sheet, in your browser — the format Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D) asks for.
- Applies the pattern {order} {sheetNumber} {sheetTitle} to every sheet, so filenames are consistent across the whole set.
- Reads the sheet number and title from each title block and flags anything it is unsure about for you to correct before export.
- Warns on filenames that break the length or character rules published above, instead of letting the upload fail at the portal.
How to name plan files for Portland ProjectDox
- Put your sheets in the order of your own sheet index — the leading number in each filename follows that order, not the page order of the file you happen to have.
- Start every filename with a three-digit ordering number: 001, 002, 003 … 010 … 100. To slot a new file between two existing ones, use a decimal such as 001.1.
- Then the sheet number exactly as it is printed on the sheet and in the sheet index, such as G101 or Aii.
- Then a short description, abbreviated as needed: 006 A102 Site Plan Residential Demo.pdf. The whole filename is limited to 50 characters.
- Dashes, periods and ampersands are fine. Apostrophes, commas, underscores, percent signs and hashtags cause errors.
- On a resubmission, reuse the original filename exactly — no version suffix, no rename, no extra spaces. ProjectDox versions the file itself.
Permit Prep does the splitting and the filename pattern. You still confirm the items under "Check these yourself" — those are not things software can verify for you.
What applies where
- Scope: City of Portland permits reviewed in ProjectDox. Other Oregon jurisdictions publish their own standards.
- Stage: All files in a ProjectDox project. Resubmissions reuse the original filename exactly.
- Upload portal: ProjectDox
Check these yourself
- Mark reference-only drawings in the filename, e.g. "006 A102 Site Plan Residential Demo - Reference".
- Match the leading numbers to your own sheet index order — Permit Prep numbers sheets in page order, which is usually but not always the same.
- Contact Permitting Services or your Process Manager before renaming a file already in ProjectDox.
What the source does not say
- Portland's guide does not state separate rules for non-drawing documents beyond the same three-part format.
Where this came from
Read on 2026-09-06. Building departments change their rules without notice — open the links above and confirm before you submit.
Frequently asked questions
What is Portland's ProjectDox file naming standard?
A three-digit ordering number matching your sheet index, then the sheet number exactly as printed on the sheet, then a short description — for example 006 A102 Site Plan Residential Demo. The whole name is limited to 50 characters.
Which characters cause errors in Portland ProjectDox filenames?
Apostrophes, commas, underscores, percent signs and hashtags cause errors. Dashes, periods and ampersands are allowed.
How do I add a sheet between two numbered Portland files?
Add a decimal to the leading number, for example 001.1 between 001 and 002, rather than renumbering the rest of the set.
How should Portland resubmittals be named?
Reuse the exact original filename — no version suffix, rename or extra spaces. ProjectDox versions the file for you. Contact Permitting Services or your Process Manager before renaming a file already in ProjectDox.
Does PDFOnCall upload my plans anywhere?
No. Your plan PDF is read and split in your browser on your device. Sheet text, thumbnails, and filenames stay local.
Is this approved by Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D)?
No. PDFOnCall is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by any building department or portal vendor. These rules were read from the sources listed on this page on 2026-09-06; confirm them before you submit.
Other places in Oregon
Verified jurisdictions
These are the places whose published filename rules we have read end to end.
Related tools and guides
PDFOnCall summarizes publicly available permit submission requirements for convenience. Building department requirements can change. Always verify current requirements with the issuing jurisdiction before submission. PDFOnCall is an independent tool. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by any building department or permit portal vendor.