Oregon Landlord-Tenant Laws: A Plain-English Guide
Oregon landlord-tenant laws cap rent and limit evictions. Oregon was the first state with a statewide rent cap, 9.5% for 2026, and after a tenant's first year you can't end the tenancy without a qualifying reason. There's no deposit cap, but refunds are due in 31 days, late fees follow a formula, and nonpayment notices depend on the day you serve them. Here is the landlord year, and how Oregon compares on security deposit laws by state.
By LandlordTested editorial teamLast reviewed
Oregon at a glance
- Security deposit limit
- No statutory limit
- Deposit returned within
- 31 daysReturn within 31 days after termination and delivery of possession, with a written accounting of deductions. Wrongful withholding = 2x the amount wrongfully withheld.
- Late fees
- Late fee allowed only if rent is unpaid by the end of the 4th day of the rental period. Amount: a reasonable flat fee; or a daily fee up to 6% of a reasonable flat fee per day; or 5% of periodic rent for each 5 days rent is late. Must be in the written agreement.Grace period: 4 days.
- Rent control
- Statewide cap appliesStatewide rent stabilization: annual increase capped at 7% + CPI, max 10% (2026 cap: 9.5%); one increase per 12 months with 90 days' notice; exempts units first occupied less than 15 years ago and certain regulated affordable housing. Manufactured-home parks with more than 30 spaces capped at 6%.
- Entry notice
- 24 hours' notice; reasonable times
- Notice for unpaid rent
- 10-day nonpayment notice (served on or after the 8th day of the rental period) or 13-day notice (served on or after the 5th day)
- Ending a month-to-month
- 30 daysDuring the first year: 30 days' no-cause notice. After the first year, no-cause terminations are prohibited; landlord-qualifying reasons (demolition, major renovation, owner/family move-in, sale to an owner-occupant) require 90 days' notice and relocation assistance of 1 month's rent (landlords with 4 or fewer units exempt from the payment) (ORS 90.427).
Oregon topic guides
General information, not legal advice. Last legal review October 18, 2026. Laws change; check the statute or a local landlord-tenant attorney before acting.
Before the lease
Screening
Oregon bans discrimination based on source of income statewide, so voucher payments count as income when you apply your screening standard. Have written screening criteria ready to give applicants before you take a fee. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, get written consent and send an adverse action notice when a report leads to a denial. Avoid blanket bans on criminal records. HUD withdrew its 2016 guidance in 2025, but such bans still invite Fair Housing Act claims. In Portland, the FAIR ordinance adds its own screening rules, so Portland owners should read it before listing.
The deposit
There’s no statewide cap (ORS 90.300), though Portland caps deposits under its own rules. Do a written move-in condition report with dated photos. Carpet-cleaning deductions are limited by statute, so note the carpet’s condition and age at move-in.
Before you set the starting rent
Oregon’s cap limits increases, not the first rent you charge, so price the unit carefully at the start. Check whether the unit is exempt: units first occupied less than 15 years ago and certain regulated affordable housing are outside the cap.
During the tenancy
Rent increases under rent stabilization
The cap is 7% plus CPI, never above 10%, and the 2026 figure is 9.5% (ORS 90.323, 91.225). One increase per 12 months, with 90 days’ written notice. On $1,500 rent, the most you can add in 2026 is $142.50. Local rent control is preempted except for the state program, but Portland requires relocation assistance for increases of 10% or more.
Late fees
No late fee until rent is still unpaid at the end of the 4th day of the rental period (ORS 90.260). Choose one method and write it into the agreement: a reasonable flat fee; a daily fee of up to 6% of a reasonable flat fee; or 5% of rent for each 5 days late. On $1,600 rent due the 1st, a fee can apply starting the 5th.
Entry
24 hours’ notice, at reasonable times (ORS 90.322).
Repairs
You must keep the unit habitable. Answer repair requests in writing and keep dated records, because a tenant facing a nonpayment or for-cause notice can raise habitability problems in court.
Ending the tenancy
Notices
| Situation | Notice |
|---|---|
| Unpaid rent | 10-day notice served on or after day 8, or 13-day notice served on or after day 5, with rental-assistance information |
| Lease violation | 30-day notice with 14 days to cure (ORS 90.392) |
| Certain serious conduct | 24-hour notice |
| No cause, first year | 30 days |
| Landlord-qualifying reason, after first year | 90 days plus 1 month’s rent in relocation help (4 or fewer units exempt from the payment) |
No-cause terminations are prohibited after the first year (ORS 90.427). The qualifying reasons are demolition, major renovation, owner or family move-in, and sale to an owner-occupant.
Move-out and deposit return
Within 31 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant returns possession, send a written accounting and the balance. Wrongful withholding costs twice the amount withheld.
Eviction overview
- Serve the correct notice with any required attachments.
- File a residential FED (eviction) complaint in circuit court for the county. Filing runs about $100-$110 plus service, but confirm with the court.
- The court sets a first appearance, typically within about a week. In nonpayment cases, the tenant can cure by paying before or at the first appearance.
- If the case is contested, trial is usually within about 2 weeks. Win judgment for possession.
- Get a notice of restitution. The sheriff serves it and returns possession after the statutory waiting period.
Uncontested cases take about 3-6 weeks (ORS 90.392, 90.394, 90.427).
What’s different in Oregon
- The first statewide rent cap in the U.S. SB 608 (2019) and SB 611 (2023) set 7% plus CPI with a 10% ceiling; the 2026 maximum is 9.5%.
- No no-cause evictions after year one. Landlord-qualifying reasons need 90 days’ notice and usually one month’s rent in relocation assistance.
- Notice timing matters. Nonpayment notices are 10-day (on or after day 8) or 13-day (on or after day 5) and must include rental-assistance information.
- Formula-limited late fees after a 4-day grace period.
- Portland’s extra rules: deposit caps, the FAIR screening ordinance, and relocation assistance for increases of 10% or more or for no-cause terminations.
Questions landlords ask
The questions we get most, each answered in a paragraph.
How much can a landlord raise rent in Oregon in 2026?
The statewide cap is 7% plus CPI, with a hard ceiling of 10%, and the published maximum for 2026 is 9.5% (ORS 90.323). You can raise rent once in any 12-month period with 90 days' written notice. Units first occupied less than 15 years ago and certain regulated affordable housing are exempt. In Portland, increases of 10% or more can also trigger relocation assistance.
Can an Oregon landlord end a tenancy without cause?
Only during the first year, with 30 days' notice. After the first year, no-cause terminations are prohibited. You can still end a tenancy for tenant cause, or for a landlord-qualifying reason such as demolition, major renovation, owner or family move-in, or sale to an owner-occupant, with 90 days' notice and relocation assistance of one month's rent. Landlords with 4 or fewer units are exempt from the payment (ORS 90.427).
What is the maximum late fee in Oregon?
You can't charge one until rent is still unpaid at the end of the 4th day of the rental period (ORS 90.260). The fee can be a reasonable flat fee, a daily fee of up to 6% of a reasonable flat fee, or 5% of the periodic rent for each 5 days rent is late. On $1,600 rent, the 5% option is $80 per 5-day period. The fee must be in the written agreement.
How long does an Oregon landlord have to return a security deposit?
31 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant returns possession, with a written accounting of any deductions (ORS 90.300). Carpet-cleaning deductions are limited by statute, and Portland adds its own deposit and move-in and move-out rules. Wrongfully withholding a deposit can cost twice the amount withheld.
How much notice does an Oregon landlord give for unpaid rent?
It depends on when you serve it. A 10-day notice can be served on or after the 8th day of the rental period, or a 13-day notice on or after the 5th day. Both must include the required rental-assistance information. Mailed notices can add days to the count, so confirm the timing with the court or an attorney before you file.