Know your rights as a renter in Oregon. This guide covers security deposits, landlord entry, rent increases, eviction protections, and more under Oregon law.
Legal basis: Oregon landlord-tenant law — Oregon Revised Statutes
31 daysafter the tenancy ends and possession is returned
Interest on deposits not required
Separate escrow account not required
Deposit & Fee Details
Penalties, interest & late-fee rules under Oregon law
Security deposit protections
If your deposit is wrongfully or late returned
If the landlord does not return the deposit, or the part it does not claim, within 31 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant delivers possession, the tenant may recover twice the amount withheld without a written accounting; bad faith does not have to be shown. Separately, if the landlord in bad faith keeps money that is due, the tenant may recover twice the amount withheld in bad faith (ORS 90.300(12), (13), (16)).
Interest on your deposit is not required
Late-fee rules
Grace period
No late fee unless rent is still unpaid after the 4th day of the rental period.
Must be in the lease
Yes — a late fee is only enforceable if it is written into your lease
Governing statute: Or. Rev. Stat. § 90.260
Landlord Entry Rights
Your privacy protections
Required Notice Period
24 hours
actual notice, at reasonable times; none for repairs you asked for in writing (ORS 90.322(1))
In Oregon, this notice does not apply to every entry. Oregon requires 24 hours' notice to show the home too, unless, while the home is for sale, you signed a separate agreement, apart from your lease and paid for separately, letting the landlord show it to a prospective buyer without notice (ORS 90.322(1)(d)). Oregon lets your lease allow entry without notice, at reasonable times, for agreed yard maintenance or grounds keeping outside the home itself (ORS 90.322(1)(e)). Entry you asked for, such as a repair you requested, is entry with consent and is not held to the figure.
Exceptions: Landlords may enter without notice in cases of emergency (fire, flooding, etc.) or if you've abandoned the property.
More Oregon Tenant Protections
How much notice is required to raise rent in Oregon?
90 days notice; 7% + CPI cap
•No increase in your first year; after that, 90 days' written notice, no more than once in 12 months (ORS 90.323)
•Statewide cap: 7% plus inflation or 10%, whichever is lower; 9.5% for 2026 (ORS 90.323, 90.324)
•Buildings first occupied less than 15 years before the notice, and some affordable housing, are exempt from the cap (ORS 90.323(6))
•Local governments may not control rent (ORS 91.225)
Legal basis: ORS 90.323; ORS 90.323, 90.324
How long does a landlord have to make repairs in Oregon?
7 days for essential services, 30 days otherwise
•Landlord must keep the home habitable, including heat, plumbing, hot and cold water, electricity and working locks (ORS 90.320)
•No heat, water, electricity, gas or locks: after written notice and a reasonable time, buy the service and deduct it, claim reduced rent, or get substitute housing (ORS 90.365(1))
•Imminent serious threat: written notice that the lease ends in 48 hours unless fixed (ORS 90.365(2))
•Or written notice ending the lease at least 30 days out unless fixed in 7 days (essential service) or 30 days (other problems) (ORS 90.360(1))
•Minor defects: give written notice with a fix-by date at least 7 days out, then have it repaired and deduct up to $300 (ORS 90.368)
•You cannot do the minor repair yourself and need a written cost statement from whoever did it (ORS 90.368(4))
Legal basis: ORS 90.320, 90.360, 90.365, 90.368
Can a landlord retaliate against a tenant in Oregon?
Protected
•Strong protections
•No set time window in Oregon law
•Cannot evict for complaints
Legal basis: ORS § 90.385
Can a domestic violence survivor break a lease in Oregon?
14 days' notice
•A victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, bias crime or stalking may end the lease with at least 14 days' written notice
•You must have a protective order, or the crime must be within the past 90 days, with verification (order, police report, conviction, or a qualified third party's statement)
•No rent after the release date and no fee for ending the lease; other tenants stay bound
Legal basis: ORS § 90.453
Can a landlord lock you out or shut off utilities in Oregon?
Self-help illegal
•Self-help evictions illegal
•Court process required
•2x damages available
Legal basis: ORS § 90.375
Did You Know?
Important facts about Oregon rental law
1
Oregon has no statewide limit on security deposits.
2
Oregon landlords must return deposits within 31 days of move-out.
3
Oregon caps yearly rent increases at 7% + inflation or 10%, whichever is lower — 9.5% for 2026 — with none in the first year.
4
Oregon requires 'just cause' for evictions after the first year of tenancy.
Oregon does not have a statutory limit on security deposits.
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Oregon?
Oregon landlords must return security deposits within 31 days after you move out (after the tenancy ends and possession is returned).
How much notice must a landlord give before entering in Oregon?
In Oregon, landlords must give 24 hours' notice before entering your rental unit (actual notice, at reasonable times; none for repairs you asked for in writing (ORS 90.322(1))).
How much can a landlord charge for a late fee in Oregon?
Late fees in Oregon: 5% of the periodic rent for each 5-day period rent stays unpaid from day 5 of the rental period; or a reasonable one-time flat fee (the customary amount in that rental market); or a daily fee from day 5 of no more than 6% of that flat fee. State law provides a 4-day grace period before a late fee can apply.
How much notice is required to raise rent in Oregon?
90 days notice; 7% + CPI cap. No increase in your first year; after that, 90 days' written notice, no more than once in 12 months (ORS 90.323). Statewide cap: 7% plus inflation or 10%, whichever is lower; 9.5% for 2026 (ORS 90.323, 90.324). Buildings first occupied less than 15 years before the notice, and some affordable housing, are exempt from the cap (ORS 90.323(6)). Local governments may not control rent (ORS 91.225). Source: ORS 90.323; ORS 90.323, 90.324.
How long does a landlord have to make repairs in Oregon?
7 days for essential services, 30 days otherwise. Landlord must keep the home habitable, including heat, plumbing, hot and cold water, electricity and working locks (ORS 90.320). No heat, water, electricity, gas or locks: after written notice and a reasonable time, buy the service and deduct it, claim reduced rent, or get substitute housing (ORS 90.365(1)). Imminent serious threat: written notice that the lease ends in 48 hours unless fixed (ORS 90.365(2)). Or written notice ending the lease at least 30 days out unless fixed in 7 days (essential service) or 30 days (other problems) (ORS 90.360(1)). Minor defects: give written notice with a fix-by date at least 7 days out, then have it repaired and deduct up to $300 (ORS 90.368). You cannot do the minor repair yourself and need a written cost statement from whoever did it (ORS 90.368(4)). Source: ORS 90.320, 90.360, 90.365, 90.368.
Can a landlord retaliate against a tenant in Oregon?
Protected. Strong protections. No set time window in Oregon law. Cannot evict for complaints. Source: ORS § 90.385.
Can a domestic violence survivor break a lease in Oregon?
14 days' notice. A victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, bias crime or stalking may end the lease with at least 14 days' written notice. You must have a protective order, or the crime must be within the past 90 days, with verification (order, police report, conviction, or a qualified third party's statement). No rent after the release date and no fee for ending the lease; other tenants stay bound. Source: ORS § 90.453.
Can a landlord lock you out or shut off utilities in Oregon?
Oregon tenants have rights including security deposit protections, notice requirements for landlord entry, habitability standards, and protections against retaliation. Use Honestkey to analyze your specific lease against Oregon law.
More for Oregon renters
Common tenant-rights questions
Plain-language answers that apply in Oregon and beyond