Oregon Rent Control Laws: Landlord/Tenant Guide (2024)

Landlords and tenants alike can benefit from knowing their local rent control laws. But as rent control varies widely from state to state and even from city to city across the U.S., it’s crucial to know all applicable rules to ensure everyone is on the right side of the law.

To help, TurboTenant put together this guide on Oregon rent control laws. In 2019, the state passed a sweeping rent control bill that imposed significant restrictions on landlords renting out their properties in Oregon. Though this has had the benefit of standardizing rent control across the state, rent control in Oregon is among the most strict in the country.

In short, landlords must stay well-informed of Oregon rent control laws to manage their properties correctly and efficiently. Tenants, too, have plenty to gain from being familiar with the state’s rent-related regulations.

Key Takeaways

• Oregon rent control laws, known as SB 608, apply across the state
• The amount of allowable rent increase depends partially upon inflation
• That amount is determined by the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis and is published annually
• Landlords must provide notice of any rent increases 90 days in advance
• SB 608 also includes stronger anti-eviction laws to protect tenants

Oregon Rent Control Laws: An Overview

The two most common types of rent regulation laws are rent control and rent stabilization. Rent control places more specific restrictions on rental pricing. Meanwhile, rent stabilization means landlords can increase rent within certain parameters determined by a government agency. Despite their name, Oregon rent control laws align more with rent stabilization, as landlords are still allowed to increase rent on their properties to a degree.

On February 28, 2019, Oregon became the first state in the country to adopt a state-wide rent control measure. Senate Bill 608 (SB 608) came into law to help curb rent prices, which had skyrocketed in the years before the pandemic.

Though rent control in other parts of the U.S. has been left up to municipalities or counties, creating a confusing nexus of cans and cannots, Oregon rent increase laws are relatively straightforward. The entire state is under the same rent control regulations, in which the state government determines, yearly, the acceptable amount of rent increase for the following calendar year.

When SB 608 was signed into law in 2019, it was designated as “emergency legislation” and thus immediately affected hundreds of thousands of housing situations. It also overturned the state’s previous ban on rent control and introduced new protections for tenants, including a for-cause eviction standard.

Though the city of Portland implemented the Fair Access In Renting (FAIR) ordinance to protect renters from discrimination — including on the basis of criminal history, income, and credit score — rent control in Portland is the same as it is in the rest of the state following SB 608’s passage.

Rent Increase Limitations in Oregon

First, it’s crucial to note that Oregon rent increase laws apply only to multi-unit buildings that have been certified as habitable for 15 or more years. The regulations also do not apply to properties that offer government-subsidized rent.

Every year, by September 30, the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis calculates and publishes the maximum allowable annual rent increase percentage for the following calendar year. This is typically calculated as 7% plus yearly inflation, as determined by the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers in the West Region.

However, after 2022, when the acceptable state-wide rent increase hit 14.6% due to soaring inflation rates, state lawmakers passed an amendment that caps rent increases at 10% during high inflation years.

In short, as of 2024, rent control laws allow for Oregon rent increases of either 7% plus yearly inflation or 10%, whichever is lower.

Furthermore, Oregon rent control laws limit landlords to one rent increase per 12-month period and require a 90-day notice of any rent increases. If landlords violate these policies, they must pay the tenant three months’ rent and any damages the tenant suffers as a result.

Just Cause for Eviction in Oregon

In addition to limiting rent increases, SB 608 also implemented new protections for renters, most notably removing the possibility of no-cause evictions for tenancies longer than 12 months. Further tenant protections, SB 282 and SB 278 came into effect in 2021 following the end of Oregon’s pandemic-era eviction moratorium. These restrictions do make it more difficult for landlords to carry out the eviction process without cause, but “cause” covers a wide variety of situations.

Within a tenant’s first 12 months of residency, a landlord can terminate the rental agreement by notifying the tenant in writing at least 30 days before the designated eviction date.

But that only applies to month-to-month renters. If a landlord wishes to evict a tenant within the fixed dates agreed upon in the initial rental contract, it must also be a for-cause eviction, and written notice must be provided at least 30 days prior to either the ending date of the fixed term or the eviction date, whichever is later. The same notice regulations apply to residencies longer than a year.

“For-cause” situations include:

• Failure to pay rent
• Violation of terms of the tenancy
• Unpermitted pets
• Alcohol and drug offenses
• Crimes of physical violence

A few additional circumstances will allow landlords to evict tenants who rent on a month-to-month basis or tenants approaching the end of their fixed-term residency. These circumstances are known as “qualifying reasons,” which cover the following and more:

• Intent to undertake repairs or renovations that would prohibit the tenant from occupying the unit
• Intent to either reside within the unit or have an immediate family member reside within the unit
• Intent to sell the unit (requires 120 days notice of accepted offer)
• Three or more violations of the rental agreement (notice must be provided to the tenant at the time of the violations)

When evicting a tenant for a qualifying reason, landlords must provide notice at least 90 days prior to the termination of the rental agreement or the end date of the fixed term, whichever date is later.

Landlords who rent out two or fewer units in their primary property of residence will have a few more options for evicting tenants. They can evict month-to-month tenants without cause, provided that a 30-, 60-, or 120-day notice is issued, depending on the circumstances of the contract termination. With a properly given 30-day written notice, fixed-term tenants can also be evicted without cause toward the end of their tenancy.

Landlord Rights and Responsibilities

Rent control in Oregon saddles landlords with many more responsibilities than in other states, mainly governing appropriate notices given to tenants. With that in mind, knowing your rights and responsibilities as a landlord in Oregon is a must to avoid pricey fines and legal battles.

As a landlord, you have the right to:

• Charge rent
• Charge late fees for overdue rent payments
• Charge a screening fee to prospective tenants
• Enter the property (with 24-hour notice given to the tenant)
• Evict tenants under the circumstances covered above

But to continue renting properties, landlords must follow the restrictions outlined below:

• Provide appropriate advance notice of eviction
• Return all unused portions of security deposits within 31 days of a tenant vacating the property
• Must not lock out a tenant (unless they are being violent toward another tenant)
• Make necessary property repairs within a week of receiving written notice from the tenant

As mentioned, rent control in Portland does not differ from the rest of the state. However, certain equal-housing measures in place require more from Portland landlords. Under the city’s FAIR Housing ordinance, landlords are not permitted to deny rental applicants for any of the following reasons:

• Misdemeanors more than three years old
• Convictions more than seven years old
• Any credit score over 500
• Chapter 13 bankruptcy
• Past-due credit card debt below $1,000

Tenant Rights and Responsibilities

Though tenants enjoy increased protections under Oregon rent control laws, renters should still know their own rights and responsibilities. This will help tenants avoid adverse outcomes like eviction, fines, and fees.

As a tenant, here are some of the rights you’re entitled to:

• Safe, sanitary housing
• Termination of tenancy if the landlord breaches the rental contract
• Repairs made within a week of the landlord receiving written notice (unless the damage occurs from tenant neglect or a deliberate act)

In exchange for these protections, tenants are required to provide the following:

• On-time rent payments
• Rental agreement guidelines adherence, including pet and smoking restrictions
• A return of the property to the landlord in the condition in which the tenant received it, aside from normal wear and tear
• Reasonable landlord access to the dwelling

Under Oregon’s Fair Housing laws, tenants have additional protections from discrimination on the basis of sexual identity, disability, race, marital history, and more.

Navigating Rent Control Laws with TurboTenant

Rent control in Oregon has led the way nationwide, but more rent control laws continue to take effect across the country. TurboTenant offers many different resources to inform property owners and enable them to make the best decisions within their legal rights.

Among other services, TurboTenant provides a customizable, Oregon-specific rental application template that will help streamline the application process for landlords and tenants. Landlords from all states can also take advantage of our free rental management software and thorough tenant screenings, both of which could help you avoid potentially unpleasant situations with future renters.

Oregon Rent Control Laws FAQs