Oregon Civil & Housing Law — Free 24/7 Legal Help Line

Civil & Housing in Oregon — what to do right now

Right now, do three things. First, read the top of any notice or court paper for the exact date and time you must respond — in an Oregon eviction (FED), missing the first appearance usually means an automatic judgment against you. Second, keep every notice, lease, receipt, text and photo; in deposit and consumer cases, your paper trail is your case. Third, don't sign or pay anything just because someone demands it. Then call 1-844-690-0555 — free, 24/7 — and tell the Oregon-trained assistant what your papers say. It's legal information, not legal advice, and the call creates no attorney-client relationship, but it can tell you exactly which clock you're on.

The law in Oregon: Civil & Housing

Oregon residential tenancies run on the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, ORS Chapter 90. To evict for unpaid rent, a landlord must first serve a written termination notice under ORS 90.394 — at least 72 hours for a week-to-week tenancy, or 10 days (or 13 days by mail) for any other tenancy — and you can stop the eviction by paying the stated rent within that window. Only after the notice expires can the landlord file a Forcible Entry and Detainer (FED) case in the Circuit Court for your county. The FED is a fast track: your first appearance is usually set within about seven days of service, and if no agreement is reached and a trial is ordered, you generally must file your written answer by 4:00 p.m. on the day of that first appearance.

Under SB 608 (2019) and ORS 90.427, after you've rented for more than one year a landlord can't end your tenancy without a 'landlord cause' or qualifying landlord reason, must give 90 days' written notice, and (if they own more than four units) usually owes one month's rent in relocation assistance for landlord-based terminations. Oregon also caps annual rent increases on most housing 15 years or older — the 2026 statewide maximum is 9.5% for most rentals (recalibrated by HB 3054 in 2025). Deposits are governed by ORS 90.300: a landlord must return your deposit, or a written itemized accounting of what they kept, within 31 days of the tenancy ending, and willful violations expose them to up to twice the amount wrongfully withheld.

Smaller money disputes — an unreturned deposit, an unpaid debt, a botched repair — go to the Small Claims Department of the Circuit Court under ORS 46.405. Claims up to $10,000 may be filed there; anything at or under $750 must be. Lawyers generally cannot appear in a small claims hearing without the court's prior permission under ORS 46.415, so it's built for self-represented people. Injury claims live elsewhere: ORS 12.110 gives you just two years to sue for most personal injuries (three years for wrongful death under ORS 30.020), and a claim against a public body usually requires written tort-claim notice within 180 days. Deceptive sales and consumer rip-offs fall under Oregon's Unlawful Trade Practices Act.

Oregon's Unlawful Trade Practices Act (UTPA), ORS 646.605 to 646.656, makes a long list of deceptive business practices unlawful (ORS 646.608) and — unusually — lets a private consumer sue. Under ORS 646.638, if you suffered an ascertainable loss from a willful unlawful practice you can recover your actual damages or $200, whichever is greater, plus attorney fees, and a court may add punitive damages. The catch is speed: a private UTPA action generally must be filed within one year of when you discover the unlawful practice (ORS 646.638(6)). The Oregon Department of Justice also enforces the UTPA and runs a consumer complaint process at oregonconsumer.gov.

Key Statutes

ORS Chapter 90 — Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
ORS 90.394 — nonpayment notice (72-hour / 10-day / 13-day)
ORS 90.427 — just-cause / no-cause termination and 90-day notice
ORS 90.300 — security deposits; 31-day return; up to double for willful violations
ORS 46.405 & 46.415 — small claims jurisdiction ($10,000) and limits on lawyers
ORS 12.110 — 2-year personal-injury limit; ORS 646.605–646.656 — Unlawful Trade Practices Act

Courts & Agencies

Circuit Court (your county) — FED evictions, civil suits, small claims
Small Claims Department of the Circuit Court — claims up to $10,000
Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) — forms, e-filing, self-help
Oregon Department of Justice — UTPA enforcement & consumer complaints
Oregon DAS Office of Economic Analysis — annual rent-increase cap

Penalties & Deadlines

FED answer often due by 4:00 p.m. on the first-appearance day
Nonpayment cure window: 72 hours, 10 days, or 13 days (ORS 90.394)
Deposit accounting/return: 31 days; willful = up to 2x withheld (ORS 90.300)
Personal injury: 2 years; wrongful death: 3 years; gov't tort notice: 180 days
UTPA private action: 1 year from discovery (ORS 646.638(6))
2026 statewide rent-increase cap: 9.5% on most housing 15+ years old

The 4 p.m. Answer Deadline: How Oregon Evictions Are Won and Lost in a Single Afternoon

Most Oregonians assume an eviction works like other lawsuits — that you get weeks to respond. You don't. Oregon's FED process is deliberately fast: after the termination notice runs out and the landlord files, the court sets your first appearance within roughly a week. If you show up and the case isn't resolved by agreement or mediation, and a trial is set, you generally must file your written answer — and pay the filing fee or ask for a fee deferral — by 4:00 p.m. that same day. Skip the appearance or the answer and the landlord can take a default judgment, and a sheriff's notice can follow within days. That single afternoon is why this is a call-now situation. Phone 1-844-690-0555, free and 24/7, for information on what your notice means and how fast you must move.

Likely outcomes & penalties

Outcomes in Oregon civil and housing matters swing on which statute and clock apply. These are realistic ranges, not promises — your facts decide everything.

Eviction stopped by paying within the notice window

Under ORS 90.394 you can defeat a nonpayment eviction by paying the rent stated in the notice within the 72-hour, 10-day or 13-day cure period — before the landlord ever files in court.

Deposit case: up to double the amount wrongfully withheld

If a landlord misses the 31-day deadline or willfully keeps your deposit, ORS 90.300 lets you recover the amount wrongfully withheld, and up to twice that amount when the conduct is willful — often pursued in small claims.

Small claims judgment up to $10,000

The Small Claims Department handles money disputes up to $10,000 (ORS 46.405), with no lawyers in the hearing absent the court's permission — a low-cost path for deposits, debts and faulty work.

Consumer (UTPA) recovery: actual damages or $200, plus fees

A successful private UTPA claim under ORS 646.638 recovers your actual loss or $200 (whichever is greater), attorney fees, and possibly punitive damages — but you must sue within one year of discovery.

Mistakes to avoid

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Treating a 72-hour or 10-day nonpayment notice as a suggestion — the cure window is exact, and once it expires the landlord can file an FED.

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Skipping the FED first appearance or failing to file the written answer by 4:00 p.m. that day — both usually hand the landlord a default judgment.

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Waiting past 31 days before chasing a deposit, or never demanding the written ORS 90.300 accounting that triggers the landlord's exposure to double damages.

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Assuming a landlord can raise your rent or end your tenancy at will — after one year, SB 608 / ORS 90.427 require a landlord cause and 90 days' notice, and 2026 increases on older housing are capped at 9.5%.

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Letting the 2-year personal-injury clock (ORS 12.110) — or the 180-day notice deadline for a claim against a city, county or state body — quietly run out.

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Sitting on a deceptive-sales or scam claim past the one-year UTPA limit (ORS 646.638(6)) and forfeiting actual-or-$200 damages plus attorney fees.

How it works

Call 1-844-690-0555 — free, 24/7. Dial the hotline any hour from anywhere in Oregon — Portland to Pendleton, Medford to Bend. No income test, no web form, no waiting room. Tell us what your notice, summons or letter says.

Talk to an Oregon-trained AI legal assistant. Our assistant is trained on Oregon and federal law — ORS Chapter 90, small claims, the UTPA and the deadlines that blindside people. It explains your situation in plain English (including Spanish), as legal information, not legal advice, creating no attorney-client relationship.

Get matched with an Oregon Civil & Housing attorney if you want one. If your matter needs a lawyer, we can help you book a paid consultation with an Oregon-licensed attorney — a separate paid step arranged through the call. You decide whether to take it.

Free & low-cost Civil & Housing help in Oregon

Free and low-cost help exists across Oregon for housing and civil problems. These organizations are genuinely relevant to evictions, deposits, debt and consumer disputes — start here, and call 1-844-690-0555 any time you need to understand a deadline first.

Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO)

Statewide civil legal aid for low-income Oregonians — eviction defense, housing conditions, debt, consumer issues and public benefits, through regional offices plus farmworker and Native American programs. Not for criminal cases.

Oregon Law Help (OregonLawHelp.org)

The state's free civil-law self-help site, with plain-language guides and court forms on evictions, termination notices, deposits, debt and small claims. A statewide partnership of legal aid, the Oregon State Bar and the courts — a strong first stop.

Oregon Law Center (OLC)

A statewide nonprofit civil legal-aid firm working alongside LASO to protect low-income Oregonians, with a heavy focus on housing stability and eviction prevention.

Oregon State Bar Lawyer Referral Service

The official OSB referral line — (503) 684-3763 in Portland or (800) 452-7636 statewide — connecting you to a vetted Oregon attorney for a first meeting of up to 30 minutes for no more than $50, plus a Modest Means Program for reduced-fee help in rental-housing matters.

Oregon Department of Justice — Consumer Protection

The state agency that enforces the Unlawful Trade Practices Act and takes consumer complaints about scams, deceptive sales and bad businesses. File a complaint or call the consumer hotline if you've been ripped off.

OJD Going to Court — Self-Help & Small Claims

The Oregon Judicial Department's self-help resources, including small-claims information, statewide court forms and county Legal Resource Centers for people representing themselves in civil and housing cases.

211info (Oregon)

A free statewide referral service connecting Oregonians to rent assistance, eviction-prevention funds, housing help and other basic-needs resources — useful when money, not just law, is the immediate problem. Call 211 or search online.

FAQ — Civil & Housing in Oregon

How long do I have to respond to an eviction notice in Oregon?

It depends on the notice. For unpaid rent under ORS 90.394, you usually get 72 hours (week-to-week) or 10 days — 13 by mail — to pay and stop the eviction. If the landlord then files an FED in Circuit Court, your first appearance is typically within about a week, and you may have to file a written answer by 4:00 p.m. that day. Call 1-844-690-0555, free and 24/7, to find out exactly which clock you're on.

Can my landlord in Oregon keep my security deposit?

Only for allowed reasons, and only if they follow ORS 90.300: within 31 days of you moving out, the landlord must return your deposit or send a written itemized accounting of what they kept. Miss that deadline or wrongfully withhold, and you may recover the amount — up to double if the withholding was willful. For free information on how to demand your deposit back, call 1-844-690-0555.

What is Oregon's small claims limit, and can I bring a lawyer?

You can file in the Small Claims Department of the Circuit Court for claims up to $10,000 (ORS 46.405); claims of $750 or less must go there. Lawyers generally can't appear in the small claims hearing without the court's prior permission (ORS 46.415), so it's designed for self-represented people. Call 1-844-690-0555 for free information on whether small claims fits your dispute.

How much can my landlord raise the rent in Oregon?

On most housing 15 years or older, Oregon caps annual rent increases. The 2026 statewide maximum is 9.5% for most rentals, set each year by the state and recalibrated by HB 3054 in 2025; newer buildings are exempt. After one year, your landlord also can't simply end your tenancy without a landlord cause and 90 days' notice (ORS 90.427). Call 1-844-690-0555 for free info on whether an increase or notice is legal.

How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Oregon?

Usually two years from the injury for most personal-injury claims (ORS 12.110), and three years for wrongful death (ORS 30.020). If a government body — a city, county, transit agency or the state — caused your injury, you generally must give written tort-claim notice within 180 days, far sooner. Don't let the clock run; call 1-844-690-0555, free and 24/7, to understand your deadline.

A business in Oregon ripped me off — what can I do?

Oregon's Unlawful Trade Practices Act (ORS 646.605–646.656) lets you sue for deceptive sales and practices. Under ORS 646.638 you can recover your actual loss or $200 (whichever is greater), plus attorney fees and possibly punitive damages — but generally only if you file within one year of discovering the practice. You can also complain to the Oregon DOJ. Call 1-844-690-0555 for free information on a consumer claim.

What happens if I miss my FED eviction first appearance in Oregon?

Missing the first appearance — or appearing but failing to file the written answer by the 4:00 p.m. deadline — usually lets the landlord take a default judgment of eviction. A sheriff's notice to leave can follow within days. That's why this is urgent. Call 1-844-690-0555 the moment you're served, free and any hour, for information on how fast you must act.

Can I be evicted in Oregon without any reason?

Only early on. During the first year of a tenancy a landlord can end a month-to-month tenancy with a 30-day no-cause notice. After one year, SB 608 and ORS 90.427 require a 'landlord cause' or a qualifying landlord reason, 90 days' written notice, and often one month's relocation assistance from larger landlords. Call 1-844-690-0555 for free info on whether your notice is valid.

Does calling the hotline make Legal Hotline my lawyer?

No. Legal Hotline is not a law firm and not a public defender, and the call gives you legal information, not legal advice — it creates no attorney-client relationship. What it does is explain your Oregon situation in plain English and, if you want a lawyer, help you book a paid consultation with an Oregon-licensed attorney. Start free at 1-844-690-0555, 24/7.

Do I have to speak English to use the Oregon hotline?

No. The assistant can help in plain English and Spanish, any hour, with no income test and no web form. Whether your issue is an eviction notice, a withheld deposit, a debt summons or a scam, you can call 1-844-690-0555 and explain it in your own words — it's free legal information, not legal advice, and creates no attorney-client relationship.

Is the call really free, and is it available at night?

Yes — 1-844-690-0555 is free and answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Oregon's civil deadlines don't wait for business hours, so neither do we. The free call gives you legal information about your situation; booking a paid consultation with an Oregon attorney is a separate, optional step we can help arrange through the call.

Are you an Oregon Civil & Housing attorney? Join our network

We connect Oregonians who've already had their situation triaged — eviction defense, landlord-tenant, small claims, personal injury and consumer matters — with licensed Oregon attorneys ready to take a paid consultation. If you're admitted to practice in Oregon and want vetted, ready-to-talk client referrals, get in touch to join our network. (Client calls always come first; this is a separate path for attorneys.)

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Reviewed by the Legal Hotline Editorial Team.

General legal information, not legal advice. We research every page from primary sources — legislation, the courts, and government legal-aid bodies — and check it for accuracy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at admin@platfirm.ai.

Served an Eviction Notice in Oregon? Your Answer Could Be Due by 4 p.m. on Hearing Day