Oregon Rent Increase Laws

Last Updated: January 9, 2024 by Jessica Menefee

Does Oregon Have Rent Control Laws?

Oregon does have rent control laws limiting the amount that landlords request for rent. Furthermore, state law prohibits local governments [1] from establishing additional rent control laws.

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When Can a Landlord Raise Rent in Oregon?

Landlords in Oregon can raise the rent at any time, as long as they comply with the following:

• Don’t break any rent control laws
• Wait until the end of the lease term (unless otherwise specified in the lease)
• Aren’t raising rent for discriminatory or retaliatory reasons
• Give reasonable notice

When Can’t a Landlord Raise Rent in Oregon?

Landlords in Oregon may not raise the rent if: 

• The increase is higher than what’s allowed under rent control laws
• The increase is applied in a way that discriminates against one of the protected classes specified in the Fair Housing Act.
• It is done in response to a protected tenant action, such as testifying in court against the landlord. This is known as “retaliation“ [2]. The law does not specify a period between the tenant’s action and the rent increase qualifies as retaliation, so landlords should act in good faith when increasing rent. [3]
• It is during the middle of a lease’s fixed term (unless stated otherwise in the lease agreement) or within the first year of a tenancy. 

How Often Can Rent Be Increased in Oregon?

Landlords in Oregon can increase the rent as often as they wish, as long as sufficient notice is provided each time and rent is not increased during the first year of a tenancy (except for week-to-week tenants). However, the total rent increase in 12 months cannot exceed the permitted rent increase limit.

How Much Notice is Needed to Raise Rent in Oregon?

In Oregon, landlords cannot raise the rent during the first year of the tenancy (except for week-to-week tenants) or during a lease term. They must also give notice to raise the rent as follows:

• Year-long leases – 90 days’ notice [4] 
• Week-to-week – 7 days’ notice [5]

The rent increase notice must be delivered by hand-delivery or first-class mail [6] and state: [7]

• The amount of the rent increase
• The amount of the new rent
• Reason the rental unit is exempt if the increase exceeds the limit
• The date the increase becomes effective

How Much Can a Landlord Raise Rent in Oregon?

In Oregon, landlords cannot raise the rent above 7% plus the consumer price index (CPI) per year. [9] Currently, the maximum rent increase for 2023 is 14.6%.

The rent increase limit does not apply if:

• The tenancy is week-to-week
• The certificate of occupancy was issued less than 15 years before the date of the notice of the rent increase
• The rental unit is subsidized by the government or a local program

When a lease term ends and new tenants move in, the maximum rent increase does not apply unless both of the following conditions exist:

• The previous lease term was shorter than one year
• The previous lease was terminated without a tenant-based cause (e.g. illegal activity or failure to pay rent)

Special Considerations

In Portland, landlords must provide relocation assistance if the rent is increased above 10% within any 12 months and the tenant decides to move [10]. The amount of assistance depends on the size of the rental unit:

• $2,900 – Studio or a single bedroom in a larger unit
• $3,300 – 1-bedroom unit
• $4,200 – 2-bedroom unit
• $4,500 – 3-bedroom unit or larger