Corvallis Eviction Laws & Process

Oregon landlord guide — notices, timelines, court filing & local rules

Eviction Laws in Corvallis, Oregon

Corvallis is a Benton County city of about 64,000 — the county seat and home to Oregon State University. OSU defines the town: it is a renter-majority community, with roughly 58 percent of households renting (the highest renter share in this guide), a very young population (median age around 28), and a market the state consistently ranks as the most rent-burdened in Oregon. Beyond the university, HP’s Corvallis tech campus and Samaritan Health anchor the rest of the economy. Household income looks low at around $65,000 only because students pull it down — family income in Corvallis tops $100,000. For a landlord, this is a classic high-demand student-rental market operating under Oregon’s full statewide rules. Eviction cases are filed as Forcible Entry and Detainer (FED) actions in the Benton County Circuit Court.

Oregon eviction law is set by the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 90), with the court process governed by the FED statutes (ORS 105.105–105.168). A landlord must serve the correct written notice before filing. Since 2019, Oregon has had statewide rent control and just-cause eviction protections under Senate Bill 608, and recent legislation (SB 611 in 2023 and HB 2001 in 2023) tightened the rent cap and reshaped the nonpayment process. Self-help eviction — lockouts, shutting off utilities, or removing a tenant’s belongings — is illegal and carries significant statutory penalties.

The single most important current number for a Corvallis landlord is the rent cap: for 2026, the maximum allowable rent increase under Oregon law is 9.5 percent. That figure is recalculated and published by the Oregon Department of Administrative Services every September 30, so confirm the current year’s number before issuing any increase.

Corvallis & Benton County — Local Rules That Affect Landlords

Statewide Rent Control — the 2026 Cap Is 9.5%. Under SB 608 (2019) and SB 611 (2023), annual rent increases are capped at the lesser of 7 percent plus inflation (CPI) or a 10 percent hard cap — 9.5 percent for 2026. The cap applies to units 15 years or older (newer construction is exempt), you may raise rent only once in any 12-month period, no increase is allowed in the first year, and you must give 90 days’ written notice. Raising rent above the cap exposes you to liability for three months’ rent plus the tenant’s actual damages — and in a market this rent-burdened, that is a rule worth following precisely.

The Oregon State University Student-Rental Market. OSU and its tens of thousands of students drive Corvallis’s rental economy, especially near campus. Student leasing follows the academic calendar, so plan turnover and re-leasing around it; use creditworthy parental guarantors where a student lacks income or history; and remember that roommates on one lease are jointly and severally liable, so a nonpayment case generally names every signatory. High turnover also means deposits, detailed move-in/move-out documentation, and the 31-day deposit-return deadline come up constantly — keep that process tight and consistent.

Oregon’s Most Rent-Burdened City. With renters in the majority and rents high relative to income, Corvallis is regularly ranked the most rent-burdened community in the state. Demand is strong and in-season vacancy is tight, but the renter base is bimodal — students alongside HP and healthcare professionals — so screen each applicant on the same documented criteria rather than assuming. Note that raw vacancy figures swing with the academic cycle.

Local Rules — Confirm With the City. Corvallis does not appear to impose a Portland- or Eugene-style mandatory relocation-assistance or tenant-screening ordinance, so compliance is generally the statewide ORS Chapter 90 framework. That said, Corvallis is active on housing policy, so confirm any current local rental rules with the City before issuing a notice or a rent increase.

Just-Cause Eviction After 12 Months (ORS 90.427). During the first 12 months you may end a month-to-month tenancy without cause on 30 days’ notice. After 12 months you need a qualifying reason — tenant-based (nonpayment, lease violation) or a qualifying landlord reason (landlord/family move-in, sale to an occupying buyer, demolition, major repairs), the latter requiring 90 days’ notice and one month’s rent relocation assistance for landlords with more than four units. Because student tenancies often turn over before the 12-month line, plan terminations around it and document the qualifying reason.

Nonpayment of Rent — Mind the Procedure. Rent has a mandatory 4-day grace period before a notice can be served. You then serve a 10-day notice (on or after the 8th day of the rental period) or a 13-day notice (on or after the 5th day), and the notice must include the mandatory HB 2001 (2023) “eviction for nonpayment” disclosure with rental-assistance information in multiple languages — courts dismiss FED cases that omit it. The court must dismiss the case if the tenant pays in full or rental assistance is received before judgment. You cannot evict for unpaid late fees alone, and accepting partial rent can invalidate your notice.

Source-of-Income & Expanded Fair Housing. Beyond the federal protected classes, Oregon law (ORS Chapter 659A) bars discrimination based on source of income — you cannot refuse a Section 8 voucher or other subsidy — plus sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, survivor status (domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking), and, under SB 599 (2025), immigration or citizenship status. Apply the same standards to every applicant.

Security Deposits. Oregon has no statewide deposit cap, but you must return the deposit with a written itemized accounting within 31 days of the tenancy ending (ORS 90.300). Normal wear and tear is not deductible — a point worth remembering in a high-turnover student market where wear is routine.

Self-Help Eviction Is Illegal. Lockouts, removing belongings, and utility shut-offs are prohibited (ORS 90.375) and expose you to substantial damages. Only the sheriff, under a court-issued writ, can remove a tenant.

Free Legal Help & Rent Assistance. Legal Aid Services of Oregon and the Oregon Law Center assist qualifying low-income tenants, and the Community Services Consortium provides rent assistance across Linn, Benton, and Lincoln counties. Because a nonpayment FED must be dismissed if rental assistance arrives before judgment, connecting a behind-but-stable tenant with assistance early is often faster and cheaper than a contested case.

Benton County Circuit Court — Where Corvallis Landlords File

Corvallis landlords file FED (eviction) actions in the Benton County Circuit Court at the Benton County Courthouse, 120 NW 4th Street, Corvallis, OR 97330 — confirm the current filing location and FED procedures with the court before filing. The FED filing fee is roughly $88, and Oregon’s FED process is fast — a first appearance is typically set about a week after filing. If the tenant contests, the court schedules a trial; if the landlord prevails, the court issues a judgment of restitution and the sheriff executes the writ. Remember that the case will be dismissed if the mandatory HB 2001 nonpayment notice was not attached, or if the tenant pays in full or rental assistance is received before judgment. Self-help eviction is illegal — only the sheriff may remove a tenant under a court-issued writ.