Keizer Eviction Laws & Process

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

Eviction Laws in Keizer, Oregon

Keizer is a Marion County city of about 39,000 on the north edge of Salem — a Willamette Valley suburb that incorporated as its own city in 1982 and keeps a distinct, family-oriented identity, known for its annual KeizerFEST. Functionally it is a quieter, slightly more affordable residential alternative to Salem, with residents commuting to the state capital’s government, healthcare, and education jobs. It leans owner-occupied, with roughly 38 percent of households renting, is middle-income (median household income around $85,000, poverty near 8 percent), and has a stable working-family renter base and a notable Latino community (about 22 percent). Keizer sits entirely within Marion County, so it files in the same court as Salem. Eviction cases are filed as Forcible Entry and Detainer (FED) actions in the Marion 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 Keizer 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.

Keizer & Marion 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 — so keep increases at or below 9.5 percent, give 90 days’ notice, and raise only once a year.

No Local Ordinance Layer — Baseline Oregon Rules Apply. Keizer imposes no Portland- or Eugene-style relocation-assistance, screening (FAIR), or municipal deposit ordinance, so compliance is the statewide ORS Chapter 90 framework without an extra city layer.

Same Court as Salem — File in Marion County. Keizer sits entirely within Marion County, so every Keizer FED is filed in the Marion County Circuit Court in Salem. Unlike Salem itself — where West Salem properties fall in Polk County — Keizer has no cross-county split to worry about. All Keizer rentals go to Marion County.

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. Plan terminations around the 12-month line 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.

A Stable Salem-Metro Family Suburb. Keizer’s economy is tied to the Salem metro — government, healthcare, and education — and its working-family base sustains consistent, year-round rental demand. With a below-Salem cost of living and a settled tenant pool, Keizer is a steady mid-size market, though the statewide rent-control and just-cause rules apply in full.

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 national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, survivor status (domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking), and, under SB 599 (2025), immigration or citizenship status. With Keizer’s sizable Latino community, apply the same documented standards to every applicant and avoid any language- or origin-based assumptions.

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. Keizer adds no extra municipal deposit rules.

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 Marion County programs offer rent assistance. Because a nonpayment FED must be dismissed if rental assistance arrives before judgment, helping a behind-but-stable tenant connect with assistance early is often faster and cheaper than a contested case.

Marion County Circuit Court — Where Keizer Landlords File

Keizer landlords file FED (eviction) actions in the Marion County Circuit Court at the Marion County Courthouse, 100 High Street NE, Salem, OR 97301 — the same court that serves Salem; 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.