Medford Eviction Laws & Process

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

Eviction Laws in Medford, Oregon

Medford is Oregon’s eighth-largest city — about 86,000 residents — the county seat of Jackson County and the hub of southern Oregon’s Rogue Valley. Its economy runs on regional healthcare (Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center and Providence Medford), retail, and Rogue Valley agriculture, including pears (Harry & David is based here) and a growing wine industry. It is more affordable than the Portland-area metros, with a median gross rent near $1,350 and a median household income around $73,000, it is renter-heavy at roughly 44 percent, and it has a notable Latino community tied to the valley’s agricultural economy. For a landlord, the most important point to absorb is that southern Oregon’s more conservative politics do not change the law: Oregon’s statewide rent-control and just-cause rules apply in Medford exactly as they do in Portland. Eviction cases are filed as Forcible Entry and Detainer (FED) actions in the Jackson 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 Medford 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.

Medford & Jackson 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.

Statewide Law Applies Here Too — Don’t Assume Southern Oregon Is “Looser.” A common and costly mistake among Rogue Valley landlords is assuming the region’s more landlord-friendly politics translate into lighter rules. They do not. SB 608 rent control, the just-cause-eviction requirement after 12 months, and the HB 2001 nonpayment procedure are state law and apply in Medford identically to Portland. Comply with the same care you would anywhere in Oregon — the courts here enforce the same statutes.

No Local Ordinance Layer. The good news is that Medford and Jackson County add no Portland-style relocation-assistance, screening (FAIR), or municipal deposit ordinance, so compliance is the statewide ORS Chapter 90 framework without an extra city layer.

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 Healthcare-and-Agriculture Regional Hub. Medford anchors southern Oregon: hospitals, retail, and the Rogue Valley’s farm economy drive a moderate-income, service-heavy renter base, with a significant Latino agricultural workforce. Regional housing supply tightened sharply after the 2020 Almeda Fire destroyed thousands of homes in nearby Talent and Phoenix, pushing demand into Medford and keeping vacancy low. Demand is steady, but the tenant base is price-sensitive, so screen carefully.

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. Given Medford’s Latino and agricultural-worker population, take particular care that national origin, language, and immigration status never enter a decision; 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. Medford 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 in southern Oregon, and Jackson 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.

Jackson County Circuit Court — Where Medford Landlords File

Medford landlords file FED (eviction) actions in the Jackson County Circuit Court at the Jackson County Courthouse, 100 South Oakdale Avenue, Medford, OR 97501 — 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.