Title 59, Oregon Vehicle Code

“Premises open to the public” includes any premises open to the general public for the use of motor vehicles, whether the premises are publicly or privately owned and whether or not a fee is charged for the use of the premises. [1983 c.338 §72]

“Primary ownership record” means: (1) The manufacturer’s certificate of origin or equivalent record as determined by the Department of Transportation by rule; (2) The current title issued for the vehicle by the State of Oregon or another jurisdiction; or (3) Any other record dete…

“Racing activity vehicle” means a motor vehicle that: (1) Is primarily used for racing on a race track and that has: (a) A bodiless tubular steel chassis that forms the main structural component of the vehicle; (b) High side rails; (c) Integral front and rear rollover tubes; (d) …

“Rail fixed guideway public transportation system” means any light, heavy or rapid rail system, monorail, inclined plane, funicular, trolley, streetcar or automated guideway used primarily for carrying passengers. [Formerly 801.403; 2017 c.46 §1]

“Reconstructed vehicle” means either: (1) A vehicle that: (a) Has a body that resembles and primarily is a particular year model or make of vehicle; (b) Is not a vehicle rebuilt by a manufacturer; (c) Is not a vehicle built in a factory where the year model and make are assigned …

“Recreational vehicle” has the meaning given that term in ORS 174.101. [Formerly 801.407; 2019 c.422 §40]

“Registration” or “register” means, when used in reference to vehicles, the recording of a vehicle as authorized for use within a jurisdiction and includes any documentation or devices issued as evidence of that authorization. This state registers vehicles as provided under ORS 8…

“Registration plate” means a plate issued by a jurisdiction as evidence of vehicle registration. This state issues registration plates under ORS 803.520. [1983 c.338 §78; 1985 c.16 §22]

“Registration weight” means the combined weight or the loaded weight required to be declared and established as the maximum combined weight or loaded weight at which certain vehicles will be operated on the highway. Vehicles for which registration weights must be declared and est…

“Replica,” when used to refer to vehicles, means a vehicle with a body built to resemble and be a reproduction of another vehicle of a given year and given manufacturer. [1985 c.402 §2]

“Residence district” means territory not comprising a business district that is contiguous to a highway that: (1) Has access to property occupied primarily by multifamily dwellings; or (2) Has an average of 150 feet or less between accesses or approaches to: (a) Dwellings, church…

“Revoked” with reference to driving privileges, vehicle registration or vehicle title means the termination thereof with new driving privileges or vehicle registration or vehicle title obtainable only as permitted by law. [1983 c.338 §80]

“Right of way” means the right of one vehicle or pedestrian to proceed in a lawful manner in preference to another vehicle or pedestrian approaching under such circumstances of direction, speed and proximity as to give rise to danger of collision unless one grants precedence to t…

“Road authority” means the body authorized to exercise authority over a road, highway, street or alley under ORS 810.010. [1983 c.338 §82]

“Road machinery” means machinery used to maintain a highway or alley and includes, but is not limited to, a backhoe, chip spreader, excavator, forklift, front-end loader, mower, road grader, snowblower and utility tractor. [2009 c.91 §2]

“Roadway” means the portion of a highway that is improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the shoulder. In the event a highway includes two or more separate roadways the term “roadway” shall refer to any such roadway separately, but not to all such…

“Roundabout” means an intersection characterized by a circulatory roadway, channelized approaches and yield control of entering traffic. A roundabout encompasses the area bounded by the outermost curb line or, if there is no curb, the edge of the pavement, and includes crosswalks…

“Salvage title certificate” means a document issued by this state under the provisions of ORS 803.140 as evidence of vehicle ownership. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, a salvage title certificate is not a “certificate of title” for purposes of the Oregon Vehicle Co…

“School activity vehicle” means a vehicle, other than a school bus, that is used to transport students to or from authorized school activities and that is not described by any of the following: (1) A vehicle subject to ORS 825.100 or a vehicle under regulation of the United State…

“School bus” means a motor vehicle that is described by any of the following: (1) A vehicle that is marked with or displays the words “school bus.” (2) A vehicle that is used to transport students to or from school and may be used to transport students to or from authorized schoo…

(1) “School zone” means both of the following: (a) A specific segment of highway that is adjacent to school grounds and that is marked by signs described in subsection (2) of this section. (b) A crosswalk that is not adjacent to school grounds and that is marked by signs describe…

“Security interest” means an interest in a vehicle reserved or created by agreement and which secures payment or performance of an obligation as more particularly defined by ORS 71.2010 (2)(jj). [1983 c.338 §85; 1985 c.16 §24; 2009 c.181 §109; 2025 c.33 §106]

“Self-supporting trailer” means a trailer, other than a pole trailer, designed so that no part of the weight of the trailer or the weight of any load on the trailer rests upon the towing vehicle. The definition in this section is based on design and, except as otherwise provided …

“Semitrailer” means a trailer designed so that part of the weight of the trailer and part of the weight of any load on the trailer rests upon or is carried by another vehicle and coupled to another vehicle by a fifth wheel hitch. The definition in this section is based on design …

“Shoulder” means the portion of a highway, whether paved or unpaved, contiguous to the roadway that is primarily for use by pedestrians, for the accommodation of stopped vehicles, for emergency use and for lateral support of base and surface courses. [1983 c.338 §88]

“Sidewalk” means the area determined as follows: (1) On the side of a highway which has a shoulder, a sidewalk is that portion of the highway between the outside lateral line of the shoulder and the adjacent property line capable of being used by a pedestrian. (2) On the side of …

“Snowmobile” means a self-propelled vehicle that: (1) Is capable of traveling over snow or ice; (2) Uses as its means of propulsion an endless belt tread or cleats or any combination of tread and cleats or similar means of contact with the surface upon which it is operated; (3) I…

“Special mobile equipment” means a vehicle that is not designed primarily to transport persons or property, that is operated on a highway only incidentally and that is used primarily on a farm, for timber production and harvest, for construction work or for lawn and grounds care.…

(1) “Special use trailer” means a trailer described under any of the following: (a) A trailer that is eight and one-half feet or less in width and of any length and that is used for commercial or business purposes. (b) A trailer that is used temporarily on a construction site for…

“Stand” or “standing” means the halting of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in receiving or discharging passengers. [1983 c.338 §91]

“Stinger-steered” in relation to a combination of vehicles means that the coupling device on the power unit is located back of the tread of the tires of the last axle. [2001 c.574 §2]

“Stop” means the following: (1) When required, it means the complete cessation from movement. (2) When prohibited, it means any halting even momentarily of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic, or in compliance with the di…

“Street rod” means a motor vehicle that: (1) Was manufactured prior to 1949 or was manufactured to resemble a motor vehicle manufactured prior to 1949; (2) May be equipped with a drive train, suspension system or brake system that is different from the drive train, suspension sys…

“Suspend,” with reference to identification cards, driving privileges or vehicle registration, means the temporary withdrawal of the identification card, driving privileges or registration. [1983 c.338 §93; 1993 c.393 §1a]

“Tandem axles” means any two or more consecutive axles that have centers more than 40 inches but not more than 96 inches apart and: (1) Are individually attached to or articulated from, or both, a common attachment to the vehicle; or (2) Have a connecting mechanism designed to eq…

(1) “Tank vehicle” means a commercial motor vehicle that is designed to transport any liquid or gaseous material within a tank or tanks having an individual rate capacity of more than 119 gallons and an aggregate rate capacity of 1,000 gallons or more that is either permanently o…

“Throughway” means every highway, street or roadway in respect to which owners or occupants of abutting lands and other persons have no legal right of access to or from the same except at such points only and in such manner as may be determined by the road authority having jurisd…

“Tire” means the band of material used on the circumference of a wheel, on the outer face of a track or on a runner of a sled, which forms the tread that comes in contact with the surface of the road. If no band is used it means the tread or runner of a sled. [1983 c.338 §96]

“Title” means an ownership interest in a vehicle that is evidenced by a record of the Department of Transportation or of some other jurisdiction. The record may be in the form of a certificate of title or it may be in another form, including but not necessarily limited to electro…

“Totaled vehicle” or “totaled” means: (1) A vehicle that is declared a total loss by an insurer that is obligated to cover the loss or that the insurer takes possession of or title to. (2) A vehicle that is stolen, if it is not recovered within 30 days of the date that it is stol…

“Tow dolly” means an auxiliary axle assembly equipped with a tow bar and used to tow a motor vehicle behind another motor vehicle. [1991 c.284 §3]

“Tow vehicle” means a motor vehicle that is: (1) Altered or designed for, equipped for and used in the business of towing vehicles; and (2) Used to tow vehicles by means of a crane, hoist, tow bar, tow line or dolly or otherwise used to render assistance to other vehicles. [1983 …

“Traffic control device” means: (1) Any sign, signal, marking or device placed, operated or erected by authority under ORS 810.210 for the purpose of guiding, directing, warning or regulating traffic. (2) Any device that remotely controls by electrical, electronic, sound or light…

“Traffic crime” means any traffic offense that is punishable by a jail sentence. [1983 c.338 §100]

“Traffic offense” means any of the following offenses: (1) Any violation of a traffic ordinance of a city, municipal or quasi-municipal corporation, except ordinances governing parking of vehicles. (2) Any provision of law for which a criminal or traffic violation penalty is prov…