Title 59, Oregon Vehicle Code

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in the case of motor vehicles or trailers, a transaction does not create a sale or security interest merely because it provides that the rental price is permitted or required to be adjusted under the agreement either upward or downward …

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the rights and remedies of all persons in vehicles subject to security interests established under ORS 803.097 are determined by the provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code. (2)(a) If perfection of a security interest in…

(1) As used in this section: (a) “Transferee” means any person to whom ownership of a motor vehicle is transferred by purchase, gift or any other means other than by creation of a security interest and any person who, as an agent, signs an odometer disclosure statement for the tr…

(1) With every vehicle title transfer, the Department of Transportation shall check the vehicle identification number or numbers on the vehicle title or other primary ownership records against those listed as stolen by the Law Enforcement Data System. If the check indicates the v…

(1) Except as provided in ORS 803.092, a person commits the offense of failure to deliver vehicle documents on transfer of a vehicle for which the Department of Transportation has issued a certificate of title if the person does not comply with any of the following: (a) Upon tran…

(1) A person commits the offense of failure to deliver information on transfer of a vehicle for which the Department of Transportation has issued title in a form other than a certificate if the person does not comply with rules adopted by the department concerning the information…

If the ownership of a motor vehicle subject to the lien provided for by ORS 319.700 is transferred, whether by operation of law or otherwise, the Department of Transportation shall not issue, to the transferee or person otherwise entitled thereto, a registration card or title wit…

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the transferor of an interest in a vehicle covered by an Oregon title shall notify the Department of Transportation of the transfer within 10 days of the date of transfer. The notice shall be in a form determined by the department…

(1) Except as otherwise provided by rule of the Department of Transportation under subsection (3) of this section, upon receipt of a notification of transfer described in ORS 803.112, the department shall make a notation on its records indicating that it has received notification…

(1) A person commits the offense of knowingly submitting false notice of transfer if the person submits a notice of transfer of an interest in a vehicle as described in ORS 803.112 to the Department of Transportation and the person knows that the interest in the vehicle has not b…

(1) A person commits the offense of knowingly submitting false information about transfer of a vehicle if the person submits a notice of transfer of an interest in a vehicle as described in ORS 803.112 to the Department of Transportation and the person knows that some or all of t…

A transferor who has delivered possession of a vehicle to a transferee may not, by reason of any of the provisions of the Oregon Vehicle Code, be subject to civil liability or criminal liability for the parking, abandoning or operation of the vehicle by another person when the tr…

(1) When an odometer disclosure is required by statute or by the Department of Transportation, the disclosure or reading shall be provided in a form required by the department by rule. The department may require different forms for different situations and may require different i…

(1) When an odometer disclosure is required at time of transfer of a vehicle, the transferee and the transferor shall both sign the odometer disclosure form and the transferor shall provide as much of the following as is required by the Department of Transportation by rule: (a) T…

(1) The Department of Transportation may adopt rules providing for issuance of any forms it considers necessary or convenient for assigning or conveying interests in vehicles and any forms it considers necessary or convenient for providing required odometer disclosures. The autho…

(1) The Department of Transportation by rule may allow the filing of documents related to odometer disclosure without an accompanying application for issuance or transfer of title. The department may determine situations in which such documents may be filed and what documents are…

The purpose of a transitional ownership record is to enable security interests to be perfected in a timely manner when the primary ownership record is not available. [1989 c.927 §7; 1993 c.233 §41]

A transitional ownership record is acceptable as an ownership record only if the primary ownership record is not in the possession of the selling dealer, new security interest holder or the agent of either at the time the transitional ownership record is submitted to the Departme…

A person submitting a transitional ownership record to the Department of Transportation shall pay a fee of $13 to the department. The fee shall be paid at the time of submission of the record unless the department by rule establishes alternative payment methods. [1989 c.927 §6; 1…

The Department of Transportation shall reject, return or subsequently invalidate a transitional ownership record if: (1) More than 30 days have elapsed between the date of sale or if no sale is involved, the date the contract or security interest being perfected was signed and th…

The Department of Transportation may reject, return or subsequently invalidate a transitional ownership record if: (1) It is determined that title is to be issued to someone other than the person shown on the transitional ownership record; (2) Interests reflected on the primary o…

(1) When a person is required by the provisions of ORS 819.016 to apply for a salvage title for a vehicle, the application shall be in a form acceptable to the Department of Transportation and shall contain any information required by the department by rule. Rules adopted by the …

This section establishes when the exemptions under ORS 803.030 and 803.305 from titling and registration of vehicles owned by nonresidents are applicable. The applicability of the described exemptions for nonresident owners of vehicles is subject to all of the following: (1) A pe…

(1) A person that purchases a taxable motor vehicle from a seller that is not subject to the privilege tax imposed under ORS 320.405 may not register or title the taxable motor vehicle in Oregon unless the person provides proof that: (a) The person paid the use tax imposed under …

(1) The Department of Transportation may require proof under this section if the department determines the proof is necessary to resolve questions concerning vehicle ownership or undisclosed security interests in the transfer of any vehicle under ORS 803.092, in an application fo…

(1) As used in this section, “electronic signature” has the meaning given that term in ORS 84.004. (2) The Department of Transportation may receive electronically transmitted documents necessary to: (a) Issue or transfer a certificate of title for a vehicle; (b) Register a vehicl…

(1) The Department of Transportation by rule may establish procedures for providing expedited services related to the titling and registration of vehicles when such services are needed because of problems related to odometer disclosure requirements. This authority is in addition …

(1) The Department of Transportation shall not issue title for a vehicle described in subsection (2) of this section unless: (a) An inspection of the vehicle identification number or numbers of the vehicle is performed in accordance with ORS 803.212; and (b) The fee established u…

(1) The Department of Transportation, or persons or agencies authorized to do so by the department, shall conduct a physical inspection of the vehicle identification number or numbers of each vehicle located in this state and required by ORS 803.210 to be inspected. The departmen…

A fee of $9 shall be charged for an inspection of a vehicle required by ORS 803.210. [1983 c.338 §201; 1985 c.736 §1; 1987 c.146 §6; 1987 c.790 §2; 2003 c.618 §47; 2023 c.232 §3]

The Department of Transportation shall adopt rules to provide for the transference of a certificate of title and registration for titled vehicles and recreational vehicles that are abandoned by a tenant as defined in ORS 90.100. [1997 c.577 §43; 2003 c.655 §108]

(1) As used in this section: (a) “Car rental company” means a person whose primary business is renting motor vehicles to consumers under rental agreements for periods of 90 days or less. (b) “Motor vehicle” has the meaning given that term in ORS 801.360. (2) A car rental company …

(1) A person commits the offense of unlawful failure to notify the Department of Transportation of a name or address change if the person: (a) Has any interest in a vehicle registered or titled by this state that is shown on the title; (b) Changes names, by marriage or otherwise,…

(1) A person commits the offense of failure to designate a replica or a reconstructed, assembled or specially constructed vehicle if the person makes application for the titling or registration of a vehicle that is a replica or a reconstructed, assembled or specially constructed …

(1) A person commits the offense of forging, altering or unlawfully producing or using vehicle titles or registration if the person does any of the following: (a) Alters or forges or causes to be altered or forged any certificate of title, certificate of registration or assignmen…

(1) A person commits the offense of failure to register a vehicle if the person owns a vehicle in this state and the person does not register the vehicle in this state. (2) In addition to other persons subject to this section, this section applies to out-of-state corporations own…

This section establishes exemptions from the requirements under ORS 803.300. The exemptions under this section are in addition to any exemptions under ORS 801.026. Vehicles exempted by this section from the requirements to be registered by this state are not prohibited from being…

(1) The Department of Transportation, by rule, may provide for optional registration of vehicles that are exempt from vehicle registration requirements by ORS 803.305. The rules adopted for purposes of this subsection may provide for the registration of categories of vehicles, ty…

(1) A person commits the offense of failure to pay the appropriate registration fee if the person operates any vehicle or transports any camper that is registered in this state unless the proper fee, as established under ORS 803.420, has been paid for registration of the vehicle.…

(1) A person commits the offense of permitting unlawful operation of an unregistered vehicle if the person authorizes or knowingly permits a motor vehicle that is owned by the person or under the person’s control and that is not registered as required under the vehicle code or OR…

(1) A person commits the offense of purchase and use of an out-of-state registered vehicle by a resident if the person is a resident of this state and the person purchases a vehicle registered outside of this state without doing all of the following: (a) Upon purchase, the person…

This section establishes the requirements for qualification for registration. The Department of Transportation may not issue registration to a vehicle if the requirements under this section are not met. The department, in the absence of just cause for refusing to register a vehic…

For purposes of ORS 803.350 to 803.370 and 807.045, a person is domiciled in this state if the person’s place of abode is in the state and the person intends to remain in the state or, if absent, to return to it. [1985 c.305 §7; 1989 c.636 §15]

(1) A person may not register or renew the registration of a vehicle in this state unless the person is domiciled in this state, as described in ORS 803.355. This section does not apply to persons required by ORS 803.200 or any other provision of law, to register vehicles in this…

This section establishes requirements for an application for vehicle registration in this state. If an applicant fails to comply with requirements under this section, the Department of Transportation may refuse to register or reregister a vehicle until the applicant complies with…

(1) A person commits the offense of false application for vehicle registration if the person does any of the following: (a) Knowingly makes any false statement or representation with respect to any facts required to be set forth in any application for registration. (b) Uses a nam…

(1) A person commits the offense of failure to surrender out-of-state registration, if the person registers a vehicle in this state that has been registered in another jurisdiction and the person does not surrender to the Department of Transportation all number plates, seals, cer…

(1) A person commits the offense of false swearing relating to registration of vehicles if the person knowingly makes any false affidavit or knowingly swears or affirms falsely to any matter or thing relating to the registering of vehicles under the vehicle code or under ORS chap…

This section establishes and distinguishes registration periods. Each registration period determines the period of validity for vehicle registration. Registration under the following registration periods is valid during the described registration period: (1)(a) Annual registratio…

(1) The month in which any vehicle is initially registered under annual registration is the month established as the beginning and ending of registration periods for the vehicle unless the Department of Transportation adjusts the registration month of the vehicle upon initial reg…