Oregon no-cause termination rules

Short answer

Oregon strictly limits no-cause terminations. During the first year of occupancy, a landlord may end a month-to-month tenancy with 30 days written notice. After the first year, most month-to-month terminations require either a qualifying landlord reason under ORS 90.427 with 90 days notice and relocation assistance, or a fixed-term-end notice with very limited grounds. Local ordinances - especially in Portland - add extra notice and relocation-assistance requirements.

When this comes up

This comes up when a landlord wants to end a tenancy without alleging fault - usually because of a sale, owner move-in, major renovation, or a decision to take the unit off the rental market. Many landlords assume they can give a 'no-cause' notice anytime, but Oregon law tightly limits that after the first year of occupancy.

Oregon rule or source to check

ORS 90.427 governs month-to-month termination after the first year. Allowed qualifying-landlord reasons generally include the landlord or an immediate family member moving in, sale to a buyer who will occupy as their primary residence, demolition or conversion of the unit, or repairs/renovations that make the unit unsafe to occupy. These require 90 days written notice plus one month's rent in relocation assistance. During the first year, 30 days no-cause notice is allowed. Local rules - especially Portland's relocation-assistance ordinance - add extra requirements that often apply even to first-year and qualifying-reason terminations.

Practical workflow

1. Practical workflow. 1) Confirm how long the tenant has been in occupancy. 2) If within the first year, a 30-day no-cause notice may be available - check local ordinances first. 3) After the first year, identify whether a qualifying landlord reason under ORS 90.427 fits. 4) Draft a 90-day notice that states the qualifying reason, supporting facts, and the termination date. 5) Calculate and arrange the required relocation assistance. 6) Pick a valid ORS 90.155 delivery method and count mailing days. 7) Confirm Portland or other local rules that may add notice or payment requirements.
2. Common mistakes. Using a no-cause notice after the first year without a qualifying reason; using a 30-day notice when 90 days is required; forgetting relocation assistance; missing Portland's relocation-assistance ordinance; and stating a qualifying reason that the landlord cannot actually carry out.
3. Related forms or workflows. third-party sources publishes 30-day and 90-day termination forms, and Portland-specific forms exist for relocation-assistance compliance. The Oregon Notice and Form Finder can confirm the right notice category, and /or/ask can help research borderline qualifying-reason situations.

Common mistakes

Related forms or workflows

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