How Oregon's Statewide Rent Cap Works

The first statewide rent cap

In 2019, Oregon's Senate Bill 608 made it the first U.S. state to enact statewide rent control. It capped annual rent increases and required cause to end most tenancies after the first year. A later law (SB 611, 2023) tightened the cap further.

How the cap works

• Annual increases are limited to a formula (a percentage plus inflation) with a hard maximum ceiling — confirm the current year's figure before raising rent.
• Newer buildings (generally those under 15 years old) are exempt.
• After the first 12 months, landlords need a qualifying cause (or a landlord-based reason with relocation assistance in some cases) to terminate.

What landlords should do

• Check the current allowable increase each year before issuing notices — it changes.
• Confirm whether a new-construction exemption applies to your property.
• Treat Oregon as an appreciation market, not a rent-growth one, when you underwrite.

General orientation only — verify the current cap and rules or consult an Oregon attorney. More in the Oregon investor guide.