ORS § 90 § 90.304
Statement of reasons for denial; remedy.
Operative Text
(1) If a landlord denies an application after the landlord’s application of screening or admissions criteria, within 14 days of the denial the landlord must provide the applicant with a written statement of one or more reasons for the denial. (2) The landlord’s statement of reasons for denial required by subsection (1) of this section may consist of a form with one or more reasons checked off. The reasons may include, but are not limited to, the following: (a) Rental information, including: (A) Negative or insufficient reports from references or other sources. (B) An unacceptable or insufficient rental history, such as the lack of a reference from a prior landlord. (C) A prior action for possession under ORS 105.100 to 105.168 that resulted in a general judgment for the plaintiff or an action for possession that has not yet resulted in dismissal or general judgment. (D) Inability to verify information regarding a rental history. (b) Criminal records, including: (A) An unacceptable criminal history. (B) Inability to verify information regarding criminal history. (c) Financial information, including: (A) Insufficient income. (B) Negative information provided by a consumer credit reporting agency. (C) Inability to verify information regarding credit history. (d) Failure to meet other written screening or admission criteria. (e) The dwelling unit has already been rented. (3) The statement of reasons for denial must include: (a) The name and address of any tenant screening companies or consumer credit reporting agencies that provided a report upon which the denial is based, if not previously disclosed to the applicant; (b) Any supplemental evidence provided by the applicant that the landlord considered and an explanation of the reasons that the supplemental evidence did not adequately compensate for the factors that informed the landlord’s decision to reject the application; and (c) A right of the applicant to appeal the determination, if any right to appeal exists. (4) Except as provided in subsection (3)(a) of this section, a landlord need not disclose the results of an applicant screening or report to an applicant, with respect to information that is not required to be disclosed under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act. A landlord may give to an applicant a copy of that applicant’s consumer report, as defined in the Fair Credit Reporting Act. (5) Before denying an application for housing on the basis of criminal history, a landlord must: (a) Provide an opportunity for the applicant to submit supplemental evidence to explain, justify or negate the relevance of potentially negative information. (b) Conduct an individualized assessment of the applicant, including any supplemental evidence, taking into consideration: (A) The nature and severity of the incidents that would lead to a denial; (B) The number and type of incidents; (C) The time that has elapsed since the date the incidents occurred; and (D) The age of the individual at the time the incidents occurred. (6) If a landlord fails to comply with this section, the applicant may recover from the landlord $100.
Oregon Revised Statutes § 90.304 establishes that when a landlord denies a rental application after applying screening or admissions criteria, the landlord must deliver a written explanation of the denial reasons to the applicant within 14 days. The written statement may take the form of a checklist and must identify any tenant screening companies or consumer reporting agencies whose reports contributed to the denial. Before rejecting an applicant based on criminal history, the landlord is required to give the applicant a chance to submit supplemental evidence and must conduct an individualized assessment weighing factors such as the nature of the incident, how much time has passed, and the applicant's age at the time. An applicant who does not receive the required statement may recover $100 from the landlord.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under ORS § 90.304, compliant operators establish a consistent practice of issuing written denial notices within 14 days of any application rejection that follows the use of screening criteria. The notice typically identifies the specific reasons for denial—which may be presented as a checklist—and names any screening companies or consumer reporting agencies whose reports were used. When criminal history is a factor, operators generally document the individualized assessment process, including any supplemental evidence the applicant submitted and a written explanation of why that evidence did not overcome the basis for denial.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
ORS § 90.304 gives applicants the right to receive a written explanation of why their rental application was denied, and that notice must arrive within 14 days of the denial. If criminal history played a role, the law requires the landlord to have offered you an opportunity to submit supplemental evidence and to have conducted an individualized review before reaching a final decision. If a landlord fails to provide the required written statement, § 90.304 allows an applicant to recover $100; tenants who believe their rights under this provision were violated may consider contacting a local tenant-rights organization or Oregon's legal aid services to understand available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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