ORS § 90 § 90.459
Change of locks at request of victim.
Operative Text
(1) A tenant may give actual notice to the landlord that the tenant is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, bias crime or stalking and may request that the locks to the dwelling unit be changed. A tenant is not required to provide verification of the domestic violence, sexual assault, bias crime or stalking to initiate the changing of the locks. (2) A landlord who receives a request under subsection (1) of this section shall promptly change the locks to the tenant’s dwelling unit at the tenant’s expense or shall give the tenant permission to change the locks. If a landlord fails to promptly act, the tenant may change the locks without the landlord’s permission. If the tenant changes the locks, the tenant shall give a key to the new locks to the landlord. (3) If the perpetrator of the domestic violence, sexual assault, bias crime or stalking is a tenant in the same dwelling unit as the victim: (a) Before the landlord or tenant changes the locks under this section, the tenant must provide the landlord with a copy of an order issued by a court pursuant to ORS 107.716 or 107.718 or any other federal, state, local or tribal court that orders the perpetrator to move out of the dwelling unit. (b) The landlord has no duty under the rental agreement or by law to allow the perpetrator access to the dwelling unit or provide keys to the perpetrator, during the term of the court order or after expiration of the court order, or to provide the perpetrator access to the perpetrator’s personal property within the dwelling unit. Notwithstanding ORS 90.425, 90.435 or 90.675, if a landlord complies completely and in good faith with this section, the landlord is not liable to a perpetrator excluded from the dwelling unit. (c) The perpetrator is jointly liable with any other tenant of the dwelling unit for rent or damages to the dwelling unit incurred prior to the date the perpetrator was excluded from the dwelling unit. (d) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the landlord may not require the tenant to pay additional rent or an additional deposit or fee because of the exclusion of the perpetrator. (e) The perpetrator’s tenancy terminates by operation of law upon an order described in paragraph (a) of this subsection becoming a final order.
Oregon Revised Statutes § 90.459 establishes a process by which a tenant who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, bias crime, or stalking can request that their landlord change the locks on their dwelling unit without needing to provide verification upfront. If the landlord does not act promptly, the tenant is permitted to change the locks independently, provided they give the landlord a copy of the new key. When the perpetrator lives in the same unit, a court order requiring the perpetrator to vacate must be provided before locks are changed, and once that order becomes final, the perpetrator's tenancy ends automatically by operation of law.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under ORS § 90.459, a landlord who receives a lock-change request from a tenant claiming victim status is generally expected to act promptly—either by changing the locks at the tenant's expense or by granting the tenant permission to do so. When the alleged perpetrator shares the same dwelling unit, operators typically wait for the required court order before proceeding and, once it is received, have no legal obligation to provide the perpetrator with keys or access. Compliant landlords acting completely and in good faith under § 90.459 are shielded from liability to an excluded perpetrator, and they may not impose additional rent, deposits, or fees on the remaining tenant solely because of the perpetrator's exclusion.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
ORS § 90.459 gives tenants who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, bias crime, or stalking the right to request a lock change from their landlord without having to provide verification at the outset. If the landlord does not respond promptly, the statute permits the tenant to change the locks independently, though a copy of the new key must be provided to the landlord afterward. Tenants in situations where the perpetrator shares the same unit should be aware that a qualifying court order is required before locks can be changed under § 90.459, and tenant-rights organizations or legal aid services can help explain what documentation may apply to a particular circumstance.
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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