Okla. Stat. tit. 25, §§ 1451–1453, 1501–1508 § 1451

Definitions

In Force
Verified 10/17/2026 · Next check 10/18/2026
effective 5/7/2013OklahomaProtected Classes (State/Local)

Operative Text

Okla. Stat. tit. 25, §§ 1451–1453, 1501–1508 § 1451
A. As used in Sections 1451 through 1453 of this title:
1. "Elderly person" means any natural person fifty-five (55) years of age or
older;
2. "Dwelling" means:
a. any building, structure, or part of a building or structure that is
occupied as, or designed or intended for occupancy as, a residence by one or
more families, or
b. any vacant land that is offered for sale or lease for the construction or
location of a building, structure, or part of a building or structure described
in subparagraph a of this paragraph;
3. "Person" includes one or more individuals, corporations, partnerships,
associations, labor organizations, legal representatives, mutual companies,
joint-stock companies, trusts, unincorporated organizations, trustees, trustees
in bankruptcy, receivers and fiduciaries, the state, and all political
subdivisions and agencies thereof;
4. "Restrictive covenants" means any specification limiting the transfer,
rental, or lease of any dwelling because of race, color, religion, sex, national
origin, age, disability, or familial status;
5. "Discriminatory housing practices" means an act that is prohibited
pursuant to Section 1452 of this title;
6. "Disability" means a mental or physical impairment that substantially
limits at least one major life activity, when there is a record of such an
impairment, or the individual is regarded as having such an impairment. The term
does not include current illegal use of or addiction to any drug or illegal or
federally controlled substance. For purposes of Sections 1451 through 1453 of
this title, "an individual with a disability" or "disability" does not apply to
an individual because of sexual orientation or the sexual preference of the
individual or because that individual is a transvestite;
7. "Unlawful discriminatory practice because of age" means an act prohibited
pursuant to Section 1452 of this title against a person at least eighteen (18)
years of age or older solely on that basis;
8. "Aggrieved person" means any person who:
a. claims to have been injured by a discriminatory housing practice, or
b. believes that he or she will be injured by a discriminatory housing
practice that is about to occur;
9. "Complainant" means a person or the Attorney General who files a complaint
pursuant to Section 1452 of this title;
10."Conciliation" means the attempted resolution of issues raised by a
complaint or by the investigation of the complaint, through informal
negotiations involving the aggrieved person, the respondent, and the Attorney
General´s Office of Civil Rights Enforcement;
11. "Conciliation agreement" means a written agreement setting forth the
resolution of the issues in conciliation;
12. "Discriminatory housing practice" means an act prohibited by Section 1452
of this title;
13. "Family" includes a single individual;
14. "Respondent" means:
a. the person accused of a violation of Sections 1451 through 1453 of this
title in a complaint of a discriminatory housing practice, or
b. any person identified as an additional or substitute respondent pursuant
to Section 1502.5 of this title or an agent of an additional or substitute
respondent; and
15. "To rent" means to lease, to sublease, to let, or to otherwise grant for
a consideration the right to occupy premises not owned by the occupant.
B. For purposes of Sections 1451 through 1453 of this title, a discriminatory
act is committed because of familial status only if the act is committed because
the person who is the subject of discrimination is:
1. Pregnant;
2. Domiciled with an individual less than eighteen (18) years of age in
regard to whom the person:
a. is the parent or legal custodian, or
b. has the written permission of the parent or legal custodian for domicile
with that person; or
3. In the process of obtaining legal custody of an individual less than
eighteen (18) years of age.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Oklahoma Statutes Section 25 O.S. § 1451 establishes the foundational vocabulary used throughout the state's fair housing provisions (Sections 1451–1453). It defines key terms such as "dwelling," "disability," "discriminatory housing practice," "familial status," and "aggrieved person," among others, so that the protections and prohibitions in the surrounding sections can be applied consistently. The definitions clarify, for example, that "family" includes a single individual, that "disability" refers to substantial limitations on major life activities (with specific exclusions), and that familial-status protections apply to pregnant individuals and those living with or seeking custody of minors under 18.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 18, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Property owners and managers operating in Oklahoma should be familiar with the definitions set out in 25 O.S. § 1451, because those definitions determine the scope of the fair housing obligations that follow in Sections 1452 and 1453. A compliant operator understands, for instance, that "dwelling" covers a broad range of residential structures and vacant land offered for residential development, and that "restrictive covenants" based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or familial status are prohibited. Operators generally review their rental policies, lease language, and advertising practices against these defined terms to ensure nothing inadvertently triggers a discriminatory housing practice as defined under § 1451.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Tenants in Oklahoma benefit from knowing the definitions in 25 O.S. § 1451, because those definitions shape who is protected and what conduct is covered under the state's fair housing law. An "aggrieved person" under § 1451 includes anyone who believes they have been or are about to be harmed by a discriminatory housing practice, which means protections can apply even before a discriminatory act is fully carried out. Tenants who believe they have experienced a discriminatory housing practice may explore options such as filing a complaint with the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office of Civil Rights Enforcement, raising the violation as a defense in a housing proceeding, or consulting a tenant-rights organization for guidance on available remedies under Sections 1451–1453.

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 18, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Current
May 7, 2013
Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

25 O.S. § 1451
25 O.S. § 1453
25 O.S. § 1452
25 O.S. § 1451
25 O.S. § 1453
25 O.S. § 1452
25 O.S. § 1451
25 O.S. § 1453
25 O.S. § 1452

Related Rules

§ 1
Definitions
§ 3
Functions, powers and duties of commission
§ 4
Unlawful practices

Source Information

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