Operative Text
(1) A landlord may impose a late charge or fee, however designated, only if: (a) The rent payment is not received by the fourth day of the weekly or monthly rental period for which rent is payable; and (b) There exists a written rental agreement that specifies: (A) The tenant’s obligation to pay a late charge on delinquent rent payments; (B) The type and amount of the late charge, as described in subsection (2) of this section; and (C) The date on which rent payments are due and the date or day on which late charges become due. (2) The amount of any late charge may not exceed: (a) A reasonable flat amount, charged once per rental period. “Reasonable amount” means the customary amount charged by landlords for that rental market; (b) A reasonable amount, charged on a per-day basis, beginning on the fifth day of the rental period for which rent is delinquent. This daily charge may accrue every day thereafter until the rent, not including any late charge, is paid in full, through that rental period only. The per-day charge may not exceed six percent of the amount described in paragraph (a) of this subsection; or (c) Five percent of the periodic rent payment amount, charged once for each succeeding five-day period, or portion thereof, for which the rent payment is delinquent, beginning on the fifth day of that rental period and continuing and accumulating until that rent payment, not including any late charge, is paid in full, through that rental period only. (3) In periodic tenancies, a landlord may change the type or amount of late charge by giving 30 days’ written notice to the tenant. (4) A landlord may not deduct a previously imposed late charge from a current or subsequent rental period rent payment, thereby making that rent payment delinquent for imposition of a new or additional late charge or for termination of the tenancy for nonpayment under ORS 90.394. (5) A landlord may charge simple interest on an unpaid late charge at the rate allowed for judgments pursuant to ORS 82.010 (2) and accruing from the date the late charge is imposed. (6) Nonpayment of a late charge alone is not grounds for termination of a rental agreement for nonpayment of rent under ORS 90.394, but is grounds for termination of a rental agreement for cause under ORS 90.392 or 90.630 (1). A landlord may note the imposition of a late charge on a nonpayment of rent termination notice under ORS 90.394, so long as the notice states or otherwise makes clear that the tenant may cure the nonpayment notice by paying only the delinquent rent, not including any late charge, within the allotted time. (7) A late charge includes an increase or decrease in the regularly charged periodic rent payment imposed because a tenant does or does not pay that rent by a certain date.
Oregon Revised Statutes § 90.260 governs when and how landlords may charge tenants for late rent payments. A late fee is only permitted if rent goes unpaid past the fourth day of the rental period and a written rental agreement spells out the fee obligation, its type and amount, and the relevant due dates. The law caps the fee amount under three alternative calculation methods—a one-time flat fee, a daily accruing charge, or a five-percent-per-five-day charge—and clarifies that failing to pay a late fee alone cannot trigger an eviction for nonpayment of rent, though it may support a for-cause termination.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under ORS § 90.260, compliant operators ensure that any late-fee provision is clearly documented in a written rental agreement that identifies the fee type, the specific dollar amount or calculation method, and the dates on which rent and late charges become due. Operators select one of the three permitted calculation structures—a reasonable flat fee, a daily charge not exceeding six percent of that flat amount, or a five-percent-per-five-day accumulating charge—and do not mix methods or exceed the statutory caps. Landlords in periodic tenancies who wish to change the late-fee type or amount generally provide tenants with at least 30 days' written notice, and they avoid deducting unpaid late charges from a subsequent rent payment in a way that would manufacture a new delinquency.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
ORS § 90.260 gives tenants a clear framework for evaluating whether a late fee charged by their landlord is legally valid: the fee must be authorized by a written agreement, must not appear until after the fourth day of the rental period, and must conform to one of the statute's three capped calculation methods. Importantly, a landlord cannot use an unpaid late fee alone as the basis for a nonpayment-of-rent eviction notice, and any cure notice for nonpayment must make clear that only the delinquent rent—not the late fee—needs to be paid to resolve the notice. Tenants who believe a late fee violates § 90.260 may consider raising the violation as a defense in any related proceeding, contacting a local tenant-rights organization, or consulting with a housing attorney 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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