Oregon Will Allow 24 Hour Squatter Eviction Notices Starting January 1
A raft of new Oregon laws takes effect Jan 1, including HB 3522, which makes it easier to evict genuine squatters on a 24-hour notice.
Oregon Squatters Can Get 24 Hours Notice From Jan 1
House Bill 3522 will make it simpler for property owners and landlords to remove squatters who are residing on a property without permission, after giving them 24 hours’ notice that says when they must leave.
Here is the checklist for a valid 24 hour squatter notice under HB 3522.
| Requirement | What the statute says |
|---|---|
| Who can give notice | Owner or landlord (as defined in ORS 90.100) |
| How long | 24 hours written notice terminating occupancy |
| Must include | Date and time the person must vacate |
| Must state the cause | Termination is because of the person’s status as a squatter |
| What notice does not do | It does not create any tenancy or right of occupancy |
| If they stay past the deadline | It becomes unlawful holding by force after the notice expires, letting the owner or landlord proceed in eviction court |
| Paperwork tip | If you file, the eviction complaint form calls out “24 hour notice for squatter” and requires attaching any notice relied upon |
The new bill, passed in April, includes squatters on the list of situations considered “unlawful holding by force” under eviction law. The bill plugs squatters into Oregon’s eviction law framework, but has specific provisions, including:
- The initial bill specified that only the property owner could issue a notice of eviction. The amended bill also allows landlords to issue 24-hour eviction notices to squatters.
- The notice must state the date and time the squatter must leave, clearly indicating that the eviction is due to the squatter’s status.
- Those who remain in a space after a lease expires (holdover tenants) are not included as squatters under this bill.
This is an attempt at closing the gap between “call the cops” (which often goes nowhere) and the old civil process that can drag out and gives property owners and landlords a clearer, faster legal mechanism to reclaim their property from unauthorized occupants.
Source: Evicted in Oregon: Full Count of Eviction Cases Filed in Oregon in 2024 (circuit and justice courts)
Dailytidings.com
Oregon’s Squatter Eviction Bill
In real life, even with the new 24-hour notice, removing someone is still a court process – and the reason lawmakers moved on this is that owners said police often would not remove unauthorized occupants without the proper paperwork/court route.
Under Oregon’s current regulations, landlords often have to file civil lawsuits to remove unauthorized occupants, leading to costly, protracted legal battles that effectively extend occupation for months.
Still, Oregon courts say eviction (formerly FED) is a court action – Oregon law requires a landlord to file an eviction action with the Circuit Court, and it is illegal to evict without a court order. The sheriff is the one who ultimately removes occupants after the court process.