Business Licensing & Operations in Corvallis, OR (2026)
4 verified business licensing & operations rules for Corvallis, Oregon, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Tobacco Retail License
Selling tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and vape devices, in the City of Corvallis requires an annual retail license under Municipal Code Chapter 8.10. New stores cannot locate within 1,000 feet of a school or another licensed tobacco retailer, and city-level enforcement of the chapter has been on hiatus since 2022, with Benton County handling day-to-day enforcement instead.
Corvallis Tobacco and Vape Retail License
Some RestrictionsCorvallis Municipal Code § 8.10.010
1)Electronic smoking device. Any electronic oral device, such as one composed of a heating element, battery, and/or electronic circuit, which provides a vapor of nicotine or any other substances, and the use of inhalation of which may resemble smoking. The term shall include any such device, whether manufactured, distributed, marketed, or sold as an e-cigarette, e-cigar, e-pipe, e-hookah, or un...
Secondhand Dealers
In Corvallis, anyone buying used merchandise such as electronics, tools, bicycles, or musical instruments from the public must hold a City dealer's license under Municipal Code Chapter 8.09. The Corvallis Police Department vets applicants, requires a transaction form for every purchase, and enforces a 15-day resale hold. Unlicensed dealing or falsified applications can cost a license and lead to a misdemeanor charge.
Corvallis Secondhand Dealer License Rules
Some RestrictionsCorvallis Municipal Code § 8.09.020
15)Secondhand dealer - As used herein, any person engaged in, conducting, managing or carrying on a business that purchases used merchandise from any person at the dealer's place of business. This definition shall not include any jeweler whose sale of new jewelry is equal to or greater than 80 percent of jeweler's gross sales.
Pawnbrokers
In the City of Corvallis, pawnbrokers must hold both the state pawnbroker's license and a City Secondhand Dealer Permit before opening for business. Corvallis Municipal Code Chapter 8.09 puts the Corvallis Police Department in charge of vetting applicants, tracking every loan and purchase on department-issued transaction forms, and holding pawned goods for 15 days before resale. Operating unlicensed is a Class A Misdemeanor.
Corvallis Pawnbroker Licensing Requirements
Some RestrictionsCorvallis Municipal Code § 8.09.020
5)Pawnbroker - means any business required by Oregon Revised Statute 726.040 to hold an Oregon pawnbroker's license. Pawnbrokers are required by Chapter 8.09 to have a Secondhand Dealer Permit. As a Dealer, all transactions occurring within their business (loans, buys, or consignments) are subject to all requirements within this Chapter unless otherwise stated.
Towing Companies
Corvallis Municipal Code Chapter 6.14 lets the Chief of Police have a vehicle towed for parking violations or unsafe driving, but requires 24-hour pre-tow notice in most cases, post-tow notice within 48 hours, and a hearing right before or after impoundment.
Non-Consent Vehicle Towing Rules, Corvallis
Some RestrictionsCorvallis Municipal Code §§ 6.14.020, 6.14.040
1)Any vehicle parked or left standing in violation of any City ordinance or regulation may be taken into custody by the Chief of Police and taken to a garage, parking lot, or other suitable place, and will be held at the expense of the owner or person entitled to possession of the vehicle. ... Before any vehicle is taken into custody by or at the request of the Chief of Police, notice must be i...
Looking for Benton County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Corvallis city rules.
Business Licensing & Operations in Benton County →