Corvallis, OR Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum heat
- 68 degrees F in habitable rooms and bathrooms
- Hot water
- At least 120 degrees F for 10 minutes
- Water pressure
- Minimum 15 psi at fixtures
- Urgent-repair deadline
- 48 hours for heat, water, smoke detectors
- Civil penalty
- $50 to $5,000 per offense
- Enforced by
- Community Development Director, Livability Code
Summary
In the City of Corvallis, the Livability Code sets specific interior habitability standards for tenant-occupied rentals under Corvallis Municipal Code Section 9.02.090.05. Landlords must supply heat of at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit in habitable rooms and bathrooms, hot water of at least 120 degrees for 10 minutes, at least 15 psi water pressure at fixtures, and grounded or GFCI-protected outlets in kitchens and bathrooms, enforced by the Community Development Director.
9.02.090.05.040.01 General. ... 2)All sinks, lavatory basins, bathtubs and showers within a dwelling unit shall be supplied with both hot and cold running water facilities which are installed in an approved manner, properly maintained, properly connected and have a water pressure of at least fifteen psi. 9.02.090.05.040.02 Hot water. ... Water heating facilities shall be supplied for each dwelling unit. Water heating facilities within a dwelling unit shall be capable of heating an adequate amount of water to provide water at a temperature of at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 10 minutes at each hot water outlet. ... 9.02.090.05.060 Heat in Bathrooms and Habitable Rooms. Every landlord of any structure, building or premises who rents, leases or lets a dwelling unit within any such space shall be responsible to provide and maintain every dwelling unit with permanent heating facilities capable of maintaining a year-round room temperature of not less than 68°F (20°C) in all habitable rooms and all bathrooms.
Full Breakdown
Corvallis's Livability Code, Corvallis Municipal Code Chapter 9.02, applies its interior-conditions standards under Section 9.02.090.05 exclusively to structures occupied for residential use by tenants. Every landlord must provide permanent heating capable of maintaining a year-round temperature of not less than 68 degrees Fahrenheit in all habitable rooms and bathrooms, and cooking appliances or portable unvented fuel-burning devices cannot be used to meet that requirement. Plumbing must be free of leaks and obstructions, and every sink, bathtub and shower needs hot and cold running water at a minimum 15 psi; water heaters must deliver at least 120 degrees for 10 minutes at each outlet, capped at 120 degrees at a shower with a scald-protection valve and 110 degrees at a bidet.
Electrical equipment exposed to flooding, firefighting water, or plumbing failures must be replaced unless a licensed electrician certifies it can be safely repaired, and every kitchen and bathroom needs a grounded or GFCI-protected receptacle. Landlords must also keep common halls and stairways clean and sanitary and repair interior surfaces, including holes larger than four inches or cracks wider than half an inch. Section 9.02.030 makes clear this chapter supplements, rather than conflicts with, the habitability standards and landlord-tenant duties of the Oregon Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, and state or federal property-maintenance rules control if they conflict with this chapter.
The Community Development Director enforces these standards on a complaint basis under Section 9.02.070.03, and violations move through the correction-notice and civil-penalty process in Sections 9.02.100 and 9.02.140.
Violations & Fines
Failing to maintain required heat, hot water, plumbing, or a functioning smoke detector must be corrected within 48 hours of a violation finding under Section 9.02.100.02(2), faster than the standard 7-day window for other Livability Code violations. Unresolved violations bring a civil penalty of $50 to $5,000 per offense, or up to $1,000 per day for a continuing offense, under Section 9.02.140.04.060, and unpaid penalties become a lien on the property after 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What temperature must my Corvallis rental be kept at?
How hot must hot water be in a Corvallis rental?
Does Corvallis habitability law replace Oregon's landlord-tenant act?
How fast must a Corvallis landlord fix no heat or hot water?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Corvallis
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