Lane County, OR Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Lane Code § LC 9.035.070
- Water heat minimum
- 120°F at every sink/tub/shower
- Room heat minimum
- 70°F under winter conditions
- Correction deadline
- Up to 30 days after notice
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Lane County rentals only
- Enforcement
- Administrative enforcement, LC Chapter 5
Summary
Landlords in unincorporated Lane County cannot legally rent out a dwelling that lacks working water heat to 120 degrees, room heat to 70 degrees, and sound plumbing and structure: LC 9.035.070 bars leasing a unit unless it meets the minimum standards in LC 9.035.015 through .065. The rules apply only outside Eugene, Springfield and the county's other incorporated cities, which set their own housing codes.
An owner of a dwelling shall not rent, sublet, lease, hire out, or continue to rent, sublet, lease or hire out a dwelling, dwelling unit or guest room unless the dwelling complies with the requirements of LC 9.035.015 through LC 9.035.065.
Full Breakdown
Lane County's Minimum Standards of Fitness for Rental Occupancy, LC 9.035.005 through 9.035.095, set the baseline a rented dwelling must meet, and LC 9.035.070 makes compliance a precondition of renting at all. Those underlying standards require water heating capable of reaching 120 degrees Fahrenheit at every sink, tub and shower (LC 9.035.015); heating equipment able to hold habitable rooms at 70 degrees under 'ordinary minimum winter conditions,' defined as 15 degrees above the area's ten-year record low (LC 9.035.035); a working kitchen sink, water closet and bathtub or shower (LC 9.035.020, .025); and a structurally sound foundation, exterior wall and roof free of holes or rot that could let in rain, rodents or pests (LC 9.035.055).
The County, administered by the Department of Public Works, can inspect a rental at a tenant's or owner's request and must report findings within five judicial days (LC 9.035.080). If an inspection turns up a violation, LC 9.035.085 requires written notice to the responsible party within three judicial days, a county-set correction deadline that cannot exceed 30 days without the county's express permission, and administrative enforcement under LC Chapter 5 for noncompliance. Tenants keep responsibility for their own garbage removal every seven days and pest control within their own unit (LC 9.035.065). Under LC 9.035.095, none of this applies to a dwelling wholly inside an incorporated city, or to short-stay recreational vehicles parked 30 days or fewer.
Violations & Fines
Renting out a Lane County dwelling that does not meet the LC 9.035.015 through .065 standards violates LC 9.035.070. Once the county documents a violation, LC 9.035.085 requires written notice to the owner or occupant within three judicial days and sets a correction deadline of no more than 30 days without the county's express written permission. Failing to correct the condition in that window is enforced administratively under LC Chapter 5, and the county may also charge fees for enforcement-related services under LC 9.035.005D.
Frequently Asked Questions
What temperature must rental heat and hot water reach in Lane County?
How long does a landlord have to fix a habitability violation?
Do these rental standards apply inside Eugene or Springfield?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lane County
Compare Lane County to another location·View the Oregon rental property rules overview
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