How to Complete the Oregon 24-Hour Landlord Notice to Enter Form

An Oregon 24-hour landlord notice to enter is the written or verbal notice a landlord must give a tenant at least 24 hours before entering the rental unit for a non-emergency reason under ORS 90.322. The statute does not require a specific form, but a usable one identifies the property, the tenant, the reason for entry, the date and time, and who will be on site, then gets delivered in a way that counts as actual notice under Oregon law.¹

What to Put on the Notice

ORS 90.322 requires only “actual notice of the intent of the landlord to enter” and does not prescribe fields or a template.¹ A vague notice, though, invites a denial at the door or a later dispute about whether notice was really given. A form that holds up should include each of the following:

Property address and unit number, so there is no question which dwelling the landlord intends to enter.
The tenant’s name.
The purpose of entry, tied to one of the lawful reasons listed in ORS 90.322: inspection, repairs, agreed-on decorations or improvements, supplying services, yard maintenance, or showing the unit to prospective buyers, lenders, future tenants, or contractors.¹
The date and time of the planned entry. Entry must occur at a reasonable time, which in practice means normal daytime hours.
Who will enter. The statute allows the landlord’s agent to enter, so naming the property manager or contractor in advance keeps the tenant from turning them away.
The date the notice was issued and the signature of the person issuing it.

Keep a copy of every notice along with a short record of how and when you delivered it. If a tenant later says they never received it, that record is the paper trail that settles the question.

How to Deliver the Notice So It Counts

Oregon defines what counts as “actual notice” in ORS 90.150, and a 24-hour notice to enter can be delivered by any of the following methods:

Verbally, in person or by leaving a message on the tenant’s telephone answering device.
By written personal delivery, either handed to the tenant or attached to the main entrance of the unit.
By facsimile to the tenant’s dwelling unit.
By first-class mail, which is not considered served until three days after the mailing date.
By any other method described in a written rental agreement that is reasonably calculated to achieve actual receipt.²

The 24-hour period runs in consecutive clock hours from the moment the notice is served. Hand a notice to your tenant at 2:00 p.m. Monday and the earliest you can enter is 2:00 p.m. Tuesday.³

Mail is where landlords miscount. Because a mailed notice isn’t deemed served until three days after mailing, you need to drop it in the mail at least four days before entry: three days for deemed service plus the 24-hour notice period.² When timing is tight, hand-delivering the notice or posting it on the tenant’s door is the safer route.

A landlord and tenant can agree to waive the 24-hour requirement for a single specific entry, but the waiver applies only to that visit and does not open the door to future access.¹

When a 24-Hour Notice Isn’t Required

The form doesn’t need to go out at all in a few situations. A landlord can enter without notice at any time in an emergency, such as a burst pipe or gas leak, though if the tenant isn’t home the landlord must give actual notice within 24 hours after entry that includes the date and time of entry, the nature of the emergency, and who entered.⁴

When a tenant has submitted a written request for repairs, the landlord or an agent can enter at a reasonable time to do that work without a separate 24-hour notice. And a landlord serving a legally required notice may enter areas outside the dwelling unit itself, such as a porch or yard under the tenant’s exclusive control, without notice or consent — this does not authorize going inside.⁴

If the Tenant Denies Entry After Notice

A valid notice does not guarantee access. A tenant may deny entry by communicating the denial to the landlord or the agent at or before the time of entry, or by attaching a written denial to the main entrance of the unit.¹

The right isn’t unlimited. A tenant cannot unreasonably withhold consent, and a landlord facing repeated refusals can seek a court injunction to compel entry or terminate the rental agreement under ORS 90.392 and recover actual damages.⁴ Document each denial. If the matter ends up in court, that record is what supports the claim that the tenant blocked lawful access.

Rules for the Visit Itself

Once the notice period runs and the tenant has not denied entry, the landlord may enter at a reasonable time and must stay within the scope of the reason stated on the notice. A notice for a plumbing repair does not authorize inspecting the bedroom closets. A landlord may not abuse the right of access or use repeated visits to harass the tenant.¹

The statute doesn’t define “reasonable times,” but standard business hours are the safe bet. A 7:00 a.m. Saturday visit or a 9:00 p.m. weeknight visit invites a harassment claim even with a proper notice.

What Improper Entry Costs

Getting the notice right matters because unlawful entry, unreasonable entry, or repeated entry demands that amount to harassment give the tenant three remedies under ORS 90.322(8):

Injunctive relief from a court ordering the landlord to stop.
Termination of the rental agreement under ORS 90.360.
Actual damages, with a guaranteed minimum of one month’s rent for a month-to-month or fixed-term tenancy, or one week’s rent for a week-to-week tenancy.⁴

The floor on damages is the part landlords tend to underestimate. A tenant does not have to prove a specific dollar loss to collect at least one month’s rent, and the remedies can be pursued together or separately without terminating the lease.

1
Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Code 90.322 – Landlord or Agent Access to Premises; Remedies
2
Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 90 – Residential Landlord and Tenant
3
Oregon Public Law. ORS 90.160 – Calculation of Periods or Notices
4
Oregon Public Law. ORS 90.322 – Landlord or Agent Access to Premises; Remedies