A right turn on a red arrow in Oregon is legal. State law treats a steady red arrow the same as a solid red light for turning purposes, so you may turn right after coming to a complete stop, as long as no sign prohibits it and you yield to pedestrians and cross-traffic. The rule has been on the books since 2011, but many drivers still assume a red arrow locks them in place until the signal changes.
What Oregon Law Actually Says
Two statutes work together. ORS 811.260(8) tells a driver facing a steady red arrow to stop at the stop line, crosswalk, or edge of the intersection and not enter to make the indicated movement, “except when the driver is permitted to proceed under ORS 811.360.”1Oregon State Legislature. Chapter 0168 Oregon Laws 2011
ORS 811.360 is what grants that permission. It says a driver at an intersection showing “a steady circular red signal, a steady red bicycle signal or a steady red arrow signal” may make a right turn onto a two-way street, or a right or left turn onto a one-way street traveling in the permitted direction.2Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes 811.360 – Vehicle Turns Permitted at Stop Light The same right-turn-on-red logic that applies to a round red light applies to the arrow.
What You Have to Do Before Turning
Permission is conditional. ORS 811.360(3) lists four ways a legal turn becomes an illegal one, an offense called “improperly proceeding at a stop light”:
- Failing to come to a full stop at the stop line, crosswalk, or intersection edge.
- Failing to exercise caution to make sure the turn can be completed safely.
- Disobeying any other traffic control device or a police officer directing traffic.
- Failing to yield the right of way to traffic already in the intersection or approaching close enough to create an immediate hazard.
ORS 811.360(4) adds a separate requirement: you must stop for any pedestrian in the crosswalk before proceeding.2Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes 811.360 – Vehicle Turns Permitted at Stop Light Red arrows tend to appear at intersections with heavy foot traffic, so the pedestrian-yield rule is where drivers most often slip up.
When You Cannot Turn
Permission under state law disappears whenever another traffic control device says otherwise. In practice, that means a posted “No Turn on Red” sign. If one is up, the turn is illegal regardless of whether the signal is a red arrow or a circular red.
Portland has been adding these signs steadily under its Vision Zero program. In 2025, the Portland Bureau of Transportation upgraded 15 intersections in the Northwest Pedestrian District with new restrictions.3Portland.gov. No Turn on Red Traffic Safety Signage Other Oregon cities have done the same near universities, transit stops, light rail crossings, and downtown corridors. Always scan for the sign before you go.
Bicyclists and Motorcyclists Have an Extra Option
If a signal is controlled by a vehicle detection sensor and the sensor fails to detect a bicycle or motorcycle, the rider may proceed through the intersection after stopping and waiting through one full signal cycle. This applies to red arrows as well as other red signals.2Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes 811.360 – Vehicle Turns Permitted at Stop Light Drivers of cars and trucks do not have this option.
Penalties If You Get It Wrong
An improper right turn on a red arrow is a Class B traffic violation. Which specific offense you’re charged with depends on what went wrong:
- Turning without meeting the conditions in ORS 811.360 is charged as “improperly proceeding at a stop light” under ORS 811.360(5).2Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes 811.360 – Vehicle Turns Permitted at Stop Light
- Turning in violation of a posted sign or an officer’s direction is charged as “driver failure to obey a traffic control device” under ORS 811.265.4Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes 811.265 – Driver Failure to Obey Traffic Control Device Penalty
The presumptive fine for a Class B traffic violation in Oregon is $265, with some counties adding a small local surcharge.5Oregon Judicial Department. Schedule of Fines on Violations
Effect on Your Driving Record and Insurance
Oregon does not use a traditional point system for adult drivers. The DMV tracks convictions rather than points, and a single Class B violation for an improper turn is unlikely on its own to trigger any license action.
Some Oregon courts offer traffic school programs that can result in dismissal of a minor traffic violation instead of a conviction. Eligibility depends on the type of violation, whether you have recent priors, and whether you have used traffic school in the past three years. CDL holders are not eligible.
Insurance is a separate question. A conviction for improperly proceeding at a stop light or failing to obey a traffic control device is a moving violation, and insurers treat moving violations as evidence of higher risk. How much your premium moves depends on the company, your history, and whether other recent violations are on your record. A single minor infraction on an otherwise clean record may produce a modest increase; repeat offenses compound.
One thing this kind of ticket does not do is trigger an SR-22 requirement. Oregon requires an SR-22 filing only in specific situations, including being involved in a crash while uninsured, owning a vehicle in an uninsured crash, being convicted of driving uninsured or DUII or certain other traffic crimes, or applying for a hardship permit.6Oregon Driver & Motor Vehicle Services. SR-22 Information A right-turn violation at a red arrow is not on that list.
CDL Holders Have More to Lose
Commercial driver’s license holders should treat every ticket as significant. Federal regulations classify certain traffic violations in a commercial motor vehicle as “serious traffic violations,” and accumulating multiple within a three-year period triggers mandatory disqualification: 60 days for a second serious violation and 120 days for a third.7eCFR. Disqualification of Drivers CDL holders also cannot use traffic school to keep a conviction off the record.
Why So Many Drivers Think It’s Illegal
Several other states treat red arrows as absolute prohibitions, and national driver education materials sometimes teach it that way. Oregon amended its law in 2011 to explicitly add “steady red arrow signal” to ORS 811.360.1Oregon State Legislature. Chapter 0168 Oregon Laws 2011 If you learned to drive in Oregon before 2011, what you were taught was correct at the time and is now outdated.
The practical version is short. Treat a red arrow the way you would treat a round red light: stop completely, look for a “No Turn on Red” sign, yield to pedestrians and cross-traffic, and turn right when clear. If a sign prohibits the turn, wait for green no matter how long the arrow lasts.