Oregon Law
Law as of Jan 1, 2026
Chapter contents
203.010General powers of county as body politic and corporate 203.015Power of county to contract for purchase or lease of real or personal property 203.020[Repealed by 1979 c.492 §1] 203.030Definition for ORS 203.030 to 203.075 203.035Power of county governing body or electors over matters of county concern 203.040Inapplicability of ordinances inside incorporated city 203.045Procedure for adopting ordinance; inapplicability to county prescribing procedure by charter or other statutes 203.050[1973 c.282 §5; 1975 c.736 §2; repealed by 1979 c.190 §431] 203.055Elector approval of taxation related ordinance 203.060Judicial review and invalidation of ordinances 203.065Violation of county ordinances; remedies; enforcement; status of nuisance declared by ordinance; disposition of fines 203.075Applicable law for local improvement assessments 203.077[1995 c.121 §1; renumbered 195.500 in 2021] 203.079[1995 c.121 §2; 1999 c.761 §1; 2021 c.371 §1; renumbered 195.505 in 2021] 203.081[1995 c.121 §3; renumbered 195.510 in 2021] 203.082[1999 c.319 §1; 2021 c.18 §6; renumbered 195.520 in 2021] 203.085County election dates; emergency elections 203.090[1995 c.510 §1; 2003 c.546 §13; 2005 c.447 §13; renumbered 181A.895 in 2015] 203.095[2009 c.789 §1; 2012 c.76 §1; repealed by 2012 c.76 §5 and 2013 c.485 §1] 203.100[2009 c.789 §2; 2012 c.76 §2; repealed by 2012 c.76 §5 and 2013 c.485 §1] 203.105Program in Governor’s office to assist counties in fiscal distress 203.110[Amended by 1971 c.88 §6; repealed by 1981 c.140 §2 (203.111 enacted in lieu of 203.110)] 203.111County governing body; legislative authority; quorum 203.113[1981 c.529 §2; 1983 c.827 §46; repealed by 1987 c.793 §2] 203.115County power to change fees 203.120[Amended by 1959 c.532 §1; 1963 c.31 §1; 1973 c.494 §1; 1981 c.153 §55; repealed by 1981 c.140 §5] 203.121[1965 c.419 §2; 1969 c.516 §1; renumbered 203.145] 203.122[1959 c.139 §1; 1965 c.432 §1; repealed by 1981 c.41 §3] 203.123[1969 c.511 §3; 1971 c.743 §345; repealed by 1981 c.41 §3] 203.124[1959 c.649 §§1,2,3; repealed by 1981 c.41 §3] 203.125[Repealed by 1981 c.41 §3] 203.127[1973 c.487 §§1,2,3,4; 1975 c.239 §4; repealed by 1981 c.41 §3] 203.130[Amended by 1955 c.273 §1; repealed by 1981 c.41 §3] 203.132Inclusion of property outside county or in city in county assessment for local improvement 203.135Eminent domain power of county 203.140[Amended by 1963 c.9 §3; repealed by 1981 c.41 §3] 203.145Appointment of legal counsel for county governing body; authority of counsel; compensation 203.148Public Land Corner Preservation Fund; fees for recording 203.150[Repealed by 1981 c.41 §3] 203.160[Repealed by 1981 c.41 §3] 203.170[Amended by 1953 c.477 §7; 1957 c.49 §1; repealed by 1981 c.41 §3] 203.180[Repealed by 1953 c.306 §18] 203.190[Repealed by 1981 c.41 §3] 203.200[Repealed by 1979 c.772 §17] 203.210[Amended by 1953 c.306 §17; repealed by 1971 c.88 §8] 203.219[1953 c.477 §1; repealed by 1971 c.88 §8] 203.220[1953 c.477 §3; repealed by 1971 c.88 §8] 203.223[1959 c.174 §1; repealed by 1971 c.88 §8] 203.224[1959 c.174 §4; repealed by 1981 c.41 §3] 203.226[1963 c.386 §1; repealed by 1971 c.88 §8] 203.228[1963 c.386 §3; repealed by 1981 c.41 §3] 203.230Abolishing office of county judge and establishing board of county commissioners in noncharter county; referral of order; operative date 203.240Organization, powers and duties of board 203.310[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.320[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.330[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.340[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.350[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.360[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.370[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.380[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.390[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.400[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.410[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.420[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.430[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.440[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.450[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.460[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.470[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.480[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.490[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.500[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.510[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.520[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.530[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.540[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.550[Repealed by 1959 c.527 §11] 203.710Performance of functions by officers designated by county law; definition 203.720Electors of county may adopt, amend, revise or repeal county charter by simple majority; certain provisions, deemed matters of county concern, to prevail over state law 203.725County charter amendment; single subject; separate submission to electors 203.730Charter committee appointed after filing of resolution or petition; sufficiency of petition; notice to persons entitled to make appointments to committee 203.740Charter committee and members; appointment, qualifications, vacancies, terms, organization, meetings 203.750County funds for charter committee; committee staff; county officials to cooperate 203.760Submission of proposed charter to electors after public hearing; approval of conflicting charters 203.770Copies of charters and amendments, revisions and repeals; judicial notice 203.780[1959 c.527 §9; 1963 c.290 §1; 1975 c.766 §2b; repealed by 1979 c.190 §431] 203.790[1959 c.527 §10; repealed by 1979 c.190 §431] 203.810Offenses under county law; jurisdiction; prosecutions; enforcement

Chapter 203 — County Governing Bodies; County Home Rule

ORS 203.010 General powers of county as body politic and corporate

Each county is a body politic and corporate for the following purposes:

(1)

To sue and be sued;

(2)

To purchase and hold for the use of the county lands lying within its own limits and any personal estate;

(3)

To make all necessary contracts; and

(4)

To do all other necessary acts in relation to the property and concerns of the county.

Official sources · 2Tap to view provenance and version history

Online copy of the published ORS edition

Provenance

Version history

Earlier statutory text is available in an ingested published ORS edition.