Oregon Law
Law as of Jan 1, 2026
Chapter contents
819.010Failure to comply with requirements for destruction of vehicle; exception; penalty 819.012Failure to follow procedures for a totaled vehicle; penalty 819.014Insurer failure to follow procedures for totaled vehicle; penalty 819.016When salvage title required; rules 819.018Failure to notify subsequent purchaser of condition of vehicle; rules; penalty 819.020[1983 c.338 §195; 1985 c.16 §69; 1985 c.176 §1; 1987 c.119 §5; repealed by 1991 c.820 §20] 819.030Department procedure on receipt of title or notice 819.040Illegal salvage procedures; penalty 819.100Abandoning a vehicle; penalty 819.110Custody, towing and sale or disposal of abandoned vehicle; general provisions 819.120Immediate custody and towing of vehicle constituting hazard or obstruction; rules 819.130[1983 c.338 §419; 1985 c.16 §221; 1993 c.385 §4; repealed by 1995 c.758 §23] 819.140Agencies having authority to take vehicle into custody; powers of agency taking custody 819.150Rights and liabilities of owner 819.160Lien for towing 819.170Notice prior to taking vehicle into custody and towing; methods; contents 819.180Notice after taking into custody and towing; method; contents 819.185Procedure for vehicles that have no identification markings 819.190Hearing to contest validity of custody and towing 819.200Exemption from notice and hearing requirements for vehicle held in criminal investigation 819.210Sale or disposal of vehicle not reclaimed 819.215Disposal of vehicle appraised at $1,000 or less; notice; rules 819.220[1983 c.338 §428; 1985 c.16 §225; 1985 c.316 §6; 1991 c.873 §40; 1993 c.326 §7; 1993 c.751 §76; 1995 c.758 §17; 2005 c.654 §30; repealed by 2009 c.371 §18] 819.230[1983 c.338 §810; 2007 c.630 §4; renumbered 819.480 in 2007] 819.240[1983 c.338 §429; 1991 c.873 §41; 1993 c.233 §65; repealed by 2009 c.371 §18] 819.250[1983 c.338 §430; 1985 c.16 §226; 1985 c.94 §1; repealed by 2009 c.371 §18] 819.260[1983 c.338 §431; 1985 c.316 §7; repealed by 2009 c.371 §18] 819.270[1983 c.338 §432; 1987 c.119 §7; repealed by 2009 c.371 §18] 819.280Disposal of vehicle at request of person in lawful possession; rules 819.300Possession of a stolen vehicle; penalty 819.310Trafficking in stolen vehicles; penalty 819.400Assignment of numbers 819.410Failure to obtain vehicle identification number for unnumbered vehicle; exception; penalty 819.420Failure to obtain vehicle identification number for vehicle with altered or removed number; penalty 819.430Trafficking in vehicles with destroyed or altered identification numbers; penalty 819.440Police seizure of vehicle without identification number; inspection; disposition of vehicle; disposition of moneys from sale 819.480Vehicle appraiser certificate; rules 819.482Acting as vehicle appraiser without certificate; penalty

Chapter 819 — Destroyed, Totaled, Abandoned, Low-Value and Stolen Vehicles; Vehicle Identification Numbers; Vehicle Appraisers

ORS 819.160 Lien for towing

(1)

Except as otherwise provided by this section, a person shall have a lien on the vehicle and its contents if the person, at the request of an authority described under ORS 819.140, tows any of the following vehicles:

(a)

An abandoned vehicle appraised at a value of more than $1,000 by a person who holds a certificate issued under ORS 819.480.

(b)

A vehicle taken into custody under ORS 819.110 or 819.120, unless it is an abandoned vehicle appraised at a value of $1,000 or less by a person who holds a certificate issued under ORS 819.480.

(c)

A vehicle left parked or standing in violation of ORS 811.555 or 811.570.

(2)

A lien established under this section shall be on the vehicle and its contents for the just and reasonable charges for the towing service performed and any storage provided. However, the storage charge is limited subject to ORS 98.812 (3). A lien described under this section does not attach:

(a)

To the contents of any vehicle taken from public property until 15 days after taking the vehicle into custody.

(b)

To the contents of any vehicle that is taken into custody for violation of ORS 811.555 or 811.570.

(3)

A person that tows any vehicle at the request of an authority under ORS 819.110 or 819.120 shall transmit by first class mail with a certificate of mailing, no later than the third business day after the vehicle and its contents are placed in storage, written notice, approved by the authority, containing information on the procedures necessary to obtain a hearing under ORS 819.190. The notice shall be provided to the owner, a person entitled to possession or any person with an interest recorded on the title to the vehicle. This subsection does not apply to a person that tows an abandoned vehicle that is appraised at a value of $1,000 or less by a person who holds a certificate issued under ORS 819.480.

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