Rental application & screening fee rules in Portland
Portland's FAIR screening ordinance adds screening-process limits and its own fee and refund rules on top of Oregon state law.
How Portland regulates screening fees
Portland's Fair Access in Renting (FAIR) ordinance, codified at Portland City Code 30.01.086, layers additional requirements on top of Oregon's statewide screening-charge rule (ORS 90.295). The ordinance regulates the screening process itself — including screening criteria and notice requirements — and adds Portland's own fee and refund rules.
The ordinance's exact fee and refund terms should be confirmed against the current Portland City Code text.
What that means in practice
- Screening-process limits apply in addition to state law.
- Portland-specific fee and refund rules apply.
Sources and further reading
- City of Portland Housing (PCC 30.01.086)
- Oregon screening fee law — the state rules this local ordinance builds on.
What's the actual limit in Portland?
Fee limits change with inflation adjustments, local ordinances, and new legislation. Use our free calculator to look up the current limit for your rental's ZIP code.
Calculate your fee limitsThis page is provided for general information only and is not legal advice. Fee rules change — caps re-index to inflation, new legislation takes effect, and cities adopt their own ordinances — so always confirm against the official statutory text linked above before relying on it. The federal Fair Housing Act applies everywhere, regardless of state or local fee rules.