Oregon gives new residents one deadline to remember: 30 days. Within 30 days of moving here, you need an Oregon driver license if you plan to drive, and your vehicle needs an Oregon title and registration [1]. Voting is simpler: register by the 21st day before an election and your ballot comes in the mail [4][5].
At a glance
| Task | Deadline or rule | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Get an Oregon driver license | Within 30 days, if you plan to drive | Oregon DMV office |
| Title and register your vehicle | Within 30 days | Oregon DMV office or by mail |
| VIN inspection (out-of-state title) | Before titling; $9 in Oregon | Oregon DMV office |
| DEQ emissions test | Before registering, if you live in the Portland metro area or Medford and it applies | DEQ station |
| Register to vote | By the 21st day before an election | Online, by mail or through DMV |
Your driver license
If you plan to drive, get an Oregon driver license within 30 days of moving here [1]. Most people can transfer their license without testing if it was issued by another U.S. state, a U.S. territory or the District of Columbia, or by Canada, Japan, South Korea, Germany or Taiwan [1].
If your license has a motorcycle endorsement, tell DMV you want to keep it when you apply. Fewer places qualify for a test-free transfer of the endorsement: U.S. jurisdictions, Canada and Japan [1].
Titling and registering your car
You have 30 days to title and register your vehicle in Oregon [1]. DMV’s checklist for vehicles new to Oregon [2]:
- Fill out an Application for Title and Registration (Form 735-226), with the odometer reading and any lender.
- Bring the out-of-state title. DMV returns applications mailed without it. If a lender holds your title, DMV has a letter you send the lender asking it to forward the title.
- Get a VIN inspection. It’s needed for an out-of-state title and costs $9 at an Oregon DMV office.
- Show low-emission compliance if your passenger vehicle is a 2009 or newer model with 7,500 miles or less. Electric and hybrid vehicles are exempt.
- Pass a DEQ emissions test if you live in the Portland metro area or Medford and your vehicle is required to be tested.
- Pay the title, registration and plate fees.
In Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties, some older diesel trucks can’t be titled or registered unless they’re exempt or have approved diesel retrofit equipment [2].
Car insurance
It’s illegal to drive in Oregon without liability insurance [3]. The minimums are [3]:
- Bodily injury: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per crash
- Property damage: $20,000 per crash
- Personal injury protection: $15,000 per person
- Uninsured motorist: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per crash for bodily injury
Personal injury protection is part of the required minimum in Oregon, so a policy from a state that doesn’t require it may need to change when you move [3].
Registering to vote
To register in Oregon, you must be a U.S. citizen, an Oregon resident and at least 16 years old. You won’t get a ballot until an election on or after your 18th birthday [4].
Deadline: registration must be submitted by the 21st calendar day before an election. Online registrations must be in by 11:59:59 p.m. Pacific time that day [4]. To register online, you need an Oregon driver license, permit or ID card number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number and a signature [4].
DMV can do it for you. Many voters are registered automatically when they go to the DMV [5].
Everyone votes by mail. Active registered voters receive a ballot. It must be received, or mailed with a valid postmark, by 8 p.m. on Election Day [5]. Statewide voters’ pamphlets arrive two to three weeks before each statewide election [5].
Sources
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How long do I have to get an Oregon driver license after moving?
30 days. Oregon DMV says new residents must get an Oregon driver license within 30 days if they plan to drive. Most people with a license from another U.S. state, D.C. or a U.S. territory can transfer it without testing.
How long do I have to register my car after moving to Oregon?
30 days. New residents must title and register their vehicle in Oregon within 30 days. Bring the out-of-state title, get a VIN inspection ($9 at an Oregon DMV office), and pass a DEQ emissions test first if you live in the Portland metro area or Medford and your vehicle needs one.
What is the voter registration deadline in Oregon?
The 21st calendar day before an election. Online registrations must be in by 11:59:59 p.m. Pacific time that day. You can register at 16 and get your first ballot for an election on or after your 18th birthday.