Dealer-related Information in Oregon

The Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services Division (DMV) warns dealers to pay close attention to out-of-state vehicles, especially those with hurricane problems, because there may be efforts to conceal the true origin of vehicles.

Other steps to prevent unwittingly buying or selling vehicles that may have hidden damage from water, mud and flooding include checking closely for water, mud, or residue; and checking the vehicle identification number (VIN) at the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) online.

Some rules to be aware of:

  • Electronic registration: The most a dealer may charge customers for Electronic Vehicle Registration through the company Computerized Vehicle Registration (CVR) is $75 (no integrator) or $100 (with an integrator). Dealers must inform the customer they are being charged, and DMV business investigators will be on the lookout for dealers not informing customers of the $75 charge.
  • Vehicle weight: A change to the minimum weight at which some large vehicles must be registered by weight, rather than as passenger vehicles. The maximum weight has been increased to 10,000 pounds, at which point customers must establish a registration weight and pay the appropriate fee.
  • Dismantler certificates and other changes:
    • Dismantler certificates are valid for 3 years, for a fee of $450. The fee for changing or duplicating an active, existing dismantler certificate is $30.
    • Dismantlers can only sell to other dismantlers, negating the requirement to certify whether vehicles are totaled before being wrecked, dismantled, disassembled, or altered.
    • The bond required for an original renewal of a dismantler certificate costs $10,000.
  • Broker fees: Vehicle brokers are prohibited from collecting a fee for services from both buyer and seller or both lessor and lessee on the same transaction. Upon entering into a broker agreement, brokers must provide the buyer or lessee written disclosure of the following:
    • A description of the service provided.
    • A description of the fees and deposits that a broker will charge.
    • A description of how the broker will charge and collect.
    • A statement of whether the broker is responsible for warranty service work.
  • Brokers must also provide a statement to the buyer or lessee if there is a brokerage fee added to the purchase price or capitalized cost of the vehicle and the fee was negotiated with the seller or lessor for the buyer or lessee.
  • Leasing companies: Rental or leasing companies may register new vehicles owned by the company for 1-year or 2-year periods for $28 and $55 respectively. The shorter initial registration is limited to passenger vehicles only, including electric and hybrid vehicles.
  • Specialty plate transfer: Certain specialty registration plates may be transferred form one vehicle to another, even if the plates are no longer issued and without requiring conversion to custom registration plates. Plates previously had to be customized with a $100 custom registration fee to be transferred. The plates affected are:
    • Oregon Trail plates.
    • Ham radio motor home plates on Salmon, Crater Lake, and Cultural Trust backgrounds.
    • Group motor home and travel trailer plates, including university, military and various nonprofit plates.
  • Dealer Plates: Dealers are no longer prohibited from using dealer plates on vehicles titled and registered outside of Oregon. Dealers may use dealer plates to transport out-of-state vehicles to their business locations, but they must remove the out-of-state plates when they offer the vehicles for sale.
  • Vehicle display: For advertising purposes, vehicle dealers may now display vehicles in a place other than where their business is located without having to obtain a vehicle dealer supplemental location certificate. The dealer must:
    • Have a signed agreement between dealer and owner of the property where the vehicle is displayed.
    • The agreement must stipulate that the vehicle is present for an advertising promotion only.
    • It must also indicate the processing of documents or other purchasing activities must take place at the dealer's place of business.

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