Oregon · Car accident rules · Updated Oct 2026

Car accidents in Oregon: what to do and who pays

When to report a crash in Oregon, how insurance works, who pays when both drivers share the blame, minimum coverage, how to get the police report, deadlines to sue and where to get help, in plain English from official sources.

$2,500damage that requires a report
Fault (tort)insurance system
Modified (51% bar)comparative-fault rule
25/50/20minimum liability
6 years / 2 yearsto sue: property / injury

At the scene and reporting a crash in Oregon

Always stop and help anyone who is hurt. Leaving the scene of a crash is a crime in every state.

When to call the police
Notify police right away (use a non-emergency number unless it's an emergency) if anyone is hurt or killed, any vehicle has more than $2,500 damage, other property has more than $2,500 damage, or a vehicle must be towed from the scene. For a serious injury or death, calling 911 meets the duty.
Damage amount
$2,500
Report to the state
In the same crashes, each driver must also send an Oregon Traffic Collision and Insurance Report to DMV within 72 hours, even if police made a report. File online at DMV2U or on paper (mail to DMV Crash Reporting Unit, 1905 Lana Ave NE, Salem, OR 97314, or fax 503-945-5267). If you don't, DMV must issue a suspension notice. Send only one report per crash.
Deadline for your report
3 days
Law
ORS 811.720, 811.725, 811.745, 811.748
Official text
Read the official text

First 24 hours after a crash in Oregon

Tick the boxes as you go, or print the list and keep it in your glove box.

Safety first

Call for help

Exchange information

Photos and witnesses

Report the crash

  • Oregon: Notify police right away (use a non-emergency number unless it's an emergency) if anyone is hurt or killed, any vehicle has more than $2,500 damage, other property has more than $2,500 damage, or a vehicle must be towed from the scene. For a serious injury or death, calling 911 meets the duty. Report to the state: In the same crashes, each driver must also send an Oregon Traffic Collision and Insurance Report to DMV within 72 hours, even if police made a report. File online at DMV2U or on paper (mail to DMV Crash Reporting Unit, 1905 Lana Ave NE, Salem, OR 97314, or fax 503-945-5267). If you don't, DMV must issue a suspension notice. Send only one report per crash.

Insurance and health

General safety and information steps, not legal advice.

Insurance system in Oregon

Oregon is a fault (tort) state: the driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the other people's injuries and damage.

System
Fault (tort)
PIP, benefits and when you can sue
Fault-based, but private passenger policies must include personal injury protection (PIP): at least $15,000 for medical expenses within 2 years, 70% of lost income (up to $3,000 a month, 52 weeks) if you are disabled for at least 14 days, and funeral costs up to $5,000. PIP pays first no matter who caused the crash; it does not limit your right to sue.
Law
ORS 742.520, 742.524
Official text
Read the official text

Compare every state in the no-fault states table.

Who pays: comparative fault in Oregon

Rule
Modified (51% bar)
What it means
In Oregon, your damages are reduced by your share of the fault, and you can't recover at all if you were more than 50% at fault (51% or more).
Law
ORS 31.600: you can recover if your fault is not greater than the combined fault of the others; your damages are cut by your share.

Compare every state's rule in the comparative negligence table.

Who pays in Oregon: fault and payout explainer

If both drivers share the blame, your state's comparative-fault rule decides whether you can recover and how much. Enter your share of the fault and your total damages to see what the rule means. This is an illustration, not a prediction: insurers, juries and judges decide the percentages.

From 0 (not at all) to 100 (all your fault).

Repairs, rental, medical bills and other losses, before any reduction.

Modified comparative fault (51% bar)In Oregon, your damages are reduced by your share of the fault, and you can't recover at all if you were more than 50% at fault (51% or more).

An illustration from our state data, not legal advice and not a prediction of any payout.

Minimum insurance in Oregon

Liability minimum
25/50/20
Uninsured / underinsured motorist (UM/UIM)
Uninsured motorist coverage is required, and it must match your bodily injury liability limits unless you choose lower limits in writing (never below the minimums). Underinsured coverage is part of it (ORS 742.502). PIP is also required.
Official text
Read the official text

Numbers like 25/50/25 mean $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for all injuries in one crash and $25,000 for property damage. Compare every state in the minimum insurance table.

Getting the police report in Oregon

DMV cannot give you a copy of the report you filed (ORS 802.220(5)), so save a copy when you submit it. For the police report, ask the agency that responded (city police, sheriff or Oregon State Police).

No confirmed online way to order a report in Oregon? Ask by mail with our free police report request letter.

Filing a claim and insurer deadlines in Oregon

How fast insurers must act
ORS 746.230 bars insurers from failing to acknowledge and act promptly on claims, failing to affirm or deny coverage within a reasonable time after proof of loss, and not trying in good faith to settle claims when liability is reasonably clear. For PIP medical bills, charges are presumed reasonable unless the insurer denies them within 60 days after notice of the claim (ORS 742.524).

Put your claim in writing. Our free insurance claim letter lists your damages and asks for a written answer.

If the other driver has no insurance in Oregon

Claim under your required uninsured motorist coverage and your PIP. A driver who doesn't file the DMV report with proof of insurance within 72 hours faces a DMV suspension notice.

Read what to do if you are hit by an uninsured driver.

Deadlines to sue in Oregon

Property damage (your car)
6 years
Injury
2 years
Notes, including claims against a government
To sue a state agency, city or county, you must give notice of claim within 180 days (1 year for wrongful death) (ORS 30.275).
Law
ORS 12.080(4) (injury to personal property, 6 years), ORS 12.110(1) (injury, 2 years)

The deadline is the statute of limitations. Insurance claims and talks with an adjuster don't stop it. Compare every state in the deadlines table.

Deadline to sue in Oregon

Every state limits how long you have to file a lawsuit after a car crash. This is the statute of limitations. Choose your state, the type of claim and the date of the crash to see the usual deadline and the last day to file. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.

The day the crash happened.

Oregon: 6 years for property damageEnter the date of the crash to see the last day to file a lawsuit.

An estimate from our state data, not legal advice. Exceptions can shorten or extend a deadline, and an insurance claim does not stop the clock. Check with a lawyer early.

Small claims for property damage in Oregon

Small claims limit
$10,000 (claims of $750 or less must go to small claims).

Oregon small claims guide on Small Claims Map

Small claims court can be a way to recover the cost of repairs from the driver who caused the crash. Read how to use small claims for car damage.

Insurance complaints in Oregon

If an insurer delays, underpays or denies a claim without a good reason, you can file a complaint with the state insurance regulator:

Free help in Oregon

Good to know in Oregon

  • Oregon is one of the few fault states that requires PIP on every private passenger policy (ORS 742.520).
  • Each DMV crash report you send shows as a separate crash on your record, so send only one (Oregon DMV).
  • The $2,500 reporting threshold can be raised every 5 years for inflation (ORS 811.720(3)).

Changes in 2024–2026

Oregon Laws 2024, ch. 63 amended the crash-reporting statutes (ORS 811.720-811.750). The thresholds on this page are from the current text.

Free letters

Insurance claim letter

Ask the other driver's insurer to pay your damages, in writing.

Police report request letter

Ask the police agency for a copy of the crash report by mail.

Questions about car accidents in Oregon

When do you have to report a car accident in Oregon?

Notify police right away (use a non-emergency number unless it's an emergency) if anyone is hurt or killed, any vehicle has more than $2,500 damage, other property has more than $2,500 damage, or a vehicle must be towed from the scene. For a serious injury or death, calling 911 meets the duty. In the same crashes, each driver must also send an Oregon Traffic Collision and Insurance Report to DMV within 72 hours, even if police made a report. File online at DMV2U or on paper (mail to DMV Crash Reporting Unit, 1905 Lana Ave NE, Salem, OR 97314, or fax 503-945-5267). If you don't, DMV must issue a suspension notice. Send only one report per crash.

Is Oregon a no-fault state?

No. Oregon is a fault (tort) state: the driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the other people's injuries and damage.

Can I get money if I was partly at fault in Oregon?

In Oregon, your damages are reduced by your share of the fault, and you can't recover at all if you were more than 50% at fault (51% or more). (ORS 31.600: you can recover if your fault is not greater than the combined fault of the others; your damages are cut by your share)

What is the minimum car insurance in Oregon?

25/50/20 Uninsured motorist coverage is required, and it must match your bodily injury liability limits unless you choose lower limits in writing (never below the minimums).

How long do you have to sue after a car accident in Oregon?

6 years for property damage and 2 years for injury (ORS 12.080(4) (injury to personal property, 6 years), ORS 12.110(1) (injury, 2 years)).

How do I get a police report in Oregon?

DMV cannot give you a copy of the report you filed (ORS 802.220(5)), so save a copy when you submit it. For the police report, ask the agency that responded (city police, sheriff or Oregon State Police).

What if the other driver has no insurance in Oregon?

Claim under your required uninsured motorist coverage and your PIP. A driver who doesn't file the DMV report with proof of insurance within 72 hours faces a DMV suspension notice.

Where can I complain about a car insurance company in Oregon?

Oregon Division of Financial Regulation (DFR): https://dfr.oregon.gov/help/complaints-licenses/Pages/file-complaint.aspx · 888-877-4894

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.

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