Summary of Oregon (OR) DMV Handbook 2026

The Oregon Department of Transportation Driver and Motor Vehicle Services (DMV) issues Class C noncommercial driver licenses, REAL ID compliant credentials, and commercial driver licenses. New Oregon residents must obtain an Oregon driver license within 30 days of establishing residency, and all drivers must notify Oregon DMV within 30 days of an address or legal name change.

Under Oregon's Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) system for applicants under age 18, teens at age 15 may obtain an Instruction Permit after passing vision (minimum 20/40 acuity) and written exams (35 multiple-choice questions with 80 percent / 28 correct pass mark). Applicants must log 100 hours of supervised driving practice (or 50 hours if completing an approved traffic safety education course) and hold the permit for at least six months before taking the Class D drive test. Drivers age 16 or 17 are issued a Provisional Driver License with a 6-month passenger restriction (no passengers under 20 who are not immediate family) and a night curfew (midnight to 5:00 a.m.) during the first 12 months.

Traffic control devices communicate mandatory legal directives across Oregon highways. Octagon red signs mandate full stops, downward triangles indicate yield, pennant signs placed on the left side of the highway mark no-passing zones, and diamond signs warn of road hazards. Work zone warning signs feature orange backgrounds, and traffic fines are doubled in active work zones.

Flashing red traffic signals function as a stop sign, while a flashing yellow arrow permits turns after yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. Double solid yellow pavement lines prohibit passing in both directions, broken white lines separate lanes moving in the same direction, and green pavement painted bicycle lanes highlight areas where motorists must yield to cyclists.

Oregon's Basic Speed Rule states that you must never drive faster than is reasonable and prudent for existing road, weather, and traffic conditions, regardless of posted limits. Statutory speed limits include 15 mph in alleys and narrow residential roadways, 20 mph in posted school zones and business districts, 25 mph in residential districts and public parks, 55 mph on rural undivided two-lane highways, and 65 to 70 mph on interstate highways.

Drivers must keep to the right half of the roadway except when passing or turning left. When passing another vehicle, you must complete the maneuver and return to the right lane before coming within 200 feet of an oncoming vehicle.

Executing turns and lane maneuvers safely requires continuous mirror scanning and proper signaling. Turn signals must be activated continuously at least 100 feet prior to turning or changing lanes.

Drivers must yield right-of-way to pedestrians crossing at marked or unmarked crosswalks and to circulating traffic when entering roundabouts. Left turns must yield to oncoming traffic, and drivers turning right on red must come to a complete stop and yield to all pedestrians and approaching vehicles.

Oregon law strictly protects vulnerable road users. Drivers must yield right-of-way to pedestrians at all crosswalks and must leave at least three feet of clearance when passing bicyclists. When approaching a stopped school bus displaying flashing red lights, drivers in both directions must stop until the lights stop flashing; on multi-lane divided highways with an unpaved median or barrier, opposing traffic may proceed.

Commercial trucks have massive blind spots called 'No-Zones' extending 20 feet in front of the cab and 200 feet behind the trailer. Drivers must yield right-of-way to public transit buses signaling to re-enter traffic.

Under Oregon's Move Over Law, when approaching any stationary emergency vehicle, tow truck, roadside assistance vehicle, or maintenance vehicle displaying flashing lights, drivers must change lanes into an adjacent lane or slow down to a speed that is at least 5 miles per hour below the posted speed limit.

At railroad crossings, drivers must stop at least 15 to 50 feet from the nearest rail when signals are flashing or a gate is lowered. Traffic fines are doubled in active highway work zones.

When parking along public streets, park parallel within 12 inches of the curb. When parking on a hill, turn front wheels toward the curb facing downhill, and away from the curb facing uphill.

Parking is strictly prohibited within 10 feet of a fire hydrant, 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, 50 feet of a stop sign or traffic signal, or 50 feet of a railroad crossing.

Drivers must maintain a visual following distance space cushion of at least two to four seconds. Holding or using a mobile electronic device while driving is strictly illegal in Oregon and carries fines up to $1,000 for a first offense.

Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants (DUII) laws prohibit operating a vehicle with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher for drivers 21 and older, 0.00 percent (zero tolerance) for drivers under 21, and 0.04 percent for commercial drivers; chemical test refusal under Oregon's Implied Consent Law results in an automatic one-year license suspension. Under Oregon's Financial Responsibility Law, motor vehicles must carry liability insurance with minimum limits of 25/50/20 ($25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 total bodily injury, $20,000 property damage), and crashes resulting in injury or property damage over $2,500 must be reported to Oregon DMV within 72 hours.