Skip to content
Oakclause

Usury Laws in Oregon

Oregon caps loans of $50,000 or less at 12% a year (or 5 points over the Federal Reserve discount rate if higher) and applies a 9% rate when no rate is agreed.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Oregon at a glance

Maximum agreed rate
12% (or discount rate plus 5 points, if higher)
Applies to loans of $50,000 or less. Banks, licensed consumer lenders and loans secured by a first lien on real estate are exempt. A lender who overcharges loses all interest.
Legal rate (no rate agreed)
9%

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Oregon

What is the maximum interest rate on a private loan in Oregon?

Maximum agreed rate in Oregon: 12% (or discount rate plus 5 points, if higher). Applies to loans of $50,000 or less. Banks, licensed consumer lenders and loans secured by a first lien on real estate are exempt. A lender who overcharges loses all interest.

What interest rate applies in Oregon when no rate was agreed?

Legal rate (no rate agreed) in Oregon: 9%.

Where do the Oregon usury laws come from?

The rules above come from Or. Rev. Stat. 82.010 and Or. Rev. Stat. 82.025. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

Interest on judgments is also 9% a year, or the contract rate if the contract carries more than 9%.

What this means in practice

Put the interest rate in writing. Many usury statutes set one limit for written agreements and a different, often lower, rate when nothing was agreed in writing. A signed promissory note or loan agreement that states the rate, the payment schedule and what happens on late payment avoids most disputes.

Count every charge, not only the stated rate. Courts may treat fees, points, required extras or a discount taken from the amount lent as interest when deciding whether a loan is usurious. A loan with a modest rate and large fees can still cross the limit.

Check who the lender is and what the loan is for. Usury limits often do not apply, or apply differently, to banks, licensed consumer lenders, credit card issuers, larger loans and loans to businesses or corporations. A rule written for loans between individuals may not cover your situation, so read the statute and its exceptions.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.