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Will Contest Deadline in Oregon

In Oregon, a will contest must be filed within 4 months after the required probate information was delivered or mailed to the person, or 4 months after publication of notice for people who did not have to be named, and no-contest clauses are enforced except in limited cases.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Oregon at a glance

Deadline to contest
4 months
Clock starts
Mailing of probate information, or published notice
Runs from delivery or mailing of the ORS 113.145 information, or from publication of notice for people not required to be named in the petition.
No-contest clauses enforced
Yes, with exceptions
Enforced even with probable cause, but not if the devisee shows probable cause of forgery, or that the will was revoked or is invalid.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Oregon

How long do you have to contest a will in Oregon?

Deadline to contest in Oregon: 4 months.

When does the deadline to contest a will start in Oregon?

Clock starts in Oregon: Mailing of probate information, or published notice. Runs from delivery or mailing of the ORS 113.145 information, or from publication of notice for people not required to be named in the petition.

Are no-contest clauses in wills enforceable in Oregon?

Yes, with exceptions. No-contest clauses enforced in Oregon: yes, with exceptions. Enforced even with probable cause, but not if the devisee shows probable cause of forgery, or that the will was revoked or is invalid.

Where do the Oregon will contest deadlines come from?

The rules above come from ORS 113.075 and ORS 112.272. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

ORS 113.075 was amended in 2023 (Oregon Laws 2023, chapter 18).

What this means in practice

Deadlines for will contests are often short and strictly applied. Knowing exactly which event starts the clock in the state where the will is probated, such as the date of admission, the date notice was mailed, or the date of publication, matters as much as knowing the length of the period.

Only people with a legal stake in the estate can usually contest a will, such as heirs who would inherit without the will or beneficiaries named in an earlier will. A contest also needs a recognized legal ground. Being disappointed with the amount left to you is generally not enough on its own.

A no-contest clause (also called an in terrorem clause) says a beneficiary who challenges the will loses their gift. Whether such a clause is enforced, and whether there is an exception for challenges brought with probable cause or in good faith, depends on state law. Anyone weighing a challenge, and anyone drafting a will, can check the state statute and may want to talk to a probate attorney.

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