ORS 801.040: Authority to adopt special provisions.

This section describes circumstances where special provisions are made concerning the authority of cities, counties or other political subdivisions in relation to some portion of the vehicle code. This section is not the only section of the vehicle code that applies to such authority and shall not be interpreted to affect the vehicle code except as specifically provided in this section. The following limits are partial or complete as described: (1) No county, municipal or other local body with authority to adopt and administer local police regulations under the Constitution and laws of this state shall enact or enforce any rule or regulation in conflict with the provisions of the vehicle code described in this subsection except as specifically authorized in the vehicle code. This subsection applies to the provisions of the vehicle code relating to abandoned vehicles, vehicle equipment, regulation of vehicle size, weight and load, the manner of operation of vehicles and use of roads by persons, animals and vehicles. (2) Except as provided in ORS 822.230 and this subsection, no city, county or other political subdivisions shall regulate or require or issue any registration, licenses, permits or surety bonds or charge any fee for the regulatory or surety registration of any person required to obtain a certificate from the Department of Transportation under ORS 822.205. This subsection does not: (a) Limit any authority of a city or county to license and collect a general and nondiscriminatory license fee levied upon all businesses or to levy a tax based upon business conducted by any person within the city or county. (b) Limit the authority of any city or county to impose any requirements or conditions as part of any contract to perform towing or recovering services for the city or county. (c) Limit the authority of any city or county to impose requirements and conditions that govern the towing of a vehicle by a towing business under ORS 98.812 so long as those requirements and conditions are consistent with the provisions of ORS 822.230. (3) No city, county or other political subdivision of this state, nor any state agency, may adopt a regulation or ordinance that imposes a special fee for the use of public lands or waters by snowmobiles or Class I all-terrain vehicles, or for the use of any access thereto that is owned by or under the jurisdiction of either the United States, this state or any such city, county or other political subdivision. The registration fees provided by ORS 821.320 are in lieu of any personal property or excise tax imposed on snowmobiles by this state or any political subdivision. No city, county or other municipality, and no state agency shall impose any other registration or license fee on any snowmobile in this state. This subsection does not prohibit any city, county or other political subdivision, or any state agency from regulating the operation of snowmobiles or Class I all-terrain vehicles on public lands, waters and other properties under its jurisdiction and on streets or highways within its boundaries by adopting regulations or ordinances of its governing body if such regulations are not inconsistent with ORS 821.150 to 821.292. (4) The provisions of ORS 819.110 to 819.215 relating to towing of vehicles that are abandoned establish minimum requirements subject to the following: (a) Notwithstanding paragraph (b) of this subsection, a county or incorporated city may supersede such provisions by ordinance or charter provision. (b) Any road authority described under ORS 810.010 may adopt rules or procedures that do not conflict with such provisions to provide for additional protection for the owner or person with an interest in a vehicle subject to such provisions or that more quickly accomplish the procedures established under such provisions. (5) Any incorporated city may require that the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident file with a designated city department a copy of any report required to be filed under ORS 811.725. All such reports shall be for the confidential use of the city department, including law enforcement agencies, as defined in ORS 811.747, for investigatory purposes, but subject to the same requirements for release of such reports as provided for the release of such reports by the department under ORS 802.220 and 802.240. (6) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this section, in accordance with the provisions of ORS 801.041, the governing body of a county may establish by ordinance registration fees for vehicles registered at a residence or business address within the county. (7) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this section, in accordance with the provisions of ORS 801.042, the governing body of a district may establish by ordinance registration fees for vehicles registered at a residence or business address within the district. [1983 c.338 §8; 1985 c.16 §7; 1985 c.171 §2; 1985 c.459 §2a; 1987 c.765 §3; 1989 c.864 §3; 1989 c.991 §22; 1995 c.758 §5; 1995 c.774 §6; 1999 c.977 §13; 2009 c.371 §1; 2025 c.319 §1]