2023 Oregon Revised Statutes › Volume : 19 - Utilities, Vehicle Code, Watercraft, Aviation › Chapter 803 - Vehicle Title and Registration › Section 803.305 - Exemptions from general registration requirements.

This section establishes exemptions from the requirements under ORS 803.300. The exemptions under this section are in addition to any exemptions under ORS 801.026. Vehicles exempted by this section from the requirements to be registered by this state are not prohibited from being registered by this state if registration is permitted under ORS 803.310. The following are exempt, either partially or completely as described, from the registration requirements under ORS 803.300:
(1) Road rollers, farm tractors, trolleys and traction engines are exempt from registration.
(2) Bicycles are exempt from registration.
(3) A vehicle is exempt from registration if it has registration issued for the vehicle by the Armed Forces of the United States where the registration is issued in a foreign country to a vehicle owned by a member of the Armed Forces. The exemption granted by this subsection applies only for a period of 45 days from the time the vehicle is returned to the United States.
(4) A vehicle is exempt from registration if it is not operated on the highways of this state.
(5) A trailer is exempt from registration if it is equipped with pneumatic tires made of elastic material and is not operated in this state with a loaded weight of more than 1,800 pounds. A trailer for hire, travel trailer or camper is not exempt by this subsection.
(6) Vehicles owned and operated by the United States Government are exempt from registration.
(7) Snowmobiles are subject to the requirements for registration provided under ORS 821.080 to 821.110.
(8) Implements of husbandry, well drilling machinery, emergency fire apparatus providing public fire protection and wheelchairs are exempt from registration.
(9) Road graders, farm tractors and farm trailers on highways are exempt from registration when the operation of the vehicle upon the highway is incidental to its use in an agricultural operation.
(10) Except as provided in subsection (26) of this section, fixed load vehicles are exempt from registration while the vehicles are operated:
(a) In the construction or reconstruction of state or county roads, highways or city streets; and
(b) Within the immediate construction projects, as described in the governmental agency contract under which the work is being performed.
(11) Motor vehicles designed to operate at a loaded weight over 8,000 pounds, trailers and equipment are exempt from registration while being used for the purposes of forest protection and fire suppression under ORS chapter 477 or a similar federal statute. The exemption under this subsection applies to the vehicles or equipment described while being moved to or from the work area. The exemption under this subsection only applies to vehicles or equipment owned, leased, contracted for or requisitioned by the State Forester or State Board of Forestry, a contractor of the State Forester or State Board of Forestry under ORS chapter 477 or the United States Government.
(12) Vehicles being used for the purposes of forest protection and fire suppression are exempt if the vehicles are necessary in order to comply with ORS 477.615 or 477.650 or a similar federal statute. The exemption under this subsection also applies to the vehicles described being moved to or from the work area.
(13) Golf cart exemptions from registration are as provided in ORS 820.210.
(14) Vehicles currently registered and titled in any other country, state or territory are not required to be registered by this state. All of the following apply to this subsection:
(a) This subsection only provides an exemption as long as the owner of the vehicle satisfactorily shows that the owner is not a resident of this state or has been a resident of this state for less than 30 days. For the purpose of this paragraph, a person is a resident of this state if the person meets the residency requirements described in ORS 803.200.
(b) The exemption under this subsection applies to vehicles granted exemptions under ORS 802.500, 802.520 or 826.005 unless otherwise provided for under paragraph (c) of this subsection.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, a vehicle operated over the highways of this state for compensation or profit must comply with the registration requirements under ORS 803.300 in the same manner as vehicles owned by persons in this state. The following vehicles are not subject to this paragraph:
(A) Vehicles operated under reciprocal registration exemptions established under ORS 802.500 or 826.005.
(B) Vehicles operated under an exemption established under ORS 802.520.
(C) Vehicles that are proportionally registered under an agreement established under ORS 826.007 and according to the procedures established under ORS 826.009 and 826.011.
(D) Any vehicle if duly registered and titled under the laws of the state or country of which the owner is a bona fide resident to the extent that in the foreign country, state, territory or federal district where the owner resides like exemptions and privileges are granted vehicles duly registered and titled under the laws of this state and owned by residents of this state.
(d) If no exemption from registration requirements is in effect under ORS 802.500, 802.520, 826.005 or 826.007 with respect to another jurisdiction, any vehicle properly registered and titled in such other jurisdiction and for which evidence of compliance is supplied shall receive, when operated in this state, the same exemptions, benefits and privileges granted by such other jurisdictions to vehicles properly registered and titled in this state. Reciprocity extended under this paragraph shall apply to commercial vehicles only when engaged exclusively in interstate commerce.
(e) Any vehicle operated under dealer registration plates issued by another state, country, province, territory or the District of Columbia is subject to this subsection.
(15) Vehicles operated or used by vehicle dealers may be operated or used without registration as provided under ORS 822.040.
(16) Vehicles towed by towing businesses may be towed without registration as provided under ORS 822.210.
(17) Vehicles without registration may be transported by vehicle transporters as provided under ORS 822.310.
(18) Vehicles that are not registered may be operated under trip permits described under ORS 803.600 or under permits described under ORS 803.610 to 803.625.
(19) If trailers that are part of a fleet of trailers for hire are properly registered in this state under an agreement entered into pursuant to ORS 802.500, all trailers that are identified as being a part of the same fleet and that are currently registered in any state, territory, province, country or the District of Columbia shall be permitted to operate in this state in both interstate and intrastate commerce without being registered by this state.
(20) Vehicles that are registered by the United States Department of State and that are owned or operated by foreign nationals with diplomatic immunity are exempt from registration.
(21) Tow dollies and converter dollies are exempt from registration.
(22) Class I, Class III and Class IV all-terrain vehicles are exempt from registration.
(23) Motor assisted scooters are exempt from registration.
(24) Electric personal assistive mobility devices are exempt from registration.
(25) A racing activity vehicle that is being operated for the purposes of a test drive within a 30-mile radius of the location where the vehicle is manufactured is exempt from registration.
(26) Road machinery that is operated at the direction of a road authority is exempt from registration. The exemption under this subsection also applies when the operation of road machinery upon a highway or an alley is incidental to its use in a highway maintenance operation. [1983 c.338 §206; 1985 c.16 §75; 1985 c.333 §7; 1985 c.401 §5; 1985 c.459 §4; 1985 c.668 §7; 1987 c.25 §2; 1989 c.43 §20; 1989 c.991 §25; 1991 c.284 §15; 1991 c.459 §438g; 1993 c.174 §3; 1993 c.303 §2; 1995 c.774 §11; 1999 c.977 §19; 2001 c.749 §20; 2001 c.827 §2; 2003 c.71 §1; 2003 c.341 §4; 2003 c.655 §109; 2007 c.70 §325; 2007 c.693 §3e; 2007 c.845 §2; 2009 c.91 §4; 2011 c.360 §14]