December 2025
As a real estate licensee in Oregon, you've probably heard these terms thrown around: bills, laws, statutes, and administrative rules. Understanding what they are can help you make sense of where your licensing requirements come from and how they might change.
Bills: Ideas That Might Become Laws
A bill is a proposal for a new law, introduced by a state legislator or committee in the Oregon Legislature. Bills are labeled as HB (House Bill) or SB (Senate Bill), followed by a number.
A bill is only a suggestion until it passes. Learn how an idea becomes a law on the Oregon Legislature’s website.
Laws: The Big Picture
Once a bill is signed, it becomes part of Oregon law. The term “law” is a broad category that includes both statutes and administrative rules, which are both legally binding.
Statutes: Laws that Are Organized
Statutes are laws passed by the Legislature and organized in the Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS). Each statute has a number to help you find it easily.
For example, most laws related to real estate licensing are in ORS Chapter 696. If someone refers to ORS 696.301, they’re pointing to a specific law in that chapter.
Statutes lay out the big picture of what needs to happen. They usually don't include the day-to-day details of how to do it.
Administrative Rules: The How-To
This is where administrative rules come in. Think of them as the detailed instructions that support (implement) the statutes.
Here's an example: A statute might say you need continuing education (CE). But the administrative rules explain how to report your CE and what records you need to keep.
The Oregon Real Estate Agency (OREA) writes these rules to fill in the specifics that the statutes sometimes don't cover. They are created through a formal process where the public can give feedback.
Administrative rules are legally binding even though the legislature doesn't vote on them. You must follow them just like statutes. The Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) for real estate licensing are in Chapter 863.
Keeping Up with Changes
Knowing this structure helps you stay on top of changes:
You don't need to be an expert, but understanding these basics helps you know where your requirements come from and where to look when you have questions.