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American Indian filing information

Filing requirements

As an American Indian you are required to file an Oregon personal income tax return if your gross income is more than the threshold amount for your filing status (See "Do I need to file? for filing thresholds). However, you may be able to subtract all or part of your income if all of the following are true:

  • You are an enrolled member of a federally recognized American Indian tribe.
  • Your income is earned in Indian country.
  • You live in federally recognized Indian country.

If you are eligible for the subtraction, complete Schedule OR-EIS. Keep the completed schedule with your tax records; we may ask for it later. See the schedule instructions for information about qualifying income exemptions.

Even if you subtract all of your income on your Oregon return and don't have to pay any tax, you may qualify for refundable tax credits that are based on your federal adjusted gross income. See our “Tax benefits for families" page  for details.

Report your total income on both federal and Oregon tax returns. Claim code "300" on your Schedule OR-ASC (section B) or OR-ASC-NP (section C).

Tax-exempt income from tribal fishing rights activities (ORS 316.785)

Income from fishing-rights related activity is exempt from federal and state taxation if the income is derived by:

  • An enrolled member of a federally-recognized American Indian tribe (either directly or through a qualified Indian entity) or
  • A qualified Indian entity.

Wages are taxable if paid by an employer who is not:

  • An enrolled member of the same tribe or
  • A qualified Indian entity.

Wages are also taxable if paid to an employee who is not an enrolled member of the tribe whose fishing rights are exercised. Tribal members must fish in their own waters to be exempt.

A "qualified Indian entity" must be 100 percent owned by a federally recognized Indian tribe or tribal members, and substantially all of its management functions must be performed by tribal members. It may be jointly owned by more than one tribe or members of more than one tribe.

Employment tax form preparation

  • Do not include exempt wages on Form 940, Form 941, Form W2, or Oregon Form OQ.
  • Wages paid for non-fishing activities are subject to all applicable employment taxes, including withholding and employment tax reporting.

If only exempt fishing-rights related income is paid to a tribal member, no Form W2 is required.


Contact us

Betsy Imholt 
Director/Tribal Liaison 
503-507-7186 

betsy.a.imholt@dor.oregon.gov

Codi Trudell 
Taxpayer Advocate 
503-986-4355 
codi.trudell@dor.oregon.gov

Victoria Johnson 
Business Division, Corporate Income Tax, and Corporation Excise Tax Primary Contact 
503-947-0354 
victoria.johnson@dor.oregon.gov

Leah Putnam 
Business Division, Corporate Activity Tax Primary Contact 
503-476-7643 
leah.putnam@dor.oregon.gov

Debbie Love-Wagner 
Collections Division, Collections Primary Contact 
971-600-4334 
Deborah.d.love-wagner@dor.oregon.gov

Ben Gille 
Personal Tax and Compliance Division, Personal Income Tax Primary Contact 
503-899-0934 
Benjamin.p-jr.gille@dor.oregon.gov

Linda Blacklock 
Property Tax Division Primary Contact 
971-301-1563 
linda.blacklock@dor.oregon.gov

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