Oregon · State Reference
Oregon Auctioneer
Requirements
Oregon does not require a state issued auctioneer license. The state's former licensing board was repealed in two stages, in 1967 and 1977. Oregon law still directly regulates auction and consignment sale conduct, enforceable as unlawful trade practices. There is no state auction exam.
Requirements Checklist
- No auctioneer license or exam. Oregon has no state licensing board for auctioneers.
- Conduct requirements still apply. Violations are treated as unlawful trade practices under Oregon's general unfair trade practices law, ORS 646.605 to 646.652.
- Any advertisement for an auction sale or consignment sale must include the name of the actual auctioneer, or the person responsible for conducting the sale.
- Money owed to a consignor that is not paid immediately after an auction must be held in a separate trust account, distinguishable from personal or other business funds and properly accounted for.
- Unsold property must be returned to its owner within 21 calendar days after the auction or consignment sale, unless the parties have mutually agreed in writing to a different date.
Oregon Repealed Its Licensing Board, Twice
Oregon's auctioneer licensing board did not disappear all at once. ORS 698.010 to 698.090 was repealed in 1967, and a second, later version of the board under ORS 698.510 to 698.630 was repealed again in 1977. Current law, ORS 698.635 to 698.650, does not license auctioneers at all. It regulates their conduct directly, with rules and regulations.
Conduct Rules Still Apply
Under ORS 698.640, violations of Oregon's auction conduct rules are treated as unlawful trade practices under the state's general unfair trade practices law. That means auction sale, consignment sale, and auctioneer conduct is enforced through the same framework used for consumer fraud generally, giving the Oregon Department of Justice's Consumer Protection office a real role even without a licensing board.
A Distinctive Rule for Timber Auctions
Oregon law carves timber sales out of the general auction conduct requirements with a specific rule of its own: a timber auction is presumed to be with reserve unless the timber is explicitly put up without reserve.
Why Education Still Matters Without a Licensing Exam
Oregon does not require an exam, but understanding the fundamentals, including the chant, contract handling, ethics, and running a professional auction business, is precisely the kind of practical knowledge that protects you from avoidable mistakes.
Ready to start your auction career? Missouri Auction School's training covers the chant, contract and consignment handling, and financial account management that sellers depend on.
View the Oregon CourseSources
- Oregon Revised Statutes Sections 698.635, 698.640, and 698.650, via oregonlegislature.gov and oregon.public.law
- Oregon Laws 2013, Chapter 493, House Bill 2059, amendments to ORS 698.635, 698.640, and 698.650
- Continental Plants Corp. v. Measured Marketing Service, Inc., 274 Or. 621 (1976)
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to be an auctioneer in Oregon?
No. Oregon has no state auctioneer license or licensing board. The board that once existed was repealed in two stages, in 1967 and 1977.
If there is no license, is Oregon auctioneering unregulated?
No. Conduct requirements apply under ORS 698.640, enforceable as unlawful trade practices under Oregon's general consumer protection law. This includes trust accounting rules and a 21 day deadline to return unsold property.