(1) Except as provided in ORS § 1.202 and 293.231, if a public body, as defined in ORS § 174.109, uses a private collection agency to collect a debt owed to the public body, the public body may add a reasonable fee to the amount of the debt, payable by the debtor, to compensate the public body, in whole or in part, for the collection agency fee incurred or to be incurred.

Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 697.105

  • public body: means state government bodies, local government bodies and special government bodies. See Oregon Statutes 174.109

(2) A fee may not be added under subsection (1) of this section unless the public body has provided notice to the debtor:

(a) Of the existence of the debt;

(b) That the debt may be assigned to a private collection agency for collection; and

(c) Of the amount of the fee that may be added to the debt under subsection (1) of this section.

(3) Except as provided by federal law, the public body may not add a fee under this section that exceeds the collection fee of the private collection agency. [2003 c.66 § 1; 2007 c.204 § 1]