Trespass Letter

Sheriff's Office BadgeThe Lane County Sheriff's Office only responds to trespass calls within our jurisdiction.  Please verify that the address you want to submit a trespass letter for is in our jurisdiction before completing a Trespass Letter of Consent.   Lane County has a webpage titled My Law and Fire Providers for citizens to ensure which law enforcement jurisdiction would respond to a call for service.  If the address is in unincorporated Lane County according to the My Law and Fire Providers, please proceed with the following instructions.  If the address is not in unincorporated Lane County, contact the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction.  Trespass Letters of Consent for other law enforcement jurisdictions will not be forwarded to them by our agency.

To submit a Trespass Letter:

  • Print and complete a Trespass Letter of Consent.
  • Trespass letters expire annually on the anniversary date of the document.
  • Submit your letter to the Lane County Sheriff's Office by mail or in person to:   Lane County Sheriff's Office, 125 E. 8th Avenue, Eugene, OR 97401

What is a Trespass Letter?

A Trespass Letter is a specifically worded document approved by the Lane County District Attorney’s Office to allow a deputy to take enforcement action on your behalf without contacting you first. Ordinarily, if a deputy observes someone on private property when the business is closed, or the property is not occupied by an owner or responsible party, or a problem is called in by someone who does not have the authority to sign a trespass complaint, LCSO must first contact the person legally responsible for the property before enforcement action can be taken. A Trespass Letter stands in place of that contact and gives our deputies permission to act on the property owner’s/manager’s behalf in trespass situations.

What is the law regarding trespassing?

Per Oregon Revised Statute 164.243 – 164.255, a person commits the crime of Criminal Trespass if the person enters or remains unlawfully in or upon a premises when such premises is not open to the public, or the person fails to leave premises that are open to the public after being lawfully directed to do so by the person responsible for that location. For the complete definition and conditions, please refer to the listed statutes.

What else do I need to do?

In addition to filing the Trespass Letter, your property must be posted with “No Trespassing” signs. These signs should not include any language directed at loitering, as there is no law that can be enforced regarding loitering at this time.

What happens next?

When a deputy responds to your property, dispatch will notify the deputy whether there is a Trespass Letter on file with our agency. If dispatch confirms that a Trespass Letter is on file, the deputy will take the appropriate action.

Does my Trespass Letter expire?

Trespass Letters expire yearly. If you wish to renew the Trespass Letter, please resubmit the form on or before the anniversary of the document.