Oregon Highway Use Tax Bond

Motor carriers required to satisfy the bonding requirement are operators whose vehicles exceed 26,000 lbs. total, unless they have a bond waiver. A bond waiver can be granted to a new carrier if they have a Dun & Bradstreet rating of 3A2 or higher.

On the other hand, established motor carriers can obtain a bond waiver, provided they meet a long list of criteria outlined by ODOT.

Each surety bond has a penal sum referring to the maximum liability of the bond holder. In this case the minimum amount is $2,000, if the company has one vehicle. For larger carriers the total amounts are calculated as follows:

• Between 2 and 5 vehicles - $2,000 plus $375 for each vehicle
• Between 6 and 10 vehicles - $2,000 plus $250 for each vehicle
• More than 10 vehicles - $2,000 plus $125 for each vehicle

Keep in mind that these amounts pertain to new carriers only. Amounts for other carriers vary based on your type of registration, number of vehicles and annual tax liability.

$2,000 Oregon highway use tax bonds usually cost $100 and can go up to $200 in some cases. For larger bond amounts, you can expect your premium to be between 1% and 3% if your credit score is good, or between 3% and 10% if you have a low score.

You can learn more details about bond costs on our dedicated page.

To apply for your bond you will need to complete a few simple steps. The first one is to submit our online application which will take just a few minutes. Our experts will be in touch with you shortly to give you a free quote and assist you with the next steps: providing the necessary paperwork so that the bonding company can begin the underwriting process.

You will be asked to fill out the Oregon highway use tax bond form, sign an indemnity agreement with the surety, and possibly provide some additional documentation such as personal and business financial statements.

After paying your premium and submitting all documentation, your bond should be issued within two business days.

To make sure your motor carrier company stays out of claims, you need to know local and state laws in detail. Chapters 825 and 826 of the Oregon Revised Statutes contain valuable information about what activities might constitute a violation of your bond agreement.

You must also make sure you read ODOT’s instructions of filing highway use tax reports as there are a number of specific which can be overlooked.

If ODOT notifies you that there has been an issue with your tax report, and that you owe them compensation, it’s best to pay the claim before it goes to court. If you believe the claim is groundless, however, you can provide sufficient proof to the surety and ask for its legal assistance.