Skip to main content

Oregon State Flag An official website of the State of Oregon »

Oregon.gov Homepage Search Site

Administrative Rulemaking

Oregon State Fire Marshal Rulemaking

Welcome to the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s rulemaking page. Find updates on proposed changes to Oregon’s fire safety rules, learn about upcoming public hearings, submit comments, and read feedback from others. Your input plays an important role in shaping rules that help keep Oregon safe.

A rule is a guideline or standard that explains or puts laws into action. The OSFM can create, change, remove, or update rules, either permanently or for a short time (up to 180 days), following the steps outlined in Oregon law (ORS 183). The full set of Oregon Administrative Rules is available through the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office.



2025-2026 Rulemaking Calendar

The calendar below is the planned time frame for rulemaking activity to begin and is subject to adjustment. Details on each rulemaking activity are displayed under the In Progress & Recent Rulemaking Activity section.

​OAR 837-030 Liquefied Petroleum Gas​​​​​

OAR 837-095 State Emergency Response Commission​

​OAR 837-001 Procedural Rules

​OAR 837-TBD Fire Department Identification Numbers​​​​​​​​

Fire Marshal Logo_2023-black.png

In Progress & Recently Completed Rulemaking Activity

Rulemaking Activity

Planned rule amendments to add audits to the LPG program. ​
    • Rulemaking Advisory Committee Meeting #1 Minutes
    • Rulemaking Advisory Committee Meeting #2 Minutes
    • Rulemaking Advisory Committee Meeting #3: 3/11/25 from 9-11:45 at OSFM 3991 Fairview Industrial Dr. SE, Salem. 
  • Notice of Proposed Rulemaking​​

Public Partic​ipation

  • ​Public hearing held 1/20/26 from 11 a.m. -12 p.m. 
  • Second public hearing set for 7/21/26 from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at OSFM HQ 3991 Fairview Industrial Dr. SE, Salem or by joining online at the date/time listed: 
  • Public comment period 12/12/25 - 1/20/26 at 5 p.m.; Reopened 7/8/26 - 7/21/26 at 5 p.m.
  • Written comments received during the public comment period are posted below.

​Written Comments - Completed​

During the first Public Hearing on 1/20/2026 OSFM received written and verbal comment.  Those comments shared many of the same comments and concerns.  OSFM has taken those concerns and addressed them individually below.  In addition to this public response OSFM met with the LPG industry on an individual and group basis to work through the concerns. The final proposed rule amendments are based on those conversations, and an additional public hearing has been set (see date/time above).​

  1. ​​​Tank installation data being released to the public or competitors.   
    • ​​Legal Review supports redacting customer information.  OSFM has changed its policies and procedures to redact any customer information from public records requests. 
  2. Concerns regarding the integrity and accuracy of the OSFM Database. 
    • ​​Auditing process will provide opportunity to validate both OSFM and operator data. Additionally, audits will include reviewing all available information to ensure accuracy and correct reporting.   
  3. Having to report and pay for unreported customer-owned tanks (COTs) installed by a different company.  
    • ​This is not a change in the rules. Tanks must be reported so they may be inspected.   
    • ​​As audits are conducted, it is expected there will be less unreported tanks over time. 
  4. ​​Concerns about the financial burden of hosting an audit and providing the documents needed.  
    • ​We acknowledge this concern and have discussed other options with industry for conducting the audits and the number of records to review. 
    • ​Records audited will be initially limited to the past 24 months.  This was added to the proposed rules in response to this concern. 
    • ​OSFM has developed and communicated a program for self-auditing to allow companies to limit the potential impact of an OSFM Audit. 
    • ​OSFM is delaying the initiation of the Audits to allow time for self-auditing to occur. 
  5. How will OSFM handle multiple companies submitting the same addresses and serial numbers? Incorrect Serial Numbers (o vs 0 or 5 vs s) 
    • ​​​OSFM has created a public tank look up tool for companies to search for an address / serial number combination to ensure it has been reported before the company commences service.  
    • ​​If an address and serial combination have been previously reported; no installation notice is due. The record of report (serial and address combination) stays in the OSFM records indefinitely.  
    • ​OSFM tools accommodate for common issues in Serial # like “o vs 0 or 5 vs s”.  
  6. The rule amendment states that the State Fire Marshal may conduct audits without notice to the propane company. 
    • ​​OSFM policy and practice will be that we do give notice and work with the operator to establish what that will be.  This requirement for OSFM to notify prior to an audit has been added to the proposed rules. 
    • ​​​OSFM needs the capability to not give notice for extreme cases of non-compliance.  Situations where OSFM will be allowed to complete a no-notice audit have been added to the proposed rules.  
  7. The proposed rule amendment says a tank set notice must be submitted for all tank sets, including temporary sets. 
    • ​​​This has always been a requirement in Statute. Nothing regarding this is changing in the proposed amendments.  
  8. No Statutory Authority  
    • ​​ORS establishes tanks must be reported, that OSFM shall inspect a reasonable number of tanks, and that OSFM can adopt rules. 
    • ​​Reporting ensures each tank could be inspected, OSFM needs the ability to verify each has been reported. Conducting audits provides that ability. 
    • ​​​Therefore, we have authority to adopt rules to conduct audits, to meet the intent of the statute. 
  9. 10-Year Reference is Inspection Specific, not audit. 
    • ​​​Statute says tanks may be inspected once every ten years and upon request company shall furnish a list of the locations of 10-year-old installations that they service. 
    • ​​Therefore, it is logical to potentially audit up to ten years of installations. 
    • ​​We have added to the proposed rule amendments a limitation on what is reviewed during an initial audit. For the initial audit up to 24 months of tank data may be requested, and additional auditing up to 10 years of tank data if consistent non-compliance is discovered. ​

Permanent Administrative Order

Rulemaking Activity

  • New rules to be developed around evaluating, distributing, and managing FDIDs issued to fire departments and rural fire protection districts. ​
  • Planned for late 2026

Public Participation

  • Rules Advisory Committee Meeting​
  • Public hearing TBD
  • Public comment period TBD
​

​​​​​​


Rulemaking Activity

In continuation of the work outlined in Senate Bill 762 (2021), and now in accordance with Senate Bill 83 (2025), the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is initiating the final development of model language for the Oregon Defensible Space Code. This model code will establish standardized language for minimum defensible space requirements around structures outlined in SB 83 to allow local governments to adopt for use to prepare and protect their communities from wildfire.​ ​

As required by the legislation, the model language will be developed with the guidance of a Rules Advisory Committee (RAC). The members of this committee will provide input, recommendations, and feedback within the framework language of the legislation to ensure the model code reflects the needs and realities of Oregon’s communities.

Public Participation​​

  • Rulemaking public hearing held 4/27/26 from 9-10 am
  • Public comment period 3/10/26 - 4/27/26 at 5 pm. 
  • Written comments and agency response: none received.


​​​​​​​​​​​

Rulemaking Activity

The rule amendments are necessary to align with EPCRA requirement to designate an LEPC information coordinator position and to modify the SERC executive committee membership.

Public Participation

  • ​Public Hearing held 1/20/26 1:00-2:00 pm
  • Public comment period open 11/25/25 - 1/20/26 at 5 pm.
  • Public comments received in writing will be published here: No comments received during public comment period.

​
​


​

Rulemaking Activity

Rule amendments being planned to update the notification list and update the Model Rules of Procedure reference.​

  • ​​​Rule amendments not yet completed.​

Public Participation

  • ​Public Hearing TBD
  • Public comment period open TBD
  • Public comments received in writing will be published here.




Adopted Rules

Oregon State Fire Marshal OAR Chapter 837

Secretary of State Administrative Rules Database

Oregon Transparency Administrative Rules

Contact

Jeffrey Janssen, OSFM rules coordinator