Union County Land Records

Union County property records provide details about land and homes in northeastern Oregon. The county seat is La Grande, and the assessor's office there keeps all ownership data, assessed values, and tax rolls for the area. Union County has about 26,000 residents spread across river valleys, ranch lands, and forested mountain slopes near the Blue Mountains and the Grande Ronde Valley. Whether you need to check a tax bill, confirm who owns a parcel, or look up past sales, Union County property records are your starting point for that search.

Union County Assessor Office

The Union County Assessor handles all property records and tax rolls for the county. Cody Vavra serves as the elected assessor. He took office in 2016. Vavra is a Union County native who served in the U.S. Navy as a Primary Flight Controller on the USS America. He later earned a degree from Oregon State University. Before his election, he worked for the Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service, and Crook County. His background gives him broad knowledge of land and natural resources in eastern Oregon.

The assessor's office staff set values on every parcel in Union County each year. They also track ownership changes, process exemptions, and maintain tax lot maps. You can visit the Union County Assessor office in La Grande to look up property records by name, address, or account number. Staff can pull up current and past data on any parcel in the county.

The office also handles business personal property accounts. All businesses in Union County must file an annual return listing equipment and other taxable assets.

How to Search Union County Property Records

The most direct way to search Union County property records is to call the assessor at (541) 963-1002. Give them a name, address, or tax lot number and they can look up the details for you. You can also walk into the office at 1001 Fourth Street in La Grande. Staff will pull up the account and answer your questions on the spot.

For deed records and recorded documents, contact the Union County Clerk. The clerk records all real property transfers, liens, mortgages, and other land documents filed in Union County. The assessor handles values and taxes, while the clerk handles recorded instruments. Both offices are in the same building, so you can visit both in one trip to La Grande.

Note: Property records lookups by phone may take longer during peak tax season in October and November.

You can also trace historic land patents in Union County through the Bureau of Land Management records site. This helps with old homestead claims and federal land grants that date back to the settlement era. Many early parcels in the Grande Ronde Valley were originally claimed under the Homestead Act, and those records still exist in the federal archive.

Union County Tax Assessments

Each year the Union County assessor sets a value on every parcel. Oregon law requires the assessor to find the real market value, which reflects what a property could sell for. But your tax bill does not use that number alone. Under Measure 50, passed by voters in 1997, the state limits how fast your taxable value can rise.

Three figures matter on your Union County tax statement. Real market value, or RMV, is the full sale price estimate. Maximum assessed value, or MAV, grows by at most 3% per year unless new construction is added. Assessed value, or AV, is the lower of RMV or MAV. That is the number used to compute your tax. The rules for this process appear in ORS Chapter 308. When RMV drops below MAV, you pay tax on the lower figure. This keeps Union County tax bills stable from year to year.

The average Union County homeowner pays about $1,344 per year in property tax. That sits below the statewide average. Rural land with farm or forest deferral may owe even less.

Property Tax Exemptions in Union County

Oregon provides several programs that can lower your property tax bill. Disabled veterans and their surviving spouses may exempt part of their home value. The amount depends on the disability rating. Seniors age 62 and older can defer all or part of their taxes until the home is sold. Farm and forest land may receive special assessment under ORS Chapter 307, which taxes the land based on its use rather than its sale price.

All exemption claims in Union County must be filed with the assessor by April 1 each year. Late filings face a penalty. The late fee is the greater of $200 or one-tenth of one percent of the property's real market value. Contact the Union County assessor in La Grande for the right forms and current deadlines.

• Disabled veteran exemption based on disability rating
• Senior citizen property tax deferral for age 62 and older
• Farm use special assessment for qualifying agricultural land
• Forest land deferral for designated timber parcels
• Active duty military exemption for deployed service members

Paying Union County Property Taxes

Union County mails tax statements each fall. Bills are due in three parts. The first third is due November 15. The second is due February 15. The last part is due May 15. If you pay the full year by November 15, you earn a 3% discount. A two-thirds payment by November 15 also earns a smaller discount.

Tax collection rules for all Oregon counties follow ORS Chapter 311. If taxes go unpaid for three years, the county may begin foreclosure under ORS Chapter 312. The Union County tax office can set up payment plans for those who fall behind. Call early if you have trouble making a payment.

Note: Payments without a USPS postmark are considered received on the date the office gets them, so plan ahead to avoid late fees.

Union County Tax Rates

Your tax rate in Union County depends on where you live. Each city and special district adds its own levy on top of the base county rate. Residents of La Grande pay a different total rate than those in Elgin, Imbler, or Island City. School districts add their share too. The limits on these rates appear in ORS Chapter 310.

You can find your exact rate on your annual tax statement. The statement breaks down each taxing district and shows how much of your bill goes to the county, the city, schools, and special service districts. Rural parcels outside city limits often have lower total rates because fewer districts apply to them.

Nearby Counties

Union County borders several other Oregon counties. Wallowa County sits to the east. Baker County lies to the south. Umatilla County is to the northwest. If your property is near a county line, make sure you file with the correct assessor. Each county maintains its own property records and tax rolls.