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Oregon · Corvallis · OSU Country · #355
Benton County, Oregon
Corvallis and Oregon State University - the Beavers, the Willamette Valley's agricultural and scientific heart, and one of the most highly educated communities per capita in the United States. Where sustainable agriculture research and environmental science anchor one of Oregon's most distinctive university towns. Property tax, courts, public records, probate, and senior services for Benton County residents.
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What do you need to do?
Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Office: Benton County Emergency Management – operates under the Benton County Sheriff’s Office; plans and directs emergency procedures across mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery; maintains an Emergency Operations Center; confirm current direct phone via sheriff.bentoncountyor.gov.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-20/OR-34 serve Corvallis, the county seat, in the mid-Willamette Valley.
Notes: Benton County was carved out of Polk County by Oregon’s provisional legislature in 1847 and named for U.S. Senator Thomas Hart Benton; portions of the original county were later used to form Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Lane, and Lincoln counties.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Benton County Community Development – confirm current phone via bentoncountyor.gov.
Notes: Corvallis is genuinely home to Oregon State University, a major public research university where much of the nation’s forestry, agriculture, engineering, education, and science research takes place. Nearby Mary’s Peak is the highest point in the Oregon Coast Range. The William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, Peavy Arboretum, McDonald Forest, and Beazell Memorial Forest & Education Center are all real OSU-affiliated or federally managed natural areas within the county.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Benton County Veterans Service Office – confirm current phone via the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs county locator (oregon.gov/odva).
OSU-affiliated: Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF), Community Services Consortium – 777 NW 9th St., Suite 202C, Corvallis, OR 97330 | (541) 368-7100.
Federal: Portland VA Medical Center.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Corvallis-Benton County Public Library – Central Library, Corvallis, OR; established 1932, motto “Enrich, excite, explore!”; a joint city-county system with branches in Alsea, Monroe, and Philomath plus a bookmobile.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Mary’s Peak (highest point in the Oregon Coast Range), Alsea Falls, the William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, and the Jackson-Frazier Wetland are the county’s signature natural attractions.
Notes: The genuine, extensive Oregon State University research and natural-lands presence is a distinctive local fact.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Benton County Assessor – confirm current phone via bentoncountyor.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
County: Benton County Animal Control (Sheriff’s Office) – 180 NW 5th St. (animal control), 120 NW 4th St. (licensing), Corvallis, OR 97330 | Animal Control: (541) 766-6789 (county) / (541) 766-6924 (within Corvallis city limits) | Licensing: (541) 766-6831; covers unincorporated county – Corvallis and Philomath city limits are handled by their respective city departments.
Shelter: Heartland Humane Society – (541) 757-9000; open-intake shelter serving Benton County with low-cost adoptions and lost-and-found services.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Benton County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via bentoncountyor.gov.
NOTES: Benton County is the second county in the Oregon v2 redo’s first batch (Baker, Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Crook). The genuine Oregon State University research and natural-lands legacy is a distinctive local fact. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Benton County
Heritage | Corvallis is home to Oregon State University, a major land-grant research institution whose agricultural, forestry, and oceanography programs have shaped the region’s economy and identity since the university’s 1868 founding; Benton County’s rich Willamette Valley soil has long supported grass-seed farming, making the region one of the largest producers of grass seed in the world Outdoors | The Willamette River offers paddling and fishing through Corvallis, while nearby Mary’s Peak, the highest point in Oregon’s Coast Range, provides hiking with panoramic views stretching to the Pacific Ocean on clear days Notable | Oregon State University’s campus and athletics dominate Benton County’s identity, and Mary’s Peak’s old-growth noble fir forest draws hikers seeking one of the most scenic summits in the Willamette Valley region Library | Corvallis-Benton County Public Library serves the county’s university city and surrounding rural farming communities
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
120 NW 4th St, Corvallis, OR 97330
(541) 766-6756
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Benton County Circuit Court, Corvallis (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
The 1888 Benton County Courthouse, NRHP-listed, is a significant local landmark and Oregon’s oldest continuously-used courthouse.
Local societies
No dedicated Benton County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Benton County Circuit Court 120 NW 4th Street, Suite 1, Corvallis, OR 97330 (541) 766-6800
Benton County was founded December 23, 1847, named for Missouri Senator Thomas H. Benton, in western Oregon, seated in Corvallis. The 1888 Benton County Courthouse is Oregon’s oldest county courthouse still used for its original purpose, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Oregon has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code, maintaining its own independent probate code under ORS Chapters 111 through 117. Probate is handled in the probate department of the Circuit Court in the county where the decedent lived (ORS 111.085). Oregon does not offer a separate unsupervised/informal probate track – its “simple estate” process and formal administration are the two paths.
Simple Estate Affidavit (ORS 114.505–114.560) – available when the total fair market value of the estate is $275,000 or less, made up of no more than $75,000 in personal property and no more than $200,000 in real property. The affidavit (“Affidavit of Claiming Successor”) cannot be filed until at least 30 days after death and must be filed with the clerk of the probate court. It requires a detailed asset description, a list of known creditors, and notice that claims are barred unless presented within 4 months of filing.
Full Probate Administration – required for estates that exceed the simple estate limits or don’t otherwise qualify. A personal representative is appointed by the court and administers the estate under ongoing court oversight.
Step 2: filing for administration
A petition for probate is filed in the Circuit Court in the county where the decedent resided (or, for simple estates, an Affidavit of Claiming Successor is filed with the probate clerk at least 30 days after death).
If a will exists, it’s filed with the petition or affidavit.
For full administration, the court appoints a personal representative and issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Notice is given to heirs, devisees, and creditors; claims against the estate must generally be presented within the statutory period.
The personal representative (or affiant, for simple estates) inventories assets, pays valid debts and taxes, and distributes what remains according to the will or Oregon’s intestacy laws.
Full administration closes once a final account is filed and approved by the court; simple estates close once assets are distributed and any required notices are filed.
What it costs
Filing fees vary; check with Benton County directly for current fees.
Oregon imposes a state estate tax on estates exceeding approximately $1,000,000, with rates ranging from 10% to 16%. No state inheritance tax.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
180 NW 5th St, Corvallis, OR 97330
(541) 766-6858
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
120 NW 4th St, Corvallis, OR 97330
(541) 766-6756
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
530 NW 27th St, Corvallis, OR 97330
(541) 766-6835
Department of Human Services
530 NW 27th St, Corvallis, OR 97330
(541) 766-6835
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Benton County Health Department – confirm current contact via bentoncountyor.gov.
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Editorial Trust
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Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Corvallis
Population: 95,000
Area: 676 mi²
Tier: 3
Inmate Services
Care Packages
Send care packages to inmates in Benton County facilities via Amazon.
