Oregon Elevator Code Update: A17.3 Planning Guide
By Bill Greenland | Senior Associate, Northwest Region
Read this blog to learn:
- Oregon building owners may need to update older elevators to meet the state’s new requirements for existing equipment.
- Some updates, including Phase II fire service, are being talked about as 2030 deadlines — but owners should not wait to start planning.
- If your elevator has not been modernized recently, now is the time to find out what changes may be needed and build a realistic plan.
Join Us for a Live Webinar
Planning for Oregon’s New Elevator Safety Code Requirements
Thursday, September 10, 2026, at 10am PT
If you own or manage a building in Oregon with an older elevator, now is the time to pay attention. The state’s elevator code has changed, and many existing elevators may need updates in the coming years. The good news is that you don’t need to figure it all out at once — but you do need to start planning before deadlines and lead times become a problem.
What Changed with Oregon’s Elevator Code
Oregon adopted the 2020 ASME A17.3 Safety Code for Existing Elevators and Escalators as part of the 2024 Oregon Elevator Specialty Code, effective January 1, 2024. After a six-month phase-in period, inspections of existing elevators and escalators began using the 2020 edition of ASME A17.3 on July 2, 2024. For some of the bigger-ticket items — including Phase II fire service — many Oregon building owners are hearing 2030 as the key deadline, but the planning should start well before then.
That sounds technical, and it is. But the practical message is pretty simple: if your elevator is older, it may need upgrades to meet Oregon’s updated requirements. Some items may be relatively straightforward to identify. Others need someone who understands elevator equipment and code requirements to take a closer look. Either way, this is not something building owners should wait to figure out at the last minute.
What ASME A17.3 Means for Existing Elevators in Oregon
ASME A17.3 is different from the codes used for new elevator installations. It applies to elevators and escalators already in service and is intended to bring older equipment closer to modern standards over time. Oregon’s adoption affects most existing commercial elevators, with limited exceptions, and includes requirements tied to items such as door operation, hydraulic elevator safeguards, emergency operation, and fire service features.
Most requirements go into effect 24 months from the date of the last periodic inspection. Oregon’s rules give additional time for certain requirements, but that should not be mistaken for extra time to do nothing. In the elevator world, planning, bidding, contractor availability and equipment lead times can take longer than owners expect.
Why You Should Start Planning Now
One thing I tell clients is this: if your elevator needs modernization, starting today does not mean the work happens tomorrow. Professional elevator consultants need to evaluate the equipment, determine what is required, prepare a scope, get pricing, schedule the work, and account for equipment lead times. If you start when a deadline is already close, you may not have many good options left.
That is especially true if your elevator does not have Phase II fire service capability. In many cases, adding that feature to older equipment can become complicated and expensive. For some buildings, modernization may be the more practical path. The right answer depends on the equipment, but the first step is understanding what you have and what Oregon’s updated elevator code requires.
What Building Owners Can Check First
Start with a few basic questions:
- When was the elevator last modernized?
- Do you know whether it has door lock monitoring?
- Does it have Phase II fire service operation?
- Have you received notes, comments or recommendations from your elevator service provider or state inspector?
If you don’t know the answers, that’s a good reason to bring in an elevator consultant before small uncertainties turn into larger planning problems.
Some conditions may be visible to a facilities team, but many code-related items aren’t easy to confirm without a professional review. A consultant can help determine whether the elevator already meets the requirement, needs a targeted upgrade, or should be considered for modernization. That distinction matters because the budget, timeline, and disruption can look very different depending on the recommendation.
How VDA Can Help
VDA helps building owners, property managers, and facilities teams make sense of elevator code requirements without getting buried in code language. Our role is to look at your equipment, explain the practical implications, and help you build a realistic plan. That may mean confirming your elevator is already in good shape, identifying a specific compliance upgrade, or developing a modernization strategy that fits your budget and schedule.
The important thing is to start the conversation now. Oregon’s ASME A17.3 adoption is already driving questions from building owners, and that will only increase as more people hear about the requirements through inspections, service providers, and word of mouth. Getting ahead of it gives you time to make informed decisions instead of reacting under pressure.
If you’re not sure whether your Oregon elevators are affected by ASME A17.3, VDA can help you take the next step. We’ll help you understand what applies, what to prioritize, and how to move forward with a practical plan.
Read to learn more?
Join VDA’s Bill Greenland and Mike Stevens for a practical, Q&A-driven webinar on Oregon’s A17.3 adoption and what it means for existing elevators.
When: Thursday, September 10, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. PT
About the Author
Bill Greenland joined VDA in 2024 through our partnership with Elevator Consulting Services (ECS). As an elevator consultant serving Portland and the surrounding communities throughout Oregon, he has experience across a broad range of service disciplines that include maintenance contract fulfillment, open repair and maintenance deficiency mitigation, technical expertise in modernization and other equipment upgrades, reviewing and reporting on the condition of existing equipment, and holding required certification allowing for inspection services to be provided. Follow him on LinkedIn.