Timber operators who move logs on public roads, waterways or railroads in Western Oregon have until Dec. 31 to renew their state-registered log brands, the Oregon Department of Forestry announced this week.
The renewal period opens Oct. 19 when the agency will automatically mail renewal forms to every registered log brand owner. Oregon law requires the registrations to be renewed every five years.
A log brand is an identifying symbol welded onto the face of a hammer and struck into the ends of logs. The marks help deter theft and make it easier to return logs that are lost in transit. Forest products and booming equipment transported on public highways, waterways or railroads west of the Cascade crest must carry a brand registered with the state.
Operators whose mailing address has changed since they first registered or last renewed should update their information with ODF before Monday to make sure their renewal certificate reaches them. The agency’s Log Brands Unit can be reached at 503-931-5515 or log.brands@odf.oregon.gov.
The renewal requirement also applies to operators who registered a brand earlier in 2026. Renewed brands will cover a new five-year period running from Jan. 1, 2027, through Dec. 31, 2031.
Brands that aren’t renewed by Dec. 31, 2026, will be considered abandoned, and their registration numbers will expire.