Records & TransparencyAZ
Getting Your Arizona HOA's Records
By The HOARebel Team · June 2, 2026 · 3 min read
The Arizona Planned Communities Act gives members a broad right to the association's records on a short, definite clock — and limits what the association can charge. For your specific situation, a licensed Arizona attorney is the right resource. This is general information, not legal advice.
The statutory right: A.R.S. § 33-1805
Under § 33-1805, "all financial and other records of the association shall be made reasonably available for examination by any member." The right is broad — "financial and other records" — and runs to any member, who may designate someone in writing to do the reviewing.
The statute puts a clock on it: "[t]he association shall have ten business days to fulfill a request for examination," and the same ten-business-day window applies to a request to purchase copies.
What it costs
Arizona keeps the cost low. The association "shall not charge a member or any person designated by the member in writing for making material available for review," and for copies it "may charge a fee for making copies of not more than fifteen cents per page." So reviewing the records is free, and copies are capped.
Recordings of open meetings (SB 1039, 2025)
Arizona's records picture grew in 2025. SB 1039, signed March 31, 2025 and effective September 26, 2025, amended § 33-1804 (planned communities) and § 33-1248 (condominiums) so that when a board records a meeting open to members, it must retain the recording for at least six months and make the unedited recording available to any member on request. The board is not required to record meetings, but if it does, the recording joins the records a member can obtain. See Attending HOA Meetings in Arizona for how that fits the open-meeting rules.
What a board may withhold
The association may withhold narrow categories, including "[p]rivileged communication between an attorney for the association and the association," records related to "[p]ending litigation," closed-meeting materials, and "[p]ersonal, health or financial records of an individual member," along with employee records. These are exceptions, not a basis to refuse a whole request.
What owners commonly request
People reviewing the association's records often look at:
- Annual budgets, reserve studies, and financial statements
- Board and member meeting minutes and notices
- The declaration, bylaws, adopted rules, and any penalty schedule
- Vendor contracts, bids, and bank records
- The assessment ledger and any lien filings for the property
Records frequently feed other disputes — questioning a penalty or the assessment lien usually starts with the underlying documents.
When records are refused
If the association ignores a proper request, Arizona's state dispute process is one avenue: under A.R.S. § 32-2199.01, an owner may petition the Department of Real Estate, which can refer the matter to the Office of Administrative Hearings. A licensed Arizona attorney can also advise on enforcing the § 33-1805 right directly.
What people generally do
For owners seeking Arizona records, a few practical points:
- A written request that cites § 33-1805 and identifies the records specifically is the usual starting point.
- § 33-1805 sets a ten-business-day window for examination or copies.
- Keeping a copy of the request and any response is common practice.
- If a proper request is refused, the Department of Real Estate petition and a licensed Arizona attorney are the available resources.