Getting Your Connecticut HOA's Records

The Connecticut Common Interest Ownership Act gives owners a direct right to the association's records — and it builds in a scheduling deadline so a board cannot simply slow-walk a request. For your specific situation, a licensed Connecticut attorney is the right resource. This is general information, not legal advice.

The statutory right: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47-260

Under § 47-260(b), "all records retained by an association shall be available for examination in person or electronically and for copying by a unit owner or the owner's authorized agent" — "[d]uring reasonable business hours or at a mutually convenient time and location" and "[u]pon thirty days' notice in a record reasonably identifying the specific records of the association requested." That right applies "[n]otwithstanding any provision of the declaration or bylaws to the contrary." The right runs to the owner or an authorized agent, so an attorney or representative can do the reviewing — and it covers electronic examination, not just paper.

How long does a Connecticut HOA have to provide records?

Five business days to propose dates. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47-260, the association must, not later than five business days after receiving an owner's notice, provide two dates on which the records may be examined, copied, or both. The inspection itself runs on thirty days' notice in a record reasonably identifying the specific records requested.

What sets Connecticut apart is that the statute puts the board on a clock to respond. After receiving the request, the association "shall, not later than five business days following the date of receiving such notice, provide the requesting unit owner or owner's authorized agent with two dates on which the records may be examined, copied, or both." So while the inspection itself runs on 30 days' notice, the association cannot ignore the request — it has to come back within five business days with concrete dates.

Can a Connecticut HOA charge for copies of records?

Yes, a reasonable fee. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47-260, a Connecticut association may charge a reasonable fee for providing copies and for supervising the owner's inspection. The right to copy includes receiving copies by photocopying or other means, including electronic transmission if available, on the owner's request.

A right to copy under § 47-260 "includes the right to receive copies by photocopying or other means, including copies through an electronic transmission if available upon request by the unit owner." The association "may charge a reasonable fee for providing copies … and for supervising the unit owner's inspection." A fee that looks more like a barrier than a genuine cost recovery is the kind of thing an owner can push back on.

What records can a Connecticut HOA withhold?

Specific categories only. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47-260(c), the association must withhold personnel, salary and medical records of specific individuals (unless waived), unredacted ballots, proxies and other records identifying an owner's vote, and information whose disclosure would violate other law. Section 47-260(d) also lets it withhold records on current negotiations, litigation or mediation, privileged attorney communications, and executive sessions.

Section 47-260(c) requires the association to withhold personnel, salary and medical records relating to specific individuals (unless waived), "[a]ny unredacted paper or electronic ballot, any unredacted proxy form and any other unredacted record that identifies a vote cast by a unit owner," and information whose disclosure would violate other law. Section 47-260(d) also lets the association withhold a defined set of sensitive records, including those concerning:

• Contracts, leases, and other commercial transactions currently being negotiated
• Existing or potential litigation or mediation
• Communications with the association's attorney protected by attorney-client privilege
• Records of executive sessions

These exceptions are specific — they do not authorize a blanket refusal, and they line up with the narrow reasons a board may meet in executive session under § 47-250.

What owners commonly request

People reviewing the association's books often look at:

• Annual budgets, reserve studies, and financial statements
• Bank statements, vendor contracts, and bids
• The declaration, bylaws, adopted rules, and any fine schedule
• Board and member meeting minutes and notices
• Assessment ledgers and lien notices for the unit

Records frequently feed other disputes — questioning a fine or the assessment lien usually starts with the underlying documents.

Can owners get a court-ordered audit of a Connecticut HOA?

Only as a group. Since October 1, 2026, Public Act 26-31, § 1, lets owners holding at least twenty percent of the association's votes petition the Superior Court for an independent audit of financial records. Conditions include an independent CPA's signed opinion of apparent fraud or misuse, the group paying the cost, and no audit in the prior twelve months.

Public Act 26-31, § 1, effective October 1, 2026, lets a group of unit owners holding at least twenty percent of the association's votes petition the Superior Court for an order directing the association to "retain an independent third party to conduct an audit of such association's financial records" kept under § 47-260(a). The group must meet conditions the act sets — including a signed opinion from an independent certified public accountant specializing in fraud or financial forensics that there appears to be evidence of financial fraud or misuse of the association's funds — the group pays the audit's cost, and no such audit may have been completed in the preceding twelve months. The association or its manager may charge the group a reasonable fee for providing the records to the auditor, and the act provides that an association "may be entitled to reasonable attorney's fees incurred by the association pursuant to the provisions of this section."

For the recorded documents themselves

The recorded declaration and amendments are also available from the town clerk's land records where the community is located. Because the recorded declaration created the community and its assessment-and-lien framework, it is often the first document owners obtain.

What people generally do

Owners seeking Connecticut records often put the request in writing, cite § 47-260, identify the records specifically, calendar the five-business-day response window, and keep a copy of everything. If a refusal appears unjustified, a licensed Connecticut attorney can explain the available remedies.

Sources

• Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47-260 — Association records; copies; fees
• Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47-250 — Meetings; rules
• Public Act 26-31 — Court-ordered accountings of common interest community financial records