How to Find Out Who Your HOA Is

Plenty of homeowners pay an HOA without knowing who runs it or how to reach the board, and others want to know whether a property is in an HOA at all. HOA information usually leaves a public paper trail.

This guide covers where that information tends to live: county land records, state corporation filings, and the registries some states run. For your specific situation, a licensed attorney in your state is the right resource. This is general information, not legal advice.

The recorded declaration in county land records

The most reliable starting point is usually the declaration, often called the CC&Rs. It is the document that creates the association's authority over the neighborhood, and it is recorded in the county's official land records, the office that goes by recorder, register of deeds, or clerk depending on the state. Florida's HOA statute describes it this way in § 720.301(4):

"'Declaration of covenants,' or 'declaration,' means a recorded written instrument or instruments in the nature of covenants running with the land which subject the land comprising the community to the jurisdiction and control of an association or associations in which the owners of the parcels, or their association representatives, must be members." — Fla. Stat. § 720.301(4)

Because the declaration is recorded, it is a public document. Many counties let the public search official records online by owner name, document type, or parcel, and a home's deed and title paperwork commonly reference the declaration by its recording information. The declaration names the association, and later recorded amendments sometimes reflect a newer name. For more on the document itself, see What Are CC&Rs and Are They Legally Binding?.

State corporation records

HOAs are commonly organized as nonprofit corporations, so the state's business-entity records are a second common place to look. Florida's statute, for instance, defines a homeowners' association as "a Florida corporation responsible for the operation of a community" (Fla. Stat. § 720.301(9)). A corporation's public filing typically shows its current status, a principal or mailing address, and a registered agent.

Each state's secretary of state (or equivalent office) keeps these records, and many offer a free online search. Florida's Division of Corporations, which calls itself "the State of Florida's official business entity index," lets the public search by name or by "Officer/Registered Agent" at its records search page. Searching the subdivision or community name is how homeowners often find a match, though the corporate name does not always match the entrance sign. The registered agent, the person or company designated to receive legal papers, is not always the board or manager, but it is a documented contact on file with the state.

States with an HOA registry or filing requirement

A handful of states require associations to file contact information with a state office or in a specific public record. A few examples:

Texas: management certificates and the TREC database

Texas Property Code § 209.004 requires a property owners' association to record a management certificate "in each county in which any portion of the residential subdivision is located." Among other things, it must state:

"(5) the name and mailing address of the association; (6) the name, mailing address, telephone number, and e-mail address of the person managing the association or the association's designated representative" — Tex. Prop. Code § 209.004(a)

The county clerk indexes the filing as a "Property Owners' Association Management Certificate" (§ 209.004(a-1)), and an amended certificate is due within 30 days after the association has notice of a change (§ 209.004(b)). The association must also file it electronically with the Texas Real Estate Commission, which collects it "for the purpose of making the data accessible to the general public through an Internet website" (§ 209.004(b-1)). That database is hoa.texas.gov, where, according to TREC, "the public can search certificates based on location or association name." TREC notes that it does not regulate HOAs, and that the county clerk is another place to check if a certificate isn't online. More on Texas records rights is in Texas HOA Records Requests and on the Texas hub.

Colorado: annual registration with the Division of Real Estate

Under C.R.S. § 38-33.3-401(1), "Every unit owners' association shall register annually with the director of the division of real estate, in the form and manner specified by the director." The registration must include, among other items, "The name of the association, as shown in the Colorado secretary of state's records" and the name of its management company, managing agent, or designated agent, plus contact details for the association or its agent (§ 38-33.3-401(2)(a)). The Division's HOA Information & Resource Center says that "registration information is public information" and points the public to its Licensee Lookup, using the "Business Name/DBA" search field. See the Colorado hub for more.

Virginia: annual reports to the Common Interest Community Board

Virginia Code § 55.1-1835 provides that a property owners' association "shall file an annual report in a form and at such time as prescribed by regulations of the Common Interest Community Board." The Board, in turn, must "Issue a certificate of registration to each association that has properly filed" (Va. Code § 54.1-2349(A)(8)). The Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation publishes downloadable regulant lists, including one for "CIC Association." See the Virginia hub.

Nevada: registration with the Ombudsman

NRS 116.31158 requires each association to "register with the Ombudsman on a form prescribed by the Ombudsman," and NRS 116.625(4)(e) directs the Ombudsman to "Compile and maintain a registration of each association organized within the State," including "The name, address and telephone number of the association" and the name of each community manager. Nevada's Real Estate Division publishes monthly active lists that include HOAs. See the Nevada hub.

California: a statement filed with the Secretary of State

California Civil Code § 5405 requires each association, "whether incorporated or unincorporated," to file a statement with the Secretary of State "To assist with the identification of common interest developments." It includes the association's name, office address, and its managing agent's name, street address, and phone number. The president's personal contact information is limited to governmental use, but "All other information submitted pursuant to this section shall be subject to public inspection" (§ 5405(f)).

Florida: no HOA registry in Chapter 720

Florida's main HOA statute, Chapter 720, does not require homeowners' associations to register with a state agency, so the county official records and the Division of Corporations are the usual sources there. One Florida-specific filing can turn up in those county records: an association that wants to protect its covenants under the Marketable Record Title Act "may record in the official records of each county in which the community is located a notice" listing its legal name, mailing and physical addresses, and any management company (Fla. Stat. § 720.3032). Because the notice is optional, not every association has one. For other states, the offices listed in Where to Get Help With an HOA Problem are a starting point.

Other places people find HOA contact information

Beyond official filings, homeowners often find the association through more ordinary routes:

• Neighbors, especially long-time residents or past board members.
• County property or appraisal records, which sometimes show the subdivision name.
• Subdivision plats, which are recorded in the county land records and are often also on file with the city or county planning office.
• The title company from a past purchase, since title work usually lists recorded covenants.
• Old statements or letters from the association or a management company.

Once the association is identified, owners in many states also have statutory rights to inspect its records; those rules are collected in HOA Records Requests by State.

Is membership actually mandatory?

Not every neighborhood group is an HOA in the legal sense. Some subdivisions have only a voluntary civic or neighborhood association, where dues are optional. Florida's definition draws the line: a homeowners' association is one "in which membership is a mandatory condition of parcel ownership, and which is authorized to impose assessments that, if unpaid, may become a lien on the parcel" (Fla. Stat. § 720.301(9)). The recorded declaration is what typically shows whether membership and assessments are mandatory for a given lot.

Some neighborhoods also have an HOA that has gone dormant, with no active board or a lapsed corporate filing. A lapsed corporate status doesn't, on its own, answer whether the recorded covenants still apply; that depends on the declaration and state law, which for most HOAs includes the state's nonprofit corporation law as well as the HOA statute. Can I Leave My HOA? covers how membership and the covenants interact, and Can an HOA Be Dissolved? covers what dissolving the corporation does and does not change.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a national database to find my HOA by address?

The official sources are state and local. Some states maintain their own databases, such as the Texas management-certificate database at hoa.texas.gov and Colorado's registration lookup, though these are searched by association name or by location (Texas offers county, city, and ZIP code fields) rather than by street address. A county property record looked up by address often shows the subdivision name, which can then be searched in those databases; elsewhere, county land records and state corporation filings are the main public sources. Private lookup sites exist, but they are not official records.

How do I find out if a property has an HOA?

The recorded declaration is the usual answer. A search of the county's official land records for the property, or a review of the deed and title documents, typically shows whether a declaration of covenants applies to the lot. Neighbors and the subdivision plat can offer clues too.

Who is the registered agent, and can I contact the HOA through them?

The registered agent is the person or company listed in state corporation records to receive legal papers for the association, often a board member, management company, or law firm. It is a documented contact on public record, though not always the day-to-day decision-maker.

Can I see who is on my HOA's board?

Often, yes, through a mix of sources. Some state filings list officers or directors, Nevada's registration form collects board members' names and contact details (though the Real Estate Division's public monthly HOA list shows association contact information, not board members), and many states' HOA laws give owners a right to inspect association records. The specifics vary by state.

Sources

• Florida Statutes § 720.301 — Definitions (Homeowners' Associations)
• Florida Statutes § 720.3032 — Notice of association information
• Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations — Search Records
• Texas Property Code § 209.004 — Management Certificates
• Texas Real Estate Commission — HOA Management Certificate Database
• Texas Real Estate Commission — Why TREC Maintains an HOA Management Certificate Database
• Colorado Revised Statutes § 38-33.3-401 — Registration
• Colorado Division of Real Estate — HOA Center Advisory: Check Your Association's Registration Status
• Code of Virginia § 55.1-1835 — Annual report by association
• Code of Virginia § 54.1-2349 — Powers and duties of the Common Interest Community Board
• Virginia DPOR — Regulant Lists
• Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 116 — NRS 116.31158 (Registration of associations)
• Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 116 — NRS 116.625 (Ombudsman)
• Nevada Real Estate Division — Active Licensee Lists
• California Civil Code § 5405 — Statement by common interest development association