Records & TransparencyOH
Getting Your Ohio HOA's Records
By The HOARebel Team · June 1, 2026 · 2 min read
Ohio's Planned Community Act gives homeowners a direct, statutory right to inspect their association's records. There are limits, but the right is real. For your specific situation, a licensed Ohio attorney is the right resource. This is general information, not legal advice.
The statutory right: § 5312.07
Section 5312.07 of the Planned Community Act provides that "[a]ny owner may examine and copy the books, records, and minutes of the owners association." The board may set "reasonable standards" in the declaration, bylaws, or adopted rules governing the time, location, and format of inspection. The right became part of a significant 2022 update to the statute (Senate Bill 61, effective September 13, 2022).
What the board can withhold
Section 5312.07(B) lets the board condition or deny owner inspection in defined circumstances. First, the board may decline records that date back more than five years prior to the request. Within that five-year window, § 5312.07(B) identifies five categories the board may withhold without specific owner authorization:
- Records pertaining to property-related personnel matters
- Attorney-client communications and attorney work product relating to potential, threatened, or pending litigation, or other property-related matters
- Information about contracts or transactions currently under negotiation, or information in a contract or agreement containing confidentiality requirements
- Records relating to the enforcement of the declaration, bylaws, or rules of the owners association against other owners
- Information whose disclosure is prohibited by state or federal law
The enforcement-records carve-out is notable: during an active dispute, records about that specific enforcement action may be withheld. That makes getting records before a dispute escalates especially useful.
What owners commonly request
People reviewing the association's books often look at:
- Annual budgets, reserve studies, and financial statements
- Bank statements and vendor contracts
- The declaration, bylaws, adopted rules, and the fine schedule
- Board and member meeting minutes and notices
- Assessment statements for the lot
Records frequently feed other disputes — questioning a fine or the assessment lien usually starts with the underlying documents.
If records are withheld
The Planned Community Act makes the inspection right enforceable. Owners commonly put requests in writing, reference § 5312.07 by name, ask the board to identify any specific withholding ground for each category of document denied, and consult a licensed Ohio attorney if the refusal appears unjustified.