Getting Your HOA's Records in Rhode Island

When a Rhode Island board won't explain where the money goes, the records usually hold the answer — and for condominiums, the statute is unusually specific about the timeline. For your specific situation, a licensed Rhode Island attorney is the right resource. This is general information, not legal advice.

The condominium records right (§ 34-36.1-3.18)

For condominiums under the Rhode Island Condominium Act (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-36.1), the records right is in statute:

"All financial and other records shall be made reasonably available for examination within thirty (30) days of a request by any unit owner and his or her authorized agent." — R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-36.1-3.18

A 30-day examination window is unusually concrete by HOA-statute standards. The same section also requires the association to keep "financial records sufficiently detailed to enable the association to comply" with the resale-certificate obligations of § 34-36.1-4.09.

A 2024 transparency change: bylaws and rules in the land records

Rhode Island added a public-access layer in 2024. Under a law enacted that year (2024-S 2647, with companion 2024-H 7867, effective June 17, 2024), a condominium's bylaws and rules must be recorded in the municipal land evidence records of every city or town in which any portion of the condominium is located, and amendments to those filings must be certified by two or more members of the executive board. The practical effect for an owner is that the governing bylaws and rules can be located through the local city or town clerk's land evidence records — an avenue independent of asking the board. A licensed Rhode Island attorney can confirm how the recording requirement applies to a specific association.

For non-condominium HOAs

For a traditional Rhode Island HOA where you own a house and lot, § 34-36.1 generally does not apply, and there is no general HOA records statute. Records rights instead come from:

• The recorded declaration and bylaws, and any adopted rules
• The Rhode Island Nonprofit Corporation Act (R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-6), if the HOA is incorporated as a nonprofit, which supplies member inspection rights to corporate records — books of account, minutes, and membership records — subject to the conditions in the Act

See Which Rhode Island Laws Govern Your HOA or Condo?.

What owners commonly request

People reviewing the association's books often look at:

• The annual budget, reserves, and financial statements
• Bank statements and vendor contracts
• The declaration, bylaws, adopted rules, and any fine schedule
• Board and member meeting minutes and notices
• The current statement of any assessment or fine against the unit

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

How owners commonly proceed

Owners commonly put the request in writing (keeping a dated copy) and identify the records specifically; for condominiums, § 34-36.1-3.18 sets a 30-day window that owners typically track. If records are withheld despite the statutory right, a licensed Rhode Island attorney can advise on enforcing it.

Sources

• R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-36.1-3.18 — Association records
• R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-36.1-4.09 — Resale of units
• 2024-S 2647 / 2024-H 7867 — Recording of condominium bylaws and rules (LegiScan)
• R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-6 — Rhode Island Nonprofit Corporation Act