Texas HOA Records Requests: Your Rights

In Texas, the books and records of a property owners' association are not the board's private property — owners have a statutory right to see them. The Texas Residential Property Owners Protection Act (Chapter 209 of the Texas Property Code) sets out how to ask and the deadlines the association has to meet. For your specific situation, a licensed Texas attorney is the right resource. This is general information about how that works, not legal advice. Chapter 209 is the main state law here, but it operates alongside the association's declaration and the Texas Business Organizations Code that governs most associations as nonprofits.

Do Texas HOAs have to let owners see records?

Yes. Under Tex. Prop. Code § 209.005, an owner is entitled to access the property owners' association's books and records. Subsection (c) adds that an owner "is entitled to obtain from the association copies of information contained in the books and records." Chapter 209 also sets out how a request is made and the deadlines the association must meet.

Under §209.005, an owner is entitled to access the association's books and records:

"An owner is entitled to obtain from the association copies of information contained in the books and records." — §209.005(c), Tex. Prop. Code

Can a Texas HOA take more than 10 business days on records?

Only with written notice. Under Tex. Prop. Code § 209.005, after a proper certified-mail request, the association must produce copies, or give inspection dates, by the 10th business day. If it cannot meet that deadline, § 209.005(f) requires it to say so in writing and state a production date not later than the 15th business day after that notice.

The statute is specific about the process. A request is made in writing, and the form of delivery matters:

"An owner or the owner's authorized representative ... must submit a written request for access or information ... by certified mail, with sufficient detail describing the property owners' association's books and records requested." — §209.005(e), Tex. Prop. Code

Once a proper request arrives, the association is on a clock. For an inspection request, it must respond by the 10th business day with dates the owner may inspect the records; for a copy request, it must produce the records by the 10th business day. If it cannot meet that deadline, the statute requires the association to say so in writing and state a date for producing the records that is not later than the 15th business day after that notice (§209.005(f)).

Can I look up my Texas HOA's contact information?

Yes. Under Tex. Prop. Code § 209.004, an association must record a management certificate with the county clerk and electronically file it with the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) no later than the seventh day after filing it for recording. TREC makes that data publicly accessible online, including the association's name, mailing address, and management contact or designated representative.

Chapter 209 also creates a statewide, publicly searchable record of basic association information, added by Senate Bill 1588 (2021) and in effect since December 1, 2021. Under §209.004, an association must record a management certificate with the county clerk and then electronically file it with the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) no later than "the seventh day after the date a property owners' association files a management certificate for recording" with the county. The statute says TREC collects the certificates "for the purpose of making the data accessible to the general public through an Internet website," so owners and prospective buyers can look up the association's name, mailing address, and management contact or designated representative without going through the board.

The certificate also carries a built-in incentive to keep it current. Under §209.004, an owner "is not liable for attorney's fees" or "interest" the association incurs on a delinquent assessment "during the period a management certificate is not recorded" with the county clerk or filed with TREC as required. In other words, an association that lets its certificate lapse cannot pass certain collection costs to owners for that gap.

The bigger picture

Texas law gives owners a real, deadline-backed right to inspect and copy association records — but it depends on following the statute's process, including the certified-mail request with enough detail to identify what's being sought. Whether a particular request or response complied with §209.005 is fact-specific, and a licensed Texas attorney is the appropriate resource for advice on a specific dispute.

Frequently asked questions

How do I have to ask for records in Texas?

Section 209.005 calls for a written request sent by certified mail, with enough detail to describe the books and records you're seeking.

How long does the HOA have to respond?

The association generally must respond by the 10th business day — either producing copies or, for an inspection request, providing dates to inspect — with a further period allowed if it gives the required notice that it cannot meet the initial deadline.

Can the HOA charge for copies?

Generally, yes, but only under a records production and copying policy the board has adopted and recorded as a dedicatory instrument; without a recorded policy, it may not charge (§209.005(i)). Charges are capped at the amounts allowed under 1 T.A.C. Section 70.3, and the association may require advance payment of estimated costs.

Sources

• Texas Property Code §209.005 — Association Records
• Texas Property Code §209.004 — Management Certificates
• Texas Legislature — SB 1588 (87R, 2021)