Getting Your Washington HOA's Records

The Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act gives owners a broad right to the association's records on a short, definite clock. For your specific situation, a licensed Washington attorney is the right resource. This is general information, not legal advice.

What records can I get from my HOA in Washington?

A long list, for communities under WUCIOA. RCW 64.90.495 makes required records "available for examination and copying by all unit owners," including the current budget, detailed records of receipts and expenditures, owner and board minutes other than executive sessions, current owner names, the declaration and amendments, and seven years of financial statements and tax returns.

Under RCW 64.90.495, the association must keep a long list of records and make them "available for examination and copying by all unit owners." The records it must retain include the "current budget, detailed records of receipts and expenditures," the "[m]inutes of all meetings of its unit owners and board other than executive sessions," the "names of current unit owners" and how the association reaches them, the "original or restated declaration … [and] all amendments," and "financial statements and tax returns of the association for the past seven years."

How long does a Washington HOA have to provide records?

Generally on 10 days' notice, and never later than 21 days without a court order. Under RCW 64.90.495, records must be available on 10 days' notice unless the size of the request or need to redact reasonably requires longer. That rule covers WUCIOA communities; older communities may rely on statutes that set no number of days.

Washington sets a clear deadline. Records must be made available upon "10 days' notice unless the size of the request or need to redact information reasonably requires a longer time, but in no event later than 21 days without a court order allowing a longer time." That hard 21-day ceiling is among the more owner-friendly records timelines in the country.

What records can a Washington HOA withhold?

Only narrow categories. Under RCW 64.90.495, the association may redact personnel and medical records about specific individuals, contracts currently being negotiated, existing or potential litigation or mediation, attorney-client privileged legal advice, executive-session records, and individual unit files other than the requesting owner's. These are exceptions, not a blanket excuse to refuse a whole request.

The association may redact narrow categories — "[p]ersonnel and medical records relating to specific individuals," contracts and commercial transactions "currently being negotiated," "[e]xisting or potential litigation or mediation," "[l]egal advice or communications … protected by the attorney-client privilege," "[r]ecords of an executive session of the board," and "[i]ndividual unit files other than those of the requesting unit owner."

Can a Washington HOA charge for copies of records?

Yes, a reasonable fee, though some copies are free. Under RCW 64.90.495, an owner is entitled to one free copy of the owner list each year and free preforeclosure information. For other copies, and for supervising the inspection, the association "may charge a reasonable fee."

Written questions to the board

Since June 11, 2026, a separate statute covers questions rather than documents. When an owner or the owner's authorized agent files a written inquiry by certified mail about association governance or operations, RCW 64.90.715 provides that the association "must respond, in the form of a record, to the unit owner or the unit owner's authorized agent within 30 days after receipt of the inquiry," with extensions for review at the next board meeting (where the board meets at least monthly), 30 more days for a complex inquiry, or time to obtain a needed legal or other third-party opinion. The association may adopt a rule limiting itself to "one written inquiry per unit in any 30-day period," and the statute says it is not intended to override the records statute, RCW 64.90.495. Parallel sections cover older communities (RCW 64.38.185, 64.34.510, and 64.32.360) until they expire on January 1, 2028 (Laws of 2026, ch. 128).

What owners commonly request

People reviewing the association's records often look at:

• The current budget, reserve study, and the seven years of financial statements
• Board and member meeting minutes and notices
• The declaration, bylaws, adopted rules, and the schedule of fines
• Vendor contracts, insurance policies, and bank records
• The assessment ledger and any lien or preforeclosure notices for the unit

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

A note for older communities

The 10-day records rule of RCW 64.90.495 is part of WUCIOA, which fully governs communities created on or after July 1, 2018. Owners in older communities may instead rely on the records provisions of RCW 64.38.045 (HOAs) or RCW 64.34.372 (condos), which make records available "[d]uring reasonable business hours or at a mutually convenient time and location" without setting a number of days, plus the Nonprofit Corporation Act — a question for a licensed Washington attorney. Those older chapters are repealed effective January 1, 2028, when WUCIOA applies to all common interest communities.

What people generally do

For owners seeking Washington records, a few practical points:

• A written request that cites RCW 64.90.495 and identifies the records specifically is the usual starting point.
• The statute sets a 10-day window with a 21-day outer limit.
• Keeping a copy of the request and any response is common practice.
• A licensed Washington attorney is the resource if a refusal appears unjustified or a deadline passes.

Sources

• RCW 64.90.495 — Association records
• RCW 64.38 — Homeowners' Associations
• RCW 64.90.715 — Unit owner inquiries to associations