Skip to main content
CityRuleLookup

San Bernardino County, CA HOA Rules: Dispute Resolution (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified April 2026

Key Facts

IDR Required Under
IDR required under Civil Code 5900-5925
ADR Required Before
ADR required before litigation over $10,000 or injunctive
Request for Resolution
Request for Resolution must be served with 30 day response
Failure to Participate
Failure to participate forfeits attorney fees
Small Claims Under
Small Claims under $10,000 exempt from ADR

Summary

California Civil Code 5900-5965 requires HOAs in San Bernardino County to offer internal dispute resolution (IDR) and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) before filing litigation over most disputes.

City-specific rules exist: Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana, and Victorville have their own dispute resolution rules that differ from San Bernardino County's county-level regulations. If you live in one of those cities, check the city-specific page instead.

5850.

(a) If an association adopts or has adopted a policy imposing any monetary penalty, including any fee, on any association member for a violation of the governing documents, including any monetary penalty relating to the activities of a guest or tenant of the member, the board shall adopt and distribute to each member, in the annual policy statement prepared pursuant to Section 5310, a schedule of the monetary penalties that may be assessed for those violations, which shall be in accordance with authorization for member discipline contained in the governing documents. Monetary penalties shall be reasonable.

(b) Any new or revised monetary penalty that is adopted after complying with subdivision (a) may be included in a supplement that is delivered to the members individually, pursuant to Section 4040.

(c) A monetary penalty for a violation of the governing documents shall not exceed the lesser of the following:

(1) The monetary penalty stated in the schedule of monetary penalties or supplement that is in effect at the time of the violation.

(2) One hundred dollars ($100) per violation.

(d) (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (c), the board may impose a penalty stated in the schedule of monetary penalties or supplement that is in effect at the time of the violation that is greater than one hundred dollars ($100) per violation, if the violation may result in an adverse health or safety impact on the common area or another association member’s property.

(2) Before imposing a penalty on a violation pursuant to this subdivision, the board shall make a written finding specifying the adverse health or safety impact in a board meeting open to the members.

(e) A late charge or interest shall not be charged to a member for a monetary penalty.

(f) An association shall provide a copy of the most recently distributed schedule of monetary penalties, along with any applicable supplements to that schedule, to any member upon request. (Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 22, Sec. 3. (AB 130) Effective June 30, 2025.) 5855.

(a) When the board is to meet to consider or impose discipline upon a member, or to impose a monetary charge as a means of reimbursing the association for costs incurred by the association in the repair of damage to the common area and facilities caused by a member or the member’s guest or tenant, the board shall notify the member in writing, by either personal delivery or individual delivery pursuant to Section 4040, at least 10 days prior to the meeting.

(b) The notification shall contain, at a minimum, the date, time, and place of the meeting, the nature of the alleged violation for which a member may be disciplined or the nature of the damage to the common area and facilities for which a monetary charge may be imposed, and a statement that the member has a right to attend and may address the board at the meeting. The board shall meet in executive session if requested by the member.

(c) A member shall have the opportunity to cure the violation prio

Source: California Civil Code 5900-5965View official code

Full Breakdown

California Civil Code sections 5900 through 5965 establish a mandatory two-tier dispute resolution framework for HOAs in San Bernardino County covering master-planned communities in Chino Hills, Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana, Victorville, and surrounding areas. Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR) under Civil Code 5900 through 5925 requires HOAs to maintain a fair, reasonable, and expeditious process allowing members to request meetings with board representatives to resolve disputes informally. IDR meetings must be offered in good faith and any written agreement reached is binding. Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) under Civil Code 5925 through 5965 requires parties to offer mediation or other ADR before filing enforcement actions for injunctive relief, declaratory relief, or monetary damages over $10,000.

A Request for Resolution must be served and the recipient has 30 days to respond. Failure to participate in ADR can result in denied attorney fees even to the prevailing party. Civil Code 5975 allows recovery of attorney fees to the prevailing party in CC&R enforcement actions. Small Claims Court is an alternative for disputes under $10,000 and is not subject to IDR/ADR prerequisites.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to go to mediation before suing my HOA?
Yes, for most disputes involving injunctive relief or damages over $10,000 you must offer ADR and wait 30 days before filing suit under Civil Code 5930.
Can I take my HOA to Small Claims Court?
Yes, for disputes under $10,000 including assessment disputes or small damage claims. Small Claims is exempt from the pre-litigation ADR requirement.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in San Bernardino County

All San Bernardino County rules

California rules heatmap·Compare San Bernardino County to another location·View the California hoa rules overview

Get notified when Dispute Resolution in San Bernardino County, CA changes

We'll email you the moment we detect a change in the code. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We'll never sell or share your email. One-click unsubscribe in every email.

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.

Dispute Resolution in Cities Across San Bernardino County