HOA Rules in Washington (2026)
34 rules on the books across Washington, 11 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
Board Procedures
Rules governing HOA board meetings, elections, transparency requirements, and voting procedures for homeowners.
Washington: statewide
StatewideSome RestrictionsWashington requires HOA board meetings to be open to owners and gives owners broad record-access rights. WUCIOA…
Read full rule →Auburn
Some RestrictionsWashington RCW 64.90 (WUCIOA) governs HOA board procedures for associations formed after July 2018. Boards must hold…
Read full rule →Seattle
Some RestrictionsHOAs in Seattle are governed by the Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act (WUCIOA), RCW 64.90. Board…
Read full rule →Architectural Review
Standards and approval processes for exterior modifications including paint colors, additions, fencing, landscaping changes, and solar panel installation.
Bellevue
Heavy RestrictionsBellevue HOAs with architectural review committees must follow CC&R-defined standards and WUCIOA procedures, while…
Read full rule →Federal Way
Some RestrictionsFederal Way HOAs run architectural review through committees under RCW 64.90. Decisions must use written standards…
Read full rule →Kent
Some RestrictionsKent HOAs enforce architectural review through committees. Under RCW 64.90, decisions must be consistent, timely, and…
Read full rule →Kirkland
Some RestrictionsKirkland HOA architectural review committees must follow the governing documents and RCW 64.90 good-faith standards…
Read full rule →Redmond
Some RestrictionsRedmond HOA architectural review follows the declaration under RCW 64.90 or 64.38. Committees must act in good faith…
Read full rule →Renton
Some RestrictionsRenton HOA architectural review must follow RCW 64.90.510 reasonable-standards rules and state preemptions on solar, EV…
Read full rule →Seattle
Some RestrictionsHOA architectural review in Seattle is governed by WUCIOA (RCW 64.90) and each association's declaration and CC&Rs…
Read full rule →Spokane
Some RestrictionsSpokane HOA architectural review committees (ARCs) operate under CC and Rs and must follow reasonable procedures per…
Read full rule →Assessment & Dues
Rules about regular assessments, special assessments, collection procedures, late fees, and what happens when homeowners fall behind on dues.
Washington: statewide
StatewideHeavy RestrictionsWashington has two regimes. Communities created on or after July 1, 2018 fall under WUCIOA (RCW 64.90), whose lien…
Read full rule →Federal Way
Heavy RestrictionsFederal Way HOAs may levy regular and special assessments under RCW 64.90 or 64.38. Unpaid assessments become liens and…
Read full rule →Kent
Heavy RestrictionsKent HOAs may levy regular and special assessments under RCW 64.90 or 64.38. Unpaid assessments become liens and may be…
Read full rule →Kirkland
Heavy RestrictionsKirkland HOA dues, special assessments, and collection procedures follow RCW 64.90, which caps late fees and sets…
Read full rule →Renton
Some RestrictionsRenton HOA dues follow RCW 64.90 (WUCIOA) or RCW 64.38. Budgets are ratified unless a majority of owners reject (RCW…
Read full rule →Seattle
Some RestrictionsHOA assessments in Seattle are governed by WUCIOA (RCW 64.90). Associations must adopt an annual budget and may levy…
Read full rule →Snohomish County
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Snohomish County subdivisions with a homeowners association, SCC 30.41A.675 makes membership and…
Read full rule →Dispute Resolution
Processes for resolving conflicts between homeowners and the HOA board, including mediation requirements, hearing procedures, and state oversight.
Renton
Some RestrictionsRenton HOA disputes are resolved via internal procedures, mediation, or civil court under RCW 64.90 and RCW 64.38…
Read full rule →Seattle
Some RestrictionsWUCIOA (RCW 64.90) provides structured dispute resolution procedures for HOA conflicts in Seattle. Owners and…
Read full rule →Spokane
Some RestrictionsWashington does not have a state HOA regulator. Spokane HOA disputes are resolved through internal procedures…
Read full rule →CC&R Enforcement
How covenants, conditions, and restrictions are enforced, including violation notices, fines, lien authority, and legal remedies available to HOAs and homeowners.
Washington: statewide
StatewideHeavy RestrictionsWashington HOAs may adopt and enforce rules and architectural standards and enforce the recorded declaration. Under…
Read full rule →Kirkland
Heavy RestrictionsKirkland HOAs must enforce CCRs uniformly under RCW 64.90.545 and give written notice, opportunity to cure, and hearing…
Read full rule →Redmond
Heavy RestrictionsRedmond CC&Rs are enforced by the HOA under RCW 64.90 and the declaration. Boards may fine owners after notice and a…
Read full rule →Seattle
Some RestrictionsCC&R enforcement in Seattle HOAs is governed by WUCIOA (RCW 64.90). Associations may impose fines, suspend privileges…
Read full rule →Spokane
Some RestrictionsSpokane HOAs enforce CC and Rs through violation notices, fines, and civil action per governing documents and RCW 64.38…
Read full rule →HOA Fines & Enforcement
Statutory caps on HOA fine amounts, notice-and-hearing requirements before fines can be assessed, and how unpaid fines become liens against the property.
Lien & Foreclosure Limits
What an association must clear before it can foreclose on a home for unpaid assessments: minimum debt thresholds, waiting periods, mandatory notice and payment-plan offers, and the states that bar foreclosure where the debt is fines and late fees rather than assessments.
Board Governance
Governance structure of the HOA (board composition, term lengths, election procedures), open-meeting requirements, and member voting rights under state statutes.
Everett
Some RestrictionsEverett requires certain land divisions to form an incorporated homeowners' association under Everett Municipal Code…
Read full rule →Snohomish County
Some RestrictionsSCC 30.41A.675 requires any homeowners association formed to own and maintain subdivision tracts in unincorporated…
Read full rule →Flag Display Rights
When an association may restrict flags on a lot and when it may not, the federal floor protecting the American flag, and state statutes extending that protection to state, military, and first-responder flags, along with the pole height and placement conditions a board can still impose.
EV Charger Rights
Statutory rights to install an electric vehicle charging station in a deeded or exclusive-use parking space, the approval conditions an association may still attach, and who carries the insurance, electricity cost, maintenance, and removal obligation.
Drought Landscaping Rights
Laws barring an association from requiring live turf or fining a homeowner for a brown lawn during declared drought or water restrictions, and the water-efficient and native landscaping a covenant may not prohibit outright.
Rental Restriction Limits
How far an association may go in banning or capping leasing, grandfathering for owners who already rent, minimum-lease-term and cap-percentage rules, and the member vote thresholds required before a rental amendment binds existing owners.