New HOA Laws Taking Effect January 1, 2027

At a glance: what changes on January 1, 2027

California: nine Davis-Stirling changes

California passed the most changes. All nine bills below were chaptered by the Secretary of State in August or September 2026 as regular (non-urgency) statutes, which under the state constitution take effect on January 1 of the following year. They amend the Davis-Stirling Act in the Civil Code.

Management fees: AB 739

Once a year the board must review a statement of all fees the managing agent charged, split into base management fees, charges from the fee schedule and reimbursable expenses, with the number of homes and the total billed and paid (Civil Code section 5500). The statement becomes an association record that members can inspect. Before January: ask your manager to produce it in this format and put the review on a board agenda.

Official bill page: AB 739, California Legislature.

Utility outages and election notices: AB 1892

The association must restore interrupted gas, heat, water or electrical service when the interruption begins in the common area (section 4775). For elections by acclamation, the first notice moves to at least 30 days before the nomination deadline and the reminder to at least 10 days before it, and the 30-day individual notice for an electronic secret ballot now goes only to members voting electronically. Before January: update your election rules and 2027 election calendar.

Official bill page: AB 1892, California Legislature.

Electric appliances, heat pumps, cooling and windows: SB 222, AB 1684, SB 908

Three bills void common architectural rules. SB 222 (new section 4737) voids any rule that prevents replacing a gas appliance with a code-compliant electric one, or that effectively blocks heat-pump water heaters or heat-pump heating and cooling. AB 1684 (new section 4738) voids rules that prohibit or restrict a code-compliant cooling system, including window and portable air conditioners, evaporative coolers and fans, and a willful violation can cost the association a civil penalty of up to $2,000 per member plus fees. SB 908 (new section 4754) voids rules that block an owner's window replacement, keeps reasonable installation rules and some aesthetic rules, and treats an application not decided in writing within 45 days as approved.

Official bill page for the electric appliance rule: SB 222, California Legislature.

Official bill page for the cooling rule: AB 1684, California Legislature.

Official bill page for the window rule: SB 908, California Legislature.

EV chargers, ADUs and senior housing: SB 1267, AB 956, AB 2035

SB 1267 makes the owner of a common-area EV charger, and each later owner, responsible for damage caused by using it, not only by installing it (section 4745). AB 956 extends the protection for ADUs and junior ADUs to lots zoned to allow single-family homes (section 4751). AB 2035 lets a court approve a lower vote threshold for amending the CC&Rs of qualifying senior housing developments whose declaration is at least 35 years old.

Official bill page for EV chargers: SB 1267, California Legislature.

Official bill page for ADUs: AB 956, California Legislature.

Reserves: AB 2050, enacted now, operative in 2032

AB 2050 adds minimum reserve contribution rules to the reserve study (sections 5550 and 5552), but its key section says it becomes operative on January 1, 2032. If reserves are projected to fall below zero within 30 years, at least 15% of the gross budget will have to go to reserves each year. Nothing changes in 2027, but boards with thin reserves have five budget cycles to plan for it.

Official bill page: AB 2050, California Legislature.

For the rules that apply today, see California HOA laws: a Davis-Stirling guide.

Illinois: collection policy, financials and first responder vehicles

Public Act 104-0734 says an association, or anyone it assigns the debt to, may not take legal action to collect common expenses unless it has adopted and follows a written collection policy. The policy must state due dates, when an account is delinquent, late fees and interest, returned-check charges, payment plan terms, when an account goes to a lawyer, how payments are applied and the remedies available, and it must be included in resale disclosures. It covers both the Common Interest Community Association Act and the Condominium Property Act.

Public Act 104-0797 requires year-end financial information to be sent electronically to members who have agreed to it, and requires a board website with meeting information and approved minutes by January 1, 2028. Public Act 104-0580 voids rules that treat a marked police or fire vehicle of 12,000 pounds or less, assigned to an officer or firefighter, as a banned commercial vehicle.

Official text: Public Act 104-0734, Illinois General Assembly.

Writing your policy? Start with how to write an HOA collection policy.

Georgia: annual registration for every owners' association

Senate Bill 406, the Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act, takes effect on January 1, 2027 except for one section that started July 1, 2026. Owners' associations, including condominium associations, must register with the Secretary of State and renew every year. An association that is not registered may not collect fines or fees, file liens or start foreclosure. The act also sets out owner rights, such as access to three years of accounting records, creates a state review process for complaints, and changes the minimum debt needed before a lien can be foreclosed.

Official bill page: SB 406, Georgia General Assembly.

Minnesota: fine and late fee caps, rule notice and bids

Chapter 82 of the 2026 Minnesota session laws, signed on May 12, 2026, rewrites parts of the Minnesota Common Interest Ownership Act. Its main sections say they are effective January 1, 2027 and apply to association actions on or after that date.

• Fines are capped at $100 for a single violation unless owners holding a majority of the votes approve more, with exceptions for repeat conduct.
• Late fees are capped at the greater of $20 or 5% of the amount owed.
• Owners get 21 days' notice and a chance to comment before the board adopts, changes or repeals a rule.
• Director terms are capped at three years and staggered.
• Contracts over $50,000 need at least three written bids.
• No foreclosure unless the debt is more than three months delinquent.

Official text: Laws of Minnesota 2026, chapter 82.

Virginia, Colorado and Tennessee

Virginia: 2026 Acts chapters 393 and 394 rewrite the Virginia Nonstock Corporation Act, which governs most associations that are incorporated. From January 1, 2027, where the declaration or condominium instruments conflict with the articles or bylaws on member liability for dues, or on membership, resignation or suspension, the declaration controls (section 13.1-814.1). Member record requests under the corporation law move to 10 business days' notice. The Property Owners' Association Act and Condominium Act records rules still apply on their own.

Official code text: Virginia Code Title 13.1, Chapter 10.

Colorado: HB26-1007 took effect in August 2026, but its HOA section starts on January 1, 2027. From then, a covenant that unreasonably restricts a portable-scale (plug-in or balcony) solar device is void, though reasonable safety and notice rules are allowed.

For every other Colorado rule, see Colorado HOA laws and statutes (CCIOA).

Tennessee: Public Chapter 731 requires any HOA or condominium association that collects assessments to carry a blanket fidelity bond against theft by officers, directors, employees and the managing agent, covering the reserve balance plus one quarter of annual assessment income, with a $10,000 minimum. The official bill page lists January 1, 2027 among its effective dates; confirm the exact date with your insurance broker or lawyer when you get a quote.

Official bill page: SB 2326, Tennessee General Assembly.

Florida, Texas and the rest: nothing verified for January 1

We found no HOA or condo law change dated January 1, 2027 in Florida, Texas, North Carolina or Nevada. Florida's laws usually start on July 1, and Texas had no regular session in 2026. Some nearby dates people confuse with this one:

• Washington: the Common Interest Ownership Act (RCW 64.90) applies to all communities, and the older acts are repealed, on January 1, 2028.
• British Columbia: first strata depreciation reports are due before July 1, 2026 in Metro Vancouver, the Capital and the Fraser Valley regional districts, and before July 1, 2027 elsewhere.
• California AB 2050: reserve contribution rules operative January 1, 2032.
• Illinois: the board website requirement starts January 1, 2028.

For the BC deadline, see BC strata depreciation report guide.

Checklist before January 1, 2027

1. Find your state above and read the official bill text through the link.
2. Review architectural rules (California) and fine, late fee and rule-making procedures (Minnesota) against the new limits.
3. Adopt or update a written collection policy (Illinois), and check it against your state's rules if you are elsewhere.
4. Register the association with the Secretary of State before January 1 (Georgia).
5. Get a fidelity bond quote sized to the formula (Tennessee).
6. Put any needed policy changes on the next board agenda and minute the vote.
7. Tell owners what changed in one short notice.