Washington HOA Law Changes 2026: What Every Board Must Know — And How CommunityPay Turns Compliance Into a Competitive Advantage

Effective January 1, 2026, significant changes to Washington state common-interest community law will go into force that will affect every homeowners association (HOA), condominium, and planned community in the state.

These changes stem from the Legislature's adoption of Senate Bill 5129 (SB 5129), which accelerates and expands key provisions of the Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act ("WUCIOA," codified at RCW 64.90) to all common interest communities—well ahead of the previously scheduled 2028 phase-in.

This is a big deal for Washington boards and homeowners. But it is also a big opportunity for associations that adopt best-in-class governance and accounting systems.

What the 2026 WUCIOA Changes Actually Do

WUCIOA was enacted in 2018 to unify and modernize community association law in Washington. Until now, only newer communities formed after July 1, 2018 were fully subject to it, leaving a patchwork of statutes governing older HOAs.

SB 5129 changes that by:

1. Applying core WUCIOA provisions statewide effective January 1, 2026

Communities not previously subject to WUCIOA must now comply with new governance and meeting standards, among other requirements.

2. Standardizing meeting and governance procedures

Boards must follow structured meeting notice rules, open meetings with advance homeowner notification, and extended owner comment periods.

3. Requiring access to board meeting materials for owners

Any written materials provided to board members before a meeting must be made available to owners.

4. Expanding transparency and financial practice expectations

HOAs must implement consistent processes for payment acceptance (including at least one no-fee option) and adopt transparent voting, ballot, and record-keeping practices.

5. Phasing in full WUCIOA compliance by January 1, 2028

By that date, legacy HOA statutes (including RCW 64.38) will be superseded entirely by WUCIOA, making compliance with the unified law non-optional.

Specific Statutory Requirements Taking Effect in 2026

For boards seeking to understand exactly what the law mandates, here are the key provisions:

• 15-minute owner comment requirement under RCW 64.90.445 — Boards must provide at least 15 minutes for owner comments at the start of each board meeting before voting on agenda items

• Open meeting and notice standards under WUCIOA (SB 5129) — All board and committee meetings must be open to unit owners, except properly conducted executive sessions. Standard notice is 14 days, with a 7-day exception for urgent matters

• Fee-free assessment payment method requirement — Associations must offer at least one payment method that does not charge owners a convenience fee

• Owner access to board materials mandated by new statute — Written materials provided to board members before meetings must be available to owners upon request (excluding executive session materials)

• Remote participation requirements permitted under WUCIOA — Remote meeting participation must be allowed even if governing documents did not previously authorize it

Why This Matters for Boards Today

These changes are more than statutory housekeeping. They redefine expectations for how community governance, transparency, and financial operations are carried out in Washington.

Boards that wait risk:

Noncompliance exposure — If governance practices conflict with the new WUCIOA provisions, routine actions like budget approvals, assessments, or architectural decisions could be legally challenged.

Operational chaos — The "day one" application of new rules without standardized processes could lead to meeting confusion, disputes over notice procedures, and inconsistent owner access.

Higher administrative burden — Manual tracking of meeting materials, owner comments, ballots, and financial records under new transparency standards will be far more time-intensive without automated support.

How CommunityPay Helps You Navigate the 2026 Law Shift

CommunityPay is not just a payment platform. It is a statutory-aligned governance and accounting engine built for the new era of HOA compliance.

1. Automated, Audit-Ready Financial Processing

CommunityPay's Policy-Driven Funds-Flow Accounting and double-entry JournalEngine produce:

• Accurate fund segregation (Operating, Reserve, Capital)
• Automated journals per board policy
• Full audit trails that align with increased transparency expectations under RCW 64.90

This simplifies the recordkeeping and reporting requirements boards now face under WUCIOA's governance and financial transparency provisions.

2. Built-In Owner Access and Meeting Support

With CommunityPay:

• Boards can disseminate meeting materials to owners securely and efficiently
• Owner comment or poll results (yes/no, multiple choice) are collected and visualized for transparent reporting
• Scheduled notifications, board packet sharing, and participation tracking are automated

These capabilities directly support the enhanced meeting requirements being applied in 2026 under SB 5129.

3. Compliance Guardrails for Payments

WUCIOA now requires that at least one fee-free assessment payment method be offered to owners.

CommunityPay includes no-fee ACH and compliant payment channels, helping boards meet this requirement with minimal administrative effort.

4. Documented Approval and Governance Workflow

Decisions like vendor approvals, ballots, and financial actions are logged with governance context, making it easier to demonstrate compliance with RCW 64.90 meeting and decision-making provisions.

Learn more about CommunityPay's audit trail capabilities

Don't Wait — Compliance Starts January 1, 2026

The new law's effective date is not a suggestion. It is a hard deadline.

Board and committee operations that are not standardized by then will be out of step with state law, exposing your association to legal risk and homeowner disputes.

Communities that adopt CommunityPay now unlock:

• Peace of mind with policy-aligned operations
• Less manual work for boards and treasurers
• Financial and governance transparency homeowners expect
• A competitive edge in demonstrating fiduciary rigor

Final Thought

Washington's 2026 HOA law changes signal a new standard of transparency, accountability, and consistency for community associations.

Boards that treat these changes as opportunities—not burdens—will be better positioned to protect their community's financial health and homeowner trust.

CommunityPay was built for this moment—and for the next decade of HOA governance in Washington.

Ready to simplify WUCIOA compliance? See how CommunityPay aligns with Washington's new HOA governance requirements—automated financial processing, fee-free payments, and transparent owner access built in.