What Washington requires of the books
From the statutes, as the legal corpus holds them. The verified date is the day the value was last read against the statute's own text.
| Requirement | Value | Statute | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Lien Statute of LimitationsAssessment liens and personal liability for payment are extinguished after 6 years. | 6 years | RCW 64.90.485 (9) | May 22, 2026 |
| Annual Audit ThresholdAnnual assessments at or above this figure require an annual CPA audit that cannot be waived; below it the audit may be waived annually by a majority of non-de… | $100,000 | RCW 64.90.530 (2) | Jul 4, 2026 |
| Budget Distribution Deadline After AdoptionDays after the board adopts a proposed budget within which it must reach every unit owner. The quote is the same text the (1)(a) facts below carry, verbatim. | 30 days | RCW 64.90.525 (1)(a) | Jul 4, 2026 |
| Late Fee Cap (Assessment)During the 15-day standstill period, the maximum late fee is $50 or 5% of the unpaid assessment, whichever is less. | $50 | RCW 64.90.485 (21)(b)(ii)(C) | May 22, 2026 |
| Records Response DeadlineStandard window for the association to produce requested records (extendable to 21 days for size or redaction). | 10 days | RCW 64.90.495 (2)(a)(ii) | May 22, 2026 |
| Records Retention FloorMinimum retention period for financial records, statements, contracts, design materials, and enforcement decisions. | 7 years | RCW 64.90.495 (1)(a) | May 22, 2026 |
| WUCIOA Reserve Study CadenceWashington WUCIOA (RCW 64.90.545(1)) requires the reserve study to be updated annually; at least every third year, the update must be prepared by a reserve stu… | 3 years | RCW 64.90.545 (1) | Aug 12, 2026 |
| Condominium Act Reserve Study CadenceWashington Condominium Act (RCW 64.34.380(3)) requires the association to update the reserve study annually; at least every three years, an updated reserve stu… | 3 years | RCW 64.34.380 (3) | Aug 12, 2026 |
| Reserve Study Update IntervalThe longest interval WUCIOA permits between updated reserve studies. A study older than this is overdue. | 3 years | RCW 64.90.545 (1) | Oct 11, 2026 |
9 of the 27 statutory thresholds the corpus holds for Washington concern the books. The full list, with every citation.
January 1, 2028: WUCIOA reaches every association
On January 1, 2028, every association formed under Washington's older acts comes under the Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act (ESSB 5796, 2024). The rules above stop being a condominium's or a new community's and become every board's: a reserve study updated every year, with a site visit at least every three years (RCW 64.90.545); the budget summary to every owner before the ratification meeting (RCW 64.90.525); seven years of financial records, and ten days to produce them (RCW 64.90.495); an audit where annual assessments reach the threshold (RCW 64.90.530).
Books kept to that standard now are books that do not need rebuilding in 2028. We keep a running account of what the change means for an association's books; ask for it with the read.
What arrives by the 10th
In January, the annual statement package and the CPA's schedules. We never hold signing authority over funds: the board or the manager approves every payment, and we record it.
By city
Each city with at least 25 associations on the public record.
- Seattle 1,419
- Bellevue 922
- Puyallup 440
- Bothell 403
- Vancouver 340
- Lynnwood 306
- Everett 296
- Gig Harbor 275
- Kirkland 240
- Spokane 223
- Olympia 217
- Bellingham 209
- Redmond 197
- Edmonds 184
- Lacey 175
- Tacoma 174
- Arlington 158
- Renton 150
- Kent 138
- Lake Stevens 137
- Snohomish 132
- Oak Harbor 95
- Sammamish 89
- Auburn 88
- Lakewood 88
- Kennewick 85
- Poulsbo 80
- Marysville 72
- Shoreline 71
- Sequim 69
- Anacortes 62
- Federal Way 62
- Mill Creek 62
- Yakima 61
- Mercer Island 54
- Bremerton 52
- Silverdale 52
- Stanwood 51
- Wenatchee 51
- Woodinville 50
- Issaquah 49
- Milton 44
- Friday Harbor 43
- Mount Vernon 43
- Port Orchard 42
- Walla Walla 40
- Kenmore 39
- Richland 39
- Maple Valley 38
- Sumner 37
- Lynden 35
- Mukilteo 34
- Port Townsend 33
- Battle Ground 31
- Chelan 31
- Tukwila 31
- Tumwater 31
- Burien 29
- Ferndale 29
- Monroe 28
- Camas 27
- Lake Tapps 27
- Port Angeles 26