Reserve study

(1) Unless exempt under subsection (2) of this section, an association must prepare and update a reserve study in accordance with this chapter. An initial reserve study must be prepared by a reserve study professional and based upon either a reserve study professional's visual site inspection of completed improvements or a review of plans and specifications of or for unbuilt improvements, or both when construction of some but not all of the improvements is complete. An updated reserve study must be prepared annually. An updated reserve study must be prepared at least every third year by a reserve study professional and based upon a visual site inspection conducted by the reserve study professional. (2) Unless the governing documents require otherwise, subsection (1) of this section does not apply: (a) To common interest communities containing units that are restricted in the declaration to nonresidential use; (b) To common interest communities that have only nominal reserve costs; (c) To common interest communities consisting only of middle housing as defined under RCW 36.70A.030 that do not or will not in the future require the construction, operation, and maintenance on-site of any reserve component to manage wastewater and protect health and safety and ground and service waters; or (d) When the cost of the reserve study or update exceeds 10 percent of the association's annual budget. (3) The governing documents may impose greater requirements on the board. [ 2026 c 96 s 5 ; 2018 c 277 s 330 .]