Your Essential Annual HOA Compliance Checklist

Self-managed boards miss compliance items not because they don't care — but because the list lives in a stack of statutes, vendor emails, and one person's memory. This month-by-month checklist covers the recurring items that catch communities off guard.

Every state's HOA law is different — and federal items (1099s, fair-housing) overlay on top. Treat this as a starting point. Confirm specifics with your governing documents and, where the dollar amounts get serious, an attorney who knows your state's HOA statute.

January

• Annual budget adoption — assuming you published it in December. Vote it in, record the vote in minutes.
• Property insurance renewal review — most policies renew in January. Confirm coverage on common areas, check D&O liability is current, get one comparison quote even if you stay with your current carrier.
• 1099-NEC filings for vendors you paid $600+ during the prior year. Due to vendors by January 31, to the IRS by January 31 (electronic) or February 28 (paper).
• State HOA registration renewal if your state requires it (TX, FL, CO, VA, NV, others). Most are due in the first quarter.

February

• Year-end financial close — finalize prior-year financials, run an income statement and balance sheet, share with the board.
• Prior-year audit or review if your governing documents require one above a revenue threshold. Engage the CPA now even if the work runs through March.
• Reserve fund check — compare current reserves to the reserve study's target. If you're under, that's a board discussion before the AGM, not at it.

March

• Tax preparation — most HOAs file Form 1120-H (HOA election) or 1120 (corporate). Due April 15. Get the documents to the CPA in March, not April 10.
• Spring property walkthrough — visible exterior violations are easier to address before summer parties start. One pass, photo every issue, send notices the same week.
• Annual General Meeting prep — if your AGM is in Q2, the notice typically has to go out 30+ days before. Lock the date.

April

• Tax return filing — Form 1120-H or 1120 due April 15 (federal). State tax forms vary.
• AGM notice mailing if AGM is in May. Check your bylaws for the required notice period and method (some require certified mail).
• Pool / amenity vendor contracts — pool opens in May or June; lifeguard contracts, chemical service, repairs need to be signed in April.

May

• Annual General Meeting for most communities. Quorum, motions, minutes within 14 days.
• Board elections if terms align with the AGM. New board orientation should follow within 30 days.
• Officer transitions — if president/treasurer/secretary roles changed, transfer of records, bank account signatories, and email accounts happens this month.

June

• Mid-year budget review — compare YTD spending to budget. Any line item more than 25% over plan needs a written explanation in the minutes.
• Reserve transfer — many boards move the second half of the year's reserve contribution to the reserve account on July 1 schedule. Set it now.

July

• Vendor performance review at the half-year mark. Landscape, snow removal contracts (if applicable for the next winter), HVAC service contracts.
• Insurance mid-year check — any changes in property value, common-area improvements, or claims that affect renewal pricing in January.

August

• Architectural review backlog clean-up — summer is when residents do exterior projects. Don't let approvals stack up; respond within the timeframe in your governing documents (often 30–60 days).
• Next-year budget kick-off — by August/September, the treasurer should be drafting next year's operating budget. Start with the prior year's actuals plus known increases.

September

• Budget draft circulated to the board for review. Get questions and adjustments now, not at the December meeting.
• Winter prep contracts — snow removal, heating system service, gutter cleaning. Locked in before everyone else's contracts hit.

October

• Budget finalized — board approves the draft for distribution to residents.
• Election prep if you have a fall election cycle.

November

• Annual budget published to residents, 30+ days before the adoption vote. State the proposed dues, what changed from this year, why.
• Year-end accounting close-out plan — confirm with bank when statements close, schedule reconciliation for early January.

December

• Vendor 1099 prep — pull a list of every vendor you've paid $600+ to during the year. Get W-9s now from any vendors you don't have one on file for.
• Records retention review — anything past your retention period (often 7 years for financials) can be archived. Documents you'll need for next year stay accessible.
• AGM holiday note to residents — community updates, upcoming budget vote, any holiday-relevant rule reminders (parking, decorations, noise).

The pattern behind the calendar

Most of these items aren't hard. They're just predictable. The boards that miss them aren't lazy — they're overloaded, and the items fall off when nobody's prompting them. State law stacks its own deadlines on top: Florida boards should start with the Chapter 720 compliance guide, Georgia boards with the SB 406 guide.

That's the case for moving compliance into a system that prompts you instead of one you have to remember. Whether that's a shared spreadsheet your whole board sees, a calendar with reminders, or a purpose-built platform — the difference between an HOA that meets its compliance obligations and one that doesn't is almost never effort. It's the prompt.

The Good HOA 14-day free trial includes the compliance calendar pre-loaded. Customize it for your community, set the reminders, stop missing items.