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 free account includes the compliance calendar pre-loaded. Customize it for your community, set the reminders, stop missing items.