Oregon HOA Laws: Fines, Foreclosure & Your Rights (2026)
Select your situation below to see what Oregon law actually allows your HOA to do — with the statute, the limits, and your next steps.
Oregon HOA law at a glance
HOA fined me: Written notice + opportunity to be heard. Fine must match a schedule DELIVERED/MAILED to each lot. No dollar cap. Pre-litigation dispute-resolution offer required (10 days to accept). Prevailing-party attorney fees (§ 94.719). UTPA claims possible. (ORS 94.630 · 94.719 (attorney fees) · 646.605 et seq. (UTPA) · 94.778 (solar))
HOA threatens foreclosure / lien: Automatic lien perfected by recorded declaration. Fines/fees/interest enforceable as assessments unless documents say otherwise. Verified notice of claim of lien required before foreclosure suit. Judicial foreclosure. 6-year lien duration. NO super-priority for planned communities. (ORS 94.709 · ORS 100.450(7) (condo notice-priority) · ORS 87.010 procedure)
HOA denied my solar panels: Solar prohibitions void and unenforceable. Only reasonable size/placement/aesthetic rules allowed. EV chargers and family child care protected. (ORS 94.778 · ORS 105.880 · EV charging / family child care protections)
HOA won't show records: Records reasonably available for examination/copying. Annual financial statement to all owners within 90 days of fiscal year end. CPA review required above $75,000 in assessments (300 days) unless waived by 60% vote. Statement of amounts due on request. (ORS 94.670)
HOA raised fees / special assessment: No % cap. Annual financial statement duty; CPA review above $75,000 unless 60% waiver. Separate bank accounts required. Class I/II communities may be only partly covered by the Act. (ORS 94.670 (financials) · ORS 94.570/94.572 (class applicability) · declaration)
HOA restricts renting my home: Restrictions need document authority + proper adoption. Recorded documents public. City short-term-rental ordinances may be stricter. (Declaration/bylaws · ORS ch. 94 amendment procedures · municipal STR rules)
Each citation links to its current official text on the Oregon legislature’s own site (oregonlegislature.gov) — the authoritative source, since laws are amended often.
Beyond Oregon law, federal rules protect two things in every state: U.S. flag display and disability accommodations. EV charging is protected in some states but not all. Choose flag, disability accommodation, or EV charger in the checker above to see those.
Copy the link or email it to yourself so the Oregon statutes are one tap away when the next letter arrives.
Oregon HOA questions
HOA fined me — what does Oregon law say?
Under Oregon’s Planned Community Act, an association may levy reasonable fines only after written notice and an opportunity to be heard — and the fine must be based on a schedule in the declaration or bylaws (or a board resolution) that was actually DELIVERED OR MAILED to each lot. A schedule sitting in board files is not enough; skip that step and the fine is unenforceable. There is no dollar cap. Before either side sues, Oregon requires an offer to use a county dispute resolution program (the other party has 10 days to accept). Two more weapons: ORS 94.719 gives the prevailing party attorney fees in enforcement actions, and deceptive or unconscionable HOA conduct may trigger the Unlawful Trade Practices Act (with fee recovery under ORS 646.638). Protected: solar panels, EV charging stations, family child care, the US flag, satellite dishes.
HOA threatens foreclosure / lien — what does Oregon law say?
An Oregon HOA has an automatic lien on your lot for unpaid assessments — recording the declaration alone perfects it, so no separate filing is needed — and unless your declaration says otherwise, fees, late charges, FINES, and interest are enforceable as assessments. Before suing to foreclose, the association must record a verified notice of claim of lien. Foreclosure is judicial, following construction-lien procedure, and the lien lasts up to six years from each assessment’s due date. Good news: Oregon grants NO general super-priority ahead of your first mortgage, and planned communities get none at all. (Condominiums have a narrow, notice-triggered priority under ORS 100.450(7) requiring 90 days’ written warning to the lender.) The association can also just sue for a money judgment.
HOA denied my solar panels — what does Oregon law say?
Oregon voids solar bans as a matter of public policy. A declaration or bylaw provision prohibiting an owner from installing or using solar panels on the roof or other exterior portion of their building is void and unenforceable (ORS 94.778), and a conveyance prohibiting solar energy systems is likewise void (ORS 105.880). Associations may impose only reasonable size, placement, or aesthetic requirements. EV charging stations and family child care are separately protected.
HOA won't show records — what does Oregon law say?
Oregon imposes detailed financial and records duties (ORS 94.670). The association must keep detailed financial records and make all records reasonably available for examination and copying by owners. Within 90 days after fiscal year end the board must distribute an annual financial statement (balance sheet plus income and expense statement) to every owner. Associations with annual assessments over $75,000 must generally have that statement reviewed by an independent Oregon CPA within 300 days — owners can waive the review only by a 60% vote. You may also demand a written statement of amounts due, late charges, and the interest rate.
Is this legal advice?
No. Everything here is general legal information for education. How a statute applies to you depends on your governing documents and facts we can’t see. For a dispute involving your money or your home, talk to a licensed Oregon attorney. Read the full disclaimer.
Moving, or own property nearby? Compare neighboring states
HOA powers change sharply at state lines — a fine that’s capped in one state may be unlimited next door. Same six situations, different rules: