Tennessee HOA Laws: Fines, Foreclosure & Your Rights (2026)
Select your situation below to see what Tennessee law actually allows your HOA to do — with the statute, the limits, and your next steps.
Tennessee HOA law at a glance
HOA fined me: No HOA fine statute or cap — covenants control. Nonprofit meeting/notice/voting rules apply. No state HOA regulator. Political signs protected; flag and satellite dishes protected. (Tenn. Code Title 48 (nonprofit) · § 66-27-201 et seq. (condos) · § 2-7-143(b)(2) (political signs))
HOA threatens foreclosure / lien: No HOA-specific foreclosure statute. Condominiums: statutory lien + foreclosure after proper notice. Covenants control for planned communities. Non-judicial foreclosure possible where documents allow. (Covenants (HOA liens) · Tenn. Code § 66-27-415 (condo liens) · general foreclosure law)
HOA denied my solar panels: Covenants control solar approvals. Denials may be enforceable. No statutory override or appeal. (No Tennessee HOA solar statute · covenants control)
HOA won't show records: Nonprofit inspection rights (written demand, proper purpose). Recorded declarations public. Corporate filings via Secretary of State. Internal rules often not public. (Tenn. Code Title 48 (nonprofit records) · § 66-27-201 et seq. (condo records) · county recording)
HOA raised fees / special assessment: No % cap. Documents control increases. Nonprofit meeting/voting rules. Records inspection to audit. (Covenants · Tenn. Code Title 48 (voting) · § 66-27-201 et seq. (condo budgets))
HOA restricts renting my home: No statewide HOA rental statute. Restrictions need covenant authority + proper adoption. The STR Act limits local governments, not associations. (Covenants control · Tenn. Code § 13-7-602 (STR Act — binds local governments, not HOAs))
Each citation opens a search for the exact statute so you can read the current official text — laws are amended often, and the legislature’s own site is always the authority.
Beyond Tennessee 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 Tennessee statutes are one tap away when the next letter arrives.
Tennessee HOA questions
HOA fined me — what does Tennessee law say?
Tennessee has no comprehensive HOA statute setting fine limits or procedures — legislation has been proposed but not enacted. Fining authority, amounts, and notice come from your recorded covenants. Because nearly all associations are nonprofit corporations, the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act (Title 48) supplies meeting, notice, and voting rules the board must follow. Condominiums created after January 1, 2009 fall under the Tennessee Condominium Act. One clear statutory protection: the Tennessee Freedom of Speech Act bars HOAs from restricting political or campaign signs on a member’s private property (reasonable size and placement rules allowed). Satellite dishes and the US flag are federally protected.
HOA threatens foreclosure / lien — what does Tennessee law say?
For most Tennessee HOAs there is no statutory foreclosure procedure — lien and foreclosure authority must come from the recorded covenants. Condominium associations are different: under the Condominium Act they have clearer statutory lien authority and can pursue foreclosure for unpaid assessments (and, per the documents, unpaid fines) once proper notice is given. Tennessee is a deed-of-trust state where non-judicial foreclosure is common, so read your documents carefully.
HOA denied my solar panels — what does Tennessee law say?
Tennessee has no solar-access statute overriding HOA restrictions — your covenants and architectural rules control approvals, and denials can be enforceable. Political signs are protected by statute, but solar is not.
HOA won't show records — what does Tennessee law say?
Your reliable right comes from corporate law: as a member of a nonprofit corporation you may inspect the association’s books, records, and meeting minutes under Title 48 on written demand for a proper purpose. Declarations are recorded with the county register of deeds and are public; corporate filings are searchable through the Tennessee Secretary of State. Condominium associations carry additional records duties under the Condominium Act.
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 Tennessee 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: