Washington HOA Fines Calculator — RCW 64.90.525 (WUCIOA), RCW 64.38.020 (HOA Act), RCW 64.34.354 (Condo Act)

No. Washington imposes NO statutory per-day or aggregate dollar cap on HOA or condominium fines under WUCIOA (RCW 64.90.525), the HOA Act (RCW 64.38.020), or the Condo Act (RCW 64.34.354). This distinguishes Washington from North Carolina (N.C.G.S. Sec. 47F-3-107.1: $100/day, $2,000 aggregate), Florida (Fla. Stat. Sec. 720.305: $100/day, $1,000 aggregate), and Virginia (Va. Code Sec. 55.1-1820: $50/day, $250 aggregate). In Washington, the operative limits come from the governing documents — typically the declaration, bylaws, and rules adopted by the board. An association without any fine schedule in its governing documents may still impose fines but must ensure amounts are reasonable and authorized.

WUCIOA (RCW 64.90.525) requires that before imposing a fine, the association provide the unit owner with at least 20 days written notice identifying the violation and an opportunity to cure the violation. If the owner disputes the fine, the association must provide 10 days advance notice of the hearing. This is a stricter notice requirement than most other Washington association acts. Fines imposed without the 20-day cure notice under WUCIOA may be challenged as procedurally invalid. The HOA Act (RCW 64.38) and Condo Act (RCW 64.34) require written notice as specified in the governing documents, but do not set a specific 20-day cure window in the same way as WUCIOA.

If the governing documents do not specify a per-day fine amount or aggregate cap, the board may adopt a fine schedule through a rule or resolution authorized by the declaration or bylaws — the fine schedule is typically not required to be recorded. The fine must be reasonable under Washington law; courts have voided fines that were arbitrary or punitive beyond the association's reasonable enforcement costs. Practitioners recommend that associations adopt a written fine schedule through a properly noticed board meeting and make the schedule available to all owners. Under WUCIOA, any fine schedule adopted in the rules is subject to the RCW 64.90.525 notice requirements.

Yes. Under RCW 64.90.480 (WUCIOA) and parallel provisions of the HOA Act and Condo Act, unpaid fines that constitute a delinquent assessment obligation may be included in an assessment lien on the unit or lot. The association must follow the lien-perfection procedures under the applicable act — typically recording a claim of lien with the county auditor and providing the owner with notice. For WUCIOA associations, the lien-priority rules and super-priority provisions of RCW 64.90.485 may apply, which can create a super-priority interest ahead of a first mortgage for up to six months of assessments (including lawfully imposed fines that constitute assessments).

WUCIOA (RCW 64.90) applies to common-interest communities created after July 1, 2018, and imposes the most detailed procedural requirements: 20-day cure notice before any fine, 10-day hearing notice if disputed. The HOA Act (RCW 64.38) applies to older homeowners associations and requires written notice as specified in governing documents but does not mandate a specific cure window. The Condo Act (RCW 64.34) authorizes the board to impose charges and fines but similarly delegates procedural specifics to the governing documents. WUCIOA's 20-day cure requirement is the most protective of the three; associations subject to WUCIOA who follow only the shorter notice periods of the HOA Act or Condo Act may impose defective fines.