1. Introduction

Washington layers its rules for common-interest communities rather than gathering them under a single HOA code. The Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act, RCW ch. 64.90, governs communities that came into existence on or after July 1, 2018, and it also reaches older communities that vote to opt in.^1,2

For condominiums, the creation date still decides everything. RCW ch. 64.34 applies to condominiums created after July 1, 1990, while RCW ch. 64.32 continues to govern the older projects that came before.^3,4

Noncondominium homeowners' associations formed before the WUCIOA transition still answer to RCW ch. 64.38, though certain WUCIOA provisions now reach those pre-2018 communities as well.⁵ Chapter 64.90 sweeps in common-interest communities, condominiums included, and chapter 64.38 defines a homeowners' association through member ownership and the costs neighbors share for common property.^6,7

HOA disputes typically start in superior court. From there, parties may appeal to the Washington Court of Appeals, and the Washington Supreme Court may take a further look.⁸ Washington's statutes do not name a dedicated HOA regulator. The Department of Licensing handles real estate brokerage licensing, and the Attorney General's Consumer Resource Center receives consumer complaints.^9,10

Recent signed bills covering resale certificates, owner inquiries, foreclosure mediation, wildfire hardening, and WUCIOA itself put Washington firmly on the list of active HOA legislative states.^11,12,13,14

2. Primary statute and key resources

• Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act, RCW ch. 64.90. This chapter pulls common-interest communities into a single framework for any community formed after July 1, 2018, and for older communities that choose to opt in.¹⁵
• Washington Condominium Act, RCW ch. 64.34, and Horizontal Property Regimes Act, RCW ch. 64.32. The condominium's creation date decides which chapter governs the project.¹⁶
• Washington Courts, appellate and trial courts. HOA appeals climb from superior court to the Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court can step in for further review.¹⁷
• Washington Department of Licensing, real estate brokers and managing brokers. DOL licensing matters whenever association management crosses into licensed brokerage work.¹⁸
• Washington Attorney General, consumer complaint portal. The office runs an informal resolution process for Washington consumers and businesses.¹⁹

Footnotes

1. Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.90.360, Applicability to common interest communities ↩
2. Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.90.370, Preexisting common interest communities ↩
3. Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.34.010, Application of chapter 64.34 RCW ↩
4. Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.32.020, Application of Horizontal Property Regimes Act ↩
5. Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.38.095, Application to common interest communities ↩
6. Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.90.010, Definitions ↩
7. Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.38.010, Homeowners' association definition ↩
8. Washington Courts, Appellate and Trial Courts ↩
9. Washington Department of Licensing, Real Estate Brokers ↩
10. Washington Attorney General, File a Consumer Complaint ↩
11. Washington State Legislature, HB 1500 Bill Summary, 2025-26 ↩
12. Washington State Legislature, HB 1501 Bill Summary, 2025-26 ↩
13. Washington State Legislature, SB 5686 Bill Summary, 2025-26 ↩
14. Washington State Legislature, SB 6054 Bill Summary, 2025-26 ↩
15. Washington State Legislature, Chapter 64.90 RCW, Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act ↩
16. Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.34.010, Condominium Act application ↩
17. Washington Courts, Appellate and Trial Courts ↩
18. Washington Department of Licensing, Managing Brokers ↩
19. Washington Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division ↩
20. Washington State Legislature, SB 5686 Bill Summary, 2025-26 ↩
21. E2SSB 5686 Session Law, Chapter 393, Laws of 2025 ↩
22. E2SSB 5686 Session Law, association foreclosure notice and mediation provisions ↩
23. Washington State Legislature, SB 5686 Bill Summary, official bill page ↩
24. Washington State Legislature, HB 1500 Bill Summary, 2025-26 ↩
25. ESHB 1500 Session Law, Chapter 194, Laws of 2026 ↩
26. ESHB 1500 Session Law, resale certificate timing, fee, and purchaser provisions ↩
27. Washington State Legislature, HB 1500 Bill Summary, official bill page ↩
28. Washington State Legislature, HB 1501 Bill Summary, 2025-26 ↩
29. EHB 1501 Session Law, Chapter 128, Laws of 2026 ↩
30. EHB 1501 Session Law, substantive response, rules, fees, and expiration provisions ↩
31. Washington State Legislature, HB 1501 Bill Summary, official bill page ↩
32. Washington State Legislature, SB 6054 Bill Summary, 2025-26 ↩
33. SSB 6054 Session Law, Chapter 180, Laws of 2026 ↩
34. SSB 6054 Session Law, retroactivity and unenforceability provisions ↩
35. Washington State Legislature, SB 6054 Bill Summary, official bill page ↩
36. Washington Court of Appeals, Division II, Landesberg v. Fairway Village Homeowners Association, No. 57740-2-II ↩
37. Landesberg v. Fairway Village Homeowners Association, published opinion holding ↩
38. Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.38.034, Political yard signs ↩
39. Washington Supreme Court, Copper Creek (Marysville) Homeowners Ass'n v. Kurtz, No. 100918-6 ↩
40. Copper Creek opinion, HOA assessment lien and lien priority discussion ↩
41. Copper Creek opinion, secured-interest and limitations analysis ↩
42. Washington Department of Commerce, Foreclosure Fairness Program ↩
43. Washington Department of Commerce, association foreclosure resources and notice templates ↩
44. EHB 1501 Session Law, January 1, 2028 expiration provisions ↩
45. E2SSB 5686 Session Law, January 1, 2028 expiration provisions ↩
46. Washington State Legislature, HB 2354 Bill Summary, 2025-26 ↩
47. Washington State Legislature, HB 1500 Bill Summary, 2025-26 ↩
48. Washington State Legislature, HB 1501 Bill Summary, 2025-26 ↩
49. Washington State Legislature, SB 6054 Bill Summary, 2025-26 ↩
50. U.S. Department of Justice, The Fair Housing Act ↩
51. ADA.gov, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, As Amended ↩
52. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Regulation F, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ↩
53. U.S. Department of Justice, Servicemembers Civil Relief Act resources ↩
54. Federal Communications Commission, Over-the-Air Reception Devices Rule ↩