Alabama HOA & condo compliance, with the statute behind every deadline
Alabama is a genuine three-act state. A condominium created after January 1, 1991 answers to the current Uniform Condominium Act (Chapter 8A); one created on or before that date answers mostly to the older Chapter 8 instead, with a named list of current-Act sections reaching back onto it. A non-condominium Alabama HOA — what the state calls a planned community — answers to a completely separate law, the Homeowners' Association Act (Chapter 20), which only fully applies to a development whose declaration was recorded on or after January 1, 2016 (an older association is covered only if its members voted to opt in). GnomeOwner's compliance calendar tracks duties from both tracks, and shows the exact statute sentence behind each one, not just a due date.
This page covers both: a condominium's own duties, and the separate Homeowners' Association Act duties a non-condominium Alabama community owes.
Alabama's condominium law depends on a single date: January 1, 1991
A condominium created after January 1, 1991 is governed by Chapter 8A in full. One created on or before that date is governed instead by the older Chapter 8, except that 13 specifically named Chapter 8A sections — covering things like association records, resales, and eminent domain — reach back and bind it too, but only for events happening after 1991. There's one more wrinkle: a condominium of four units or fewer can be created under EITHER chapter, whichever its own declaration elects — a one-time choice made at formation, not a size-based default. Confirm your own declaration's recording date and chapter election with your attorney if you're not sure which side of this line your condominium falls on.
“This chapter applies to all condominiums created within this state after January 1, 1991. ... apply to all condominiums created in this state before January 1, 1991; but those sections apply only with respect to events and circumstances occurring after January 1, 1991”
A few of the duties GnomeOwner tracks for Alabama condominium associations under the Uniform Condominium Act of 1991 (or its pre-1991 predecessor) and non-condominium planned communities under the Alabama Homeowners' Association Act
Every deadline here shows you the exact sentence of the statute it comes from, so you — or your attorney — can check it in seconds.
Hold the annual association meeting
At least once each year; the exact date is set by the bylaws.
Applies to an Alabama condominium created after January 1, 1991, or one of 4 units or fewer whose declaration elected the current Act — a condominium created on or before that date (that didn't so elect) is governed by the older Chapter 8 for this duty instead.
“A meeting of the association must be held at least once each year.”
Give notice and a chance to be heard before levying a fine
Before levying a fine for a violation of the declaration, bylaws, or rules and regulations, give the unit owner notice and an opportunity to be heard.
Your board is considering levying a fine against a unit owner for a violation of the declaration, bylaws, or rules and regulations.
“Impose against owners of units charges for late payment of assessments and, after notice and an opportunity to be heard, levy reasonable fines for violations of the declaration, bylaws, and rules and regulations of the association;”
Maintain property and liability insurance
Commencing no later than the first conveyance of a unit to someone other than the declarant, keep in force, to the extent reasonably available: property insurance on the common elements for at least 80% of actual cash value; and liability insurance, including medical payments coverage, for occurrences arising from use, ownership, or maintenance of the common elements.
Applies to an Alabama condominium created after January 1, 1991, or one of 4 units or fewer whose declaration elected the current Act — a condominium created on or before that date (that didn't so elect) is governed by the older Chapter 8 for this duty instead.
“Commencing not later than the time of the first conveyance of a unit to a person other than a declarant, the association shall maintain, to the extent reasonably available:”
Keep financial records and make them available to owners
Keep financial records detailed enough to comply with Alabama's resale-certificate requirements, and make all financial and other records reasonably available for examination by any unit owner and their authorized agents, in the county where the condominium is located.
“The association shall keep financial records sufficiently detailed to enable the association to comply with Section 35-8A-409. All financial and other records shall be made reasonably available for examination by any unit owner and his or her authorized agents and such records shall be made available in the county where the condominium is located.”
File bylaws and covenants with the Alabama Secretary of State
No specific deadline stated in the Act — file your bylaws (or other governing documents) and your original covenants, conditions, or restrictions with the Secretary of State once your association is organized under Chapter 20.
Applies to an Alabama planned community whose declaration was recorded on or after January 1, 2016, or an older community whose members voted by majority to be governed by the Homeowners' Association Act.
“In addition or supplemental to any other filing required in Chapter 3 of Title 10A, a homeowners’ association shall file the following documents with the Secretary of State: a. Bylaws or other governing documents of the association. b. The original covenants, conditions, or restrictions adopted by the association.”
Give notice of the initial board-election meeting (120 days)
Within 120 days of the date members gain the right (under the declaration or other governing documents) to elect a board of directors, give written notice of a special membership meeting for the purpose of electing a board — the notice must state that its purpose is electing the board, allow member nominations on the written consent of at least 10% of the membership (unless the governing documents provide otherwise), and name the existing directors and any who may continue serving.
Applies to an Alabama planned community whose declaration was recorded on or after January 1, 2016, or an older community whose members voted by majority to be governed by the Homeowners' Association Act. Your community's members have just gained the right, under the declaration or governing documents, to elect a board of directors for the first time.
“Within 120 days of the date the members have the right to elect a board of directors pursuant to the declaration or other governing documents of the association to elect a board of directors, the declarant shall give written notice pursuant to Section 10A-3-2.03 of a special meeting of the membership for the purpose of electing a board of directors.”
Fix the assessment due date at an annual meeting
At an annual meeting, held after giving notice as required by Title 10A Chapter 3, fix and determine the date each assessment is due.
Applies to an Alabama planned community whose declaration was recorded on or after January 1, 2016, or an older community whose members voted by majority to be governed by the Homeowners' Association Act.
“an association shall have, and there is declared, a lien on every lot for unpaid assessments levied against that lot arising on and from the date the assessment is due as fixed and determined by the board of directors at an annual meeting after giving notice as provided in Chapter 3 of Title 10A.”
Furnish records to a member or potential purchaser (30 days)
Within a reasonable time not to exceed 30 days of a member's or potential purchaser's written request, and on payment of reasonable costs, provide (or direct them to the public-record location of) the specified records — including current assessments, the operating budget and any reserves, a statement of financial condition, insurance coverage, association loans, current officer/agent contact information, current covenants and architectural rules, any transfer fees, and pending lawsuits or liens.
Applies to an Alabama planned community whose declaration was recorded on or after January 1, 2016, or an older community whose members voted by majority to be governed by the Homeowners' Association Act.
“A homeowners’ association subject to this chapter shall maintain records and information to be made available to each member or potential purchaser, upon written request, within a reasonable time not to exceed 30 days from the date of the request, and upon the payment of reasonable associated costs.”
Every item above is drafted from Alabama’s statute text and shown beside the exact sentence it comes from — check any claim against the law’s own words. This page hasn’t had a full attorney review. Confirm anything you plan to act on with your own attorney or CPA; law as reflected here is current as of 2026-08-16.
Alabama's current condominium chapter (8A) carries amendments through a comprehensive 2018 revision, and the Homeowners' Association Act (Chapter 20) through a 2023 amendment to one section only — neither was independently checked against a live Alabama Legislature session-law index beyond our own 2026-08-16 capture of the statute text. Confirm current law with your attorney before relying on any exact figure or deadline.
Alabama questions we hear a lot
Does Alabama have one condo/HOA law or two?
Neither — it's three. A condominium created after January 1, 1991 is governed by the Uniform Condominium Act, Chapter 8A; one created on or before that date is governed mostly by the older Chapter 8, with a named list of current-Act sections reaching back onto it. A non-condominium Alabama HOA is governed by an entirely separate law, the Homeowners' Association Act (Chapter 20), which expressly excludes “any association that is subject to regulation under Chapters 8 or 8A” (Ala. Code § 35-20-3(b)(2)) — so the tracks never overlap.
Does Alabama require HOAs to file with the Secretary of State?
Yes, for an HOA governed by the Homeowners' Association Act. It must file its bylaws (or other governing documents) and its original covenants, conditions, or restrictions with the Alabama Secretary of State: “...a homeowners' association shall file the following documents with the Secretary of State: a. Bylaws or other governing documents of the association. b. The original covenants, conditions, or restrictions adopted by the association.” (Ala. Code § 35-20-5(b)(2)).
Does Alabama require condo or HOA reserve funds?
No — a search of Alabama's condominium acts and its Homeowners' Association Act finds no reserve-fund mandate and no reserve-study requirement anywhere. Any reserve funding an Alabama association carries is a voluntary board choice, not a statutory floor — GnomeOwner tracks a reserve-adequacy review as a recommended best practice, never as a required, overdue item.
How does a new Alabama HOA elect its first board?
Within 120 days of the date members gain the right, under the declaration or other governing documents, to elect a board, the declarant must give written notice of a special membership meeting for that purpose — the notice must state the meeting's purpose, allow member nominations on the written consent of at least 10% of the membership (unless the governing documents say otherwise), and name the existing directors and any who may continue serving (Ala. Code § 35-20-9).
Is GnomeOwner's Alabama compliance calendar reviewed by a lawyer?
Every deadline on this page is shown beside the exact sentence of the statute it comes from — so you can check each claim against the law's own words, right here on the page. What this page hasn't had yet is a full attorney review. It's legal information, not legal advice: confirm anything you plan to act on with your own attorney.
Also covered: North Carolina, Nevada, Virginia, Arizona, Washington, South Carolina, Illinois, Oregon, Utah, California, Colorado, Texas, Georgia, Florida, New York, Michigan, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, South Dakota, Wyoming, Connecticut, Alaska, West Virginia, Vermont, Delaware, Montana, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Dakota, Maine, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kansas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Tennessee. More states are added as their compliance calendars are built — see the full list.
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