HOA Offenses and What You Can Expect To Pay in Fines for Each One

These days, it seems like everywhere you look there are homeowners associations. They take over neighborhoods, flex their power, and leave residents with mounting fees for the slightest policy infractions. While homeowners associations serve a useful purpose — keeping a community nice and safe to steadily increase property values — their extensive rules and draconian enforcement often leave residents feeling alienated and embittered.

By definition, a homeowners association (HOA) is an organization that creates and enforces roles for a community, subdivision, or condo complex. Comprised of a board of directors that live in the community, HOAs enforce a standard over all the homes in their purview and charge fees for violations. While these little fiefdoms do help maintain the quality of a neighborhood and accompanying property values, they've gained a reputation for being needlessly aggressive and punitive. Given their power over the slightest change in their community, let's take a look at common HOA offenses and what you can expect to pay in fines for violating them. (For other fees, discover the hidden fees hotels charge you without you even realizing it.)

To compile a list of HOA offenses and the fines you can expect to pay for them, 24/7 Tempo consulted a range of real estate, lifestyle, and news publications including Realtor.com, Onrapp.com, and 11alive.com. Next, we uncovered the most common type of HOA offenses and how much they typically cost in fees. After that, we confirmed elements of our research using sites like U.S. News & World Report and Hoalife.com.

As homeowners associations maintain dominion over neighborhoods, they also oversee how neighborhoods look. Typically, they like to keep a certain cohesion for how each house on the street appears to the glancing eye. This naturally extends to yard maintenance and landscaping. Unsightly landscaping elements like overgrown grass, dead or dying plants, or garish yard features will often result in an HOA violation. Furthermore, how you go about watering your plants at what time can result in fines. These violations, on average, incur fees between $25 to $50.

Even though 66% of Americans own pets, they can spell trouble when dealing with a homeowners association. While an outright banning of pets occurs in some HOAs, others like to violate based on smaller, less noticeable infractions regarding your furry family members. These violations can range from leash laws, disposal of pet waste, dogs barking too loud, and even breed restrictions. Be sure to check your HOA's policies regarding pets or you could be hit with fines between $50 to $100.

Emblematic of laws on the books in various cities, homeowners associations usually don't like smoking. While previous entries incur violations thanks to the cohesive appearance of the neighborhood, HOAs charge residents for smoking based on how much it inconveniences neighbors. Things like smoking on a condo balcony can easily cause headaches for neighbors since the smoke travels between units. Once the neighbors complain, you'll probably hear from the association. While HOAs usually allow smoking if it adheres to state and local laws, including marijuana, smoking in common areas is almost always prohibited. Consider switching to a smokeless, less intrusive alternative before you get hit with a $25 to $50 fine.

Homeowners associations may still allow the elegant Olympic sport of fencing within the confines of private units but don't tempt them! All jokes aside, HOAs can be very critical of the fencing you have around your house or property. Aspects of fencing ranging from the type of fence to fence color are often restricted in HOA neighborhoods. The fencing violations aren't entirely for aesthetics, either. In some instances, HOAs restrict fencing in storm-prone areas where strong enough winds can transform fences into missiles that run the risk of destroying property in the community or putting residents' lives at risk. Fines for fence violations run in the normal HOA violation fee range of $25 to $50.

By their nature, homeowners associations prioritize the look and feel of the houses in their dominion. As such, they typically frown on obtrusive or obvious signs of exterior storage. Storing items like bicycles or kayaks on the exterior of your unit will almost always incur the wrath of the association. Unfortunately, HOAs are just as merciless when it comes to exterior structures designed to store the items you were forced to move off the side of your house. Many HOAs charge fines for small structures like sheds as they consider them an "eyesore." Fines for exterior storage violations typically range between $25 to $50.

Nothing ruins the aesthetics of a neighborhood like trash splayed all about, and HOAs are quick to fine any residents who fail to meet the standards of trash placement. Often, homeowners associations have very specific policies regarding when residents can put their trash cans out on the curb, how long the cans can sit there, and the right time to put bins out for collection. Furthermore, some HOAs will fine residents for throwing out large, obtrusive items like furniture. Besides making a neighborhood look bad, trash all over the curb provides a sanctuary for bugs and other pests. Fines for trash placement or other trash-related policies typically range between $25 to $50.

Violations regarding the appearance of units may incur some steady fees, but homeowners associations despise loud noise. Nothing ruins the peace and sanctity of a nice neighborhood like a steady racket. As such, HOAs often lay out very specific times when loud noises are allowed. There are also local and city ordinances regarding noise, which typically enforce a strict cutoff of loud clamor after 10 or 11 p.m. Since HOA noise rules often act in congruence with city ordinances, you'll be forced to pay a chunk of change if you break them. On average, HOA noise violations range between $50 to $100. (For charges incurred on noisy airplanes, discover the most ridiculous hidden fees that airlines are charging you.)

Never underestimate an HOA to find fault within the smallest letters of the law, even with laws they impose themselves. In accordance with noise violations, HOAs often restrict social gatherings in their area. These rules may specify exactly when, where, and how long residents can have a party or a social gathering. Furthermore, HOAs enforce rules regarding overnight guests, especially if they are using up precious community parking. No one wants to come home and discover every parking spot in the neighborhood taken by strangers. While these violations can result in fees between $25 to $50, they can sometimes go higher if the violation is egregious enough.

HOAs may loathe a weedy, overgrown lawn, but this high standard for appearance extends to the houses themselves. There's a reason that HOA neighborhoods look perfectly uniform and well-maintained. That's because associations enforce strict rules regarding the look and feel of a given unit. When units fall into noticeable disrepair in terms of paint cracking or worse, it can cost a fair amount. Maintenance neglect is often highly enforced in HOA neighborhoods to protect the visual cohesion of the community. If you have exterior wainscotting that is starting to rot and fall off your unit, you can be sure to pay for the disrepair heavily. Fines for an unkempt exterior can range between $100 to $200.

Typically, HOAs have rules laying out the extent to which residents can change or redesign their houses. These policies can range from large structural changes like exterior paint color to smaller, hardly noticeable elements like trim, molding, and doorknobs. HOAs believe strongly in the uniformity of their associated houses. While residents can often get written permission from their HOA for exterior changes, there's no guarantee they will get approval.

You may be something of a free spirit and like to decorate your home's exterior with fun trinkets and art, but this is typically a no-no for HOAs. That said, some houses in the community existed long before the HOAs took over. As such, these houses can be "grandfathered in" to the community and are allowed to keep elements that would otherwise clash with HOA rules. Fines for (unapproved) exterior renovations often run between $50 to $100.

Since HOA neighborhoods are all about privacy, exclusivity, and cohesion, HOAs almost never allow rentals within preexisting units that don't interface with the association like other units. Typically, HOAs have strict rules in place regarding the rental of preexisting units, subletting, or any other form of short-term rental agreement. Since HOAs are a community, they like to know who is coming and going from a given unit. Subletting homes may be financially lucrative, but it lowers the safety level of a neighborhood.

Furthermore, rentals typically require some sort of insurance agreement. Since the cost of homeowner's insurance may be directly tied to rental and homeowner-occupied units, HOAs dissuade outside rental agreements. It can easily affect the insurance agreements of the community at large. That said, some HOAs allow for subletting within reason. Typically, these HOAs require residents to get written permission from the association for subletting options. If these rules are ignored or eluded, they can incur fees between $50 to $100.

You may feel infused with the holiday spirit and express it through increasingly large, obtrusive, holiday decorations, but this is often a no-no in homeowners association neighborhoods. These expressions of holiday spirit, however, operate on a case-by-case basis with HOAs. Some HOAs have no policies regarding the type of holiday decorations they allow. Others heavily restrict holiday decorations, barring accouterments too large, noisy, bright, or obtrusive to other residents. A 30-foot, inflatable guitar-playing Santa and an accompanying stereo blasting Christmas music on your front lawn may seem fun and festive but will quickly cause headaches for your neighbors.

That said, HOAs across the board usually have rules regarding time limits on holiday decorations. This means there are set times when decorations can go up and must come down before and after holidays, respectively. If you like how your Christmas lights look on your home's exterior and decide to keep them running every night until April, chances are your HOA will fine you. These fees range between $25 to $50.

Let's say you fashion yourself something of a sailor. You've saved up for the boat of your dreams and take pride in showing it off whenever you can, typically at the marina. Then, increasing fortunes allow you to buy a house in an exclusive, ritzy homeowners association neighborhood. Since your boat with its cherry pearlescent finish is your property, you transport it during your move and set it up right on the front lawn for all the neighbors to admire and gawk at. While this type of vehicle storage may have been no problem in your old neighborhood, it will almost guarantee a fine from your new HOA.

HOAs typically have very restrictive rules regarding the type of vehicles residents can keep on their property. These range from the number of cars allowed per property, the type, and how long said vehicles are there. Such restrictions encompass more unconventional vehicles like boats, RVs, campers, and other large, obtrusive locomotion machines. While private vehicles like sedans and SUVs are usually allowed, any type of commercial vehicle can be prohibited. These restrictions keep in line with the HOA priority of keeping the community clean, safe, and sightly. Nothing sticks out more than a 20-foot catamaran hanging out on your front lawn. That said, fees for these violations aren't too bad. They typically range between $25 to $50.

Homeowners associations' restrictive attitudes toward vehicle types extend even more forcefully to parking. While many HOA rules seem draconian and unnecessary, their rules regarding parking undoubtedly help out residents. In a community with a small amount of parking, nothing is more rage-inducing than getting home from a long day at work only to find your precious parking spot has been taken by an outlander. In many communities and neighborhoods, particularly those consisting of condos or wall-sharing units, nothing is more hallowed than the parking space.

Besides restrictions regarding the number of vehicles allowed per resident, many HOAs extend parking policies into residences themselves. Some HOAs require vehicles to be parked in the garage and not on the driveway. Furthermore, associations heavily restrict guest parking. Even if you have your oldest friend coming to visit after years of not seeing them, you probably will be fined if they park their car on the street for a single night. That's why it's important to get the HOA's permission for guest parking before your guest arrives.

That said, street laws can be a major factor in what a homeowners association can enforce. Usually, HOAs have authority over private streets within their dominion. These streets are the battleground of parking rules because the HOA technically owns the private streets and is required to maintain them to a certain standard. Public streets snaking through the HOA kingdom, however, usually remain in the hands of the local government and city parking enforcement. Breaking HOA parking rules can incur a fee between $25 to $50.

Compared to other entries on this list, the home business can be tricky in terms of homeowners association policies. When it comes to HOAs, the rule of thumb is "eyesore." While most HOAs only allow people to use their homes for residential purposes, most people have home offices they work from. In the age of remote work especially, HOAs don't restrict people from working at home. That said, practically all HOAs restrict residents from converting their residential space into a commercial business. If you become infused with an entrepreneurial spirit and decide to open a home tattoo studio or after-school day care facility, you likely will be fined. Such businesses will infringe on the safety and peace of the neighborhood. Furthermore, they will likely increase the foot traffic and vehicle activity in the community, which HOAs always frown upon.

It gets trickier, however, as you embark on increasingly obscure business practices. Your HOA probably won't have a problem with you running an online auction business from your home since it doesn't require in-person customers. At the same time, selling actual merchandise out of your home will likely incur a fine. As for multi-level marketing schemes like Amway, you'll probably want to check with your HOA before you invite groups of potential buyers into your home. Fines for these violations can range between $25 to $50 but can sometimes cost even more. (If you feel like your hospital bill is too much, discover the items hospitals charge ridiculous fees for.)