Arizona HOA open meeting law (A.R.S. § 33-1804 for planned communities, § 33-1248 for condominiums) requires board and member meetings to be open to owners, with advance notice, a chance for owners to speak before votes, and closed sessions only for narrow reasons. Transcend Community Management schedules, notices and supports compliant meetings for HOA boards across Maricopa and Pinal County.
The core rule: board business happens in the open
Under A.R.S. § 33-1804, meetings of the members and of the board are open to all members and their designated representatives. The statute’s policy statement favors openness, and any quorum of the board that meets informally to discuss association business, including workshops, is subject to the same open meeting and notice rules whether or not it votes. Condominiums follow the parallel rules in A.R.S. § 33-1248.
Notice requirements
- Board meetings: after the period of declarant control, notice must be given at least 48 hours in advance by newsletter, conspicuous posting or another reasonable method, stating the date, time and place. Agendas must be available to members attending.
- Member meetings: held at least once a year; notice must go out not fewer than 10 nor more than 50 days before, stating the date, time, place and purpose.
- Special member meetings: may be called by the president, a board majority, or members holding at least 25% of the votes (or a lower percentage set in the bylaws).
- Emergency meetings: allowed for business that cannot wait 48 hours, limited to the emergency, with the reason stated in the minutes and the minutes approved at the next regular meeting.
When can an Arizona HOA board meet in closed session?
A meeting or part of a meeting may be closed only to consider, without taking action, one of these topics:
- Legal advice from the association’s attorney.
- Pending or contemplated litigation.
- Personal, health or financial information about an individual member or employee (or a contractor’s employee).
- Job performance, compensation, health records or specific complaints about an individual employee.
- A member’s appeal of a violation or penalty, unless that member asks for an open session.
Before closing, the board must identify the paragraph of the statute that authorizes it. Votes on those matters still happen in open session. For practical guidance, see executive session rules for HOA boards.
Owners’ right to speak and record
Members may speak at an appropriate time during open meetings. The board may set reasonable time limits but must allow a member to speak once after the board discusses a specific agenda item and before it takes formal action on that item, and must allow a reasonable number of people to speak on each side of an issue. Attendees may audio or video record the open portions of a meeting without advance notice; the board can adopt reasonable recording rules but cannot prohibit recording. If the board itself records, it must keep the recording at least six months and provide the unedited version to members on request.
A board quorum may meet by phone only if a speakerphone is available in the meeting room so attendees can hear. Boards should be careful with email: a string of replies among a quorum can look like a meeting outside public view.
What this means for boards and homeowners
Boards: plan agendas carefully, post notices on time, keep closed sessions narrow, and vote in public. Our guide to running effective board meetings covers agendas, motions and minutes.
Homeowners: watch for posted notices, arrive with your comments ready, and speak during the comment window. Our guide to attending HOA board meetings explains what to expect.
How Transcend applies open meeting law
Through our board meeting support service, your Board Liaison prepares meeting packets and agendas, tracks notice deadlines, posts or sends notices, and records draft minutes for board approval. We help boards decide what belongs in executive session and remind them to bring decisions back to open session. Owners can find meeting notices and approved minutes through the resident portal.
Open meeting law tips for Arizona HOA boards
A few habits keep meetings compliant and productive:
- Post notice in the same places every time (portal, email, mailbox kiosk or clubhouse) so owners always know where to look.
- Put owner comment on the agenda and announce the time limit at the start.
- Use email only to share information and schedule meetings, not to debate or decide.
- When going into executive session, state the statutory reason in open session and keep the closed-session minutes separate.
- Approve minutes promptly so they’re available for records requests and resale packages.
Summer meetings in the Valley often move to evenings or video conference to accommodate heat and travel; just make sure notice and the speakerphone rule are still met.
Disclaimer
This is general information, not legal advice. Arizona statutes are amended often, and how a law applies to your community depends on your declaration (CC&Rs), bylaws, rules and the specific facts. Your governing documents and an Arizona HOA attorney control. Before acting on a legal question, confirm the current statute text on azleg.gov and talk with your association’s counsel.
Frequently asked questions
After declarant control ends, A.R.S. § 33-1804 requires at least 48 hours of notice for board meetings, except for true emergencies.
Yes. Members may audio or video record the open portions of meetings without advance notice; the board can set reasonable rules but cannot ban recording.
The statute allows closed portions only for consideration without action, so formal votes should be taken in open session.
Yes. Any quorum of the board meeting informally to discuss association business, including workshops, must follow the open meeting and notice rules.
Member meeting notice must be delivered not fewer than 10 nor more than 50 days before the meeting.
This page is general information about Arizona community association practice, not legal advice. Your governing documents and an Arizona HOA attorney control how the law applies to your community. Statutes change; verify current text at azleg.gov.
