For volunteer board members
Illinois HOA Rules for Board Members (2026)
New to a Illinois HOA or condo board? Before you send a violation letter or set a fine, it helps to know what the law actually says. Here are the Illinois rules in plain words, each with its statute section and a link to the official text.
Illinois homeowners' associations (townhomes, villas or single-family homes) under the Common Interest Community Association Act, 765 ILCS 160. Condominiums and cooperatives follow other Illinois laws; if your declaration was recorded under the Condominium Property Act, you're a condo, even with townhomes. Small associations may be exempt from the Act unless they opt in; if yours is, your declaration and bylaws control the steps, and notice and a chance to be heard before any fine is still the safe practice.
- Send the hearing notice by (Kindly Board default): illinois sets no notice period for the hearing. Kindly Board suggests at least 10 days so the owner has a fair chance to be heard. Good practice, not Illinois law; your documents may set more.
- Give members the board meeting notice by: if the hearing is part of a board meeting, members get notice at least 48 hours before it. Two days before the meeting covers the 48 hours. This is a floor for the meeting, not a substitute for the letter to the owner.
- Notice of the meeting where the board votes, by: the vote on a fine is taken in an open meeting, and members get at least 48 hours' notice of every board meeting.
Updated October 2026. Not legal advice.
Key Illinois deadlines at a glance
| Deadline | What the law says |
|---|---|
| Send the hearing notice by (Kindly Board default) | Illinois sets no notice period for the hearing. Kindly Board suggests at least 10 days so the owner has a fair chance to be heard. Good practice, not Illinois law; your documents may set more. 765 ILCS 160/1-30(g) |
| Give members the board meeting notice by | If the hearing is part of a board meeting, members get notice at least 48 hours before it. Two days before the meeting covers the 48 hours. This is a floor for the meeting, not a substitute for the letter to the owner. 765 ILCS 160/1-40(b)(4) |
| Notice of the meeting where the board votes, by | The vote on a fine is taken in an open meeting, and members get at least 48 hours' notice of every board meeting. 765 ILCS 160/1-40(b)(5) |
Which Illinois law applies
A common interest community is real estate other than a condominium or cooperative whose owners must pay for the maintenance, improvement, insurance premiums or real estate taxes of common areas described in a declaration administered by an association. It may include attached or detached townhomes, villas and single-family homes. It doesn't include a master association.
An association organized under the General Not for Profit Corporation Act of 1986 with 10 units or fewer, or annual budgeted assessments of $100,000 or less, is exempt from the Act unless a majority of its directors or members elects to be covered.
How Illinois counts days
The time within which any act provided by law is to be done is computed by excluding the first day and including the last, unless the last day is Saturday or Sunday or is a holiday as defined or fixed in any statute in force in this State, and then it is also excluded.
The board must give members notice of every board meeting at least 48 hours before it, by a prescribed delivery method or by posting copies in entranceways, elevators or other conspicuous places in the common areas.
The board has the power, after notice and an opportunity to be heard, to levy and collect reasonable fines from members or unit owners for violations of the declaration, bylaws, operating agreement, and rules and regulations of the association.
Violation notices and the chance to fix in Illinois
Notices may be sent by electronic means only to a person who gave written authorization to do business that way. Anyone who didn't must be dealt with on paper, at the association's expense.
Meetings and votes in Illinois
The board may close a portion of a noticed meeting to discuss violations of the association's rules and regulations, but any vote on these matters must be taken at a meeting, or portion of one, open to any member.
Records in Illinois
The board must make association records available for members to examine and copy, including the minutes of all board meetings, which must be kept for at least 7 years.
Step by step: a Illinois violation case
The order Kindly Board walks a Illinois board through, from the first look to the last letter.
- Check before you start Every case
Make sure the Illinois rules fit and the rule is one you can enforce. - Courtesy reminder Optional
A friendly first note. Many issues end here. - Notice of violation Before any fine
The notice Illinois requires before a fine. Names the rule and a cure-by date. - Notice of hearing and the hearing Before any fine
The owner’s opportunity to be heard. Kindly Board suggests 10 days’ notice. - Board votes on a fine Before a fine
After the hearing, in an open meeting. - Notice of fine After the vote
Only after notice, the hearing and the open-meeting vote. - Close the case Every case
Record how it ended and keep the file.
Illinois HOA rules: FAQ
What HOA law applies in Illinois?
Illinois homeowners' associations (townhomes, villas or single-family homes) under the Common Interest Community Association Act, 765 ILCS 160. Condominiums and cooperatives follow other Illinois laws; if your declaration was recorded under the Condominium Property Act, you're a condo, even with townhomes. Small associations may be exempt from the Act unless they opt in; if yours is, your declaration and bylaws control the steps, and notice and a chance to be heard before any fine is still the safe practice. The main sources: the Common Interest Community Association Act (765 ILCS 160).
How are days counted for Illinois HOA deadlines?
Illinois law sets no day counts for these notices, only 48 hours' notice of a board meeting. Kindly Board counts calendar days and suggests the business day before a weekend. Check holidays yourself and leave a margin.
What are the key deadlines in a Illinois HOA violation case?
Send the hearing notice by (Kindly Board default): illinois sets no notice period for the hearing. Kindly Board suggests at least 10 days so the owner has a fair chance to be heard. Good practice, not Illinois law; your documents may set more. (765 ILCS 160/1-30(g)) Give members the board meeting notice by: if the hearing is part of a board meeting, members get notice at least 48 hours before it. Two days before the meeting covers the 48 hours. This is a floor for the meeting, not a substitute for the letter to the owner. (765 ILCS 160/1-40(b)(4)) Notice of the meeting where the board votes, by: the vote on a fine is taken in an open meeting, and members get at least 48 hours' notice of every board meeting. (765 ILCS 160/1-40(b)(5))
Can Illinois owners see the association's records?
The board must make association records available for members to examine and copy, including the minutes of all board meetings, which must be kept for at least 7 years. (765 ILCS 160/1-30(i))