Indiana doesn't have one comprehensive HOA statute — instead, a narrow governance chapter (Indiana Code 32-25.5), a separate lien and foreclosure chapter (IC 32-28-14), and the general Indiana Nonprofit Corporation Act work together. What makes Indiana worth a close look right now: the 2026 legislative session passed a genuinely large cluster of HOA reforms, effective July 1, 2026 — already in force. If you've read an older description of Indiana HOA law, it's likely out of date.
Fines: what your HOA can and can't charge
Until this year, Indiana law said nothing about fines at all. As of July 2026, any Indiana HOA can fine for covenant violations — even without express authorization in its governing documents — but only after the board formally adopts a written fine schedule stating which violations are fineable, the dollar amount, and a maximum aggregate per violation. There's still no statutory dollar cap beyond that self-set maximum, and no formal hearing right — just a requirement that the board notify you of the violation, the amount, and when the fine takes effect. Separately, before suing you over a covenant dispute, most Indiana HOAs now have to go through a pre-suit notice-and-negotiation process first.
See our guide on how to fight an HOA fine for the general playbook.
Unpaid assessments, liens, and foreclosure
Unlike states where the lien is automatic, Indiana requires the association to actually record it:
- The lien attaches only when recorded — not on the date the assessment was originally due.
- No interest-rate or late-fee cap in state law — that's set by your declaration.
- 90-day wait after recording before the association can file to foreclose, and it must file within 5 years of recording or the lien is void.
- A real consumer check: if you demand in writing that the HOA foreclose and it doesn't file within a year of your demand, the lien is automatically voided — you can even record an affidavit to clear it from title.
More on this in our guide to what happens if you don't pay HOA dues.
Meetings and quorum
As of 2026, board meetings require at least 4 days' notice with an agenda. Budget increases without a member vote are now capped more tightly than before — mature associations can raise the budget without a quorate vote by at most the lesser of 5% or the regional CPI increase (newer associations still get up to 10%). For general membership meetings, the Nonprofit Corporation Act fills the gap: notice of 10 to 60 days, and default quorum of 10% of eligible votes. Also new: HOAs can no longer charge a fee for producing member-requested records, and the threshold to change most CC&R provisions was lowered from as high as 95% down to two-thirds of owners (common-area conveyances still need 95%).
Board elections
Indiana has no statutory felony-conviction bar for board candidates. Voting rights (not board eligibility) can be suspended for a delinquency of more than 6 months, if your governing documents allow it. Vacancy-filling and director removal fall to the Nonprofit Corporation Act's general rules. There's no dedicated election-dispute agency, but the state's pre-suit grievance process — now applying to essentially all Indiana HOAs — likely covers election disputes too, alongside ordinary court.
For the general mechanics, see how HOA board elections work.
Buying a home in an Indiana HOA
One recent, contested change: the cap on what an HOA can charge for a resale payoff/assessment statement was cut from $250 down to just $50 as of July 2026 — an industry push to remove the cap entirely was defeated in the legislature.
See our full buying checklist for homes in an HOA before you make an offer.
Need help with an Indiana HOA issue? Find an HOA attorney in Indiana, or find a management company in Indiana.