Robert’s Rules of Order for HOA Boards

Robert’s Rules of Order is a published guide to parliamentary procedure, the set of rules that lets a group debate and decide in an orderly way. A homeowners association (HOA) board follows it only where the bylaws adopt it and no law or bylaw says otherwise. The chart lists the motions a board meets most often.

To do this	Say	Second needed	Debatable	Vote needed
Introduce business	“I move that…”	Yes	Yes	Majority
Amend a motion	“I move that this motion be amended by…”	Yes	Yes	Majority
Postpone a matter	“I move we postpone this matter until…”	Yes	Yes	Majority
Set a matter aside	“I move that we table it”	Yes	No	Majority
End debate	“I move the previous question”	Yes	No	Two-thirds
Adjourn	“I move that we adjourn”	Yes	No	Majority
Suspend the rules	“I move we suspend the rules and consider…”	Yes	No	Two-thirds
Object to a procedure	“Point of order”	No	No	Chair decides

The chart is adapted from the Grand Traverse County, Michigan cheat sheet. A majority in these rules means more than half of the votes cast, a point the official Robert’s Rules website makes in its FAQ.

On this page

Can the chairman make a motion under Robert’s rules of order?

Yes, on a small board. The official Robert’s Rules website says the presiding officer of a board of about a dozen members or fewer may make motions, speak in debate and vote.

A larger assembly expects the chair to stay impartial.

In that larger setting, the chair votes only on a ballot vote or when the vote will change the result. The site also says it is not true that a president may vote only to break a tie. A president who belongs to the voting body has the same rights as every other member.

What is the newest version of Roberts Rules?

The newest version is Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, 12th edition. The official site reports that it was released at the National Association of Parliamentarians’ virtual training conference on August 28, 2020. An older printing still works if the bylaws name a specific edition.

Can you provide a cheat sheet for Robert’s Rules of Order?

Yes. The chart above is the motion cheat sheet, and the steps below show the order in which a main motion moves. The Grand Traverse County sheet and the Wilton, Connecticut guide for small boards both list the same sequence.

1. A member gets the floor by being recognized by the chair.
2. The member makes the motion.
3. Another member seconds it.
4. The chair states the motion and opens debate.
5. Members debate, and the maker of the motion may speak first.
6. The chair puts the motion to a vote and announces the result.

The official FAQ adds that tabling cannot be used to defeat a motion. Suppressing debate takes more than the majority a motion to table needs.

A chair can run each motion from this checklist.

• ☐ Recognize one speaker at a time.
• ☐ Confirm a second before debate starts.
• ☐ State the motion aloud before debate.
• ☐ Alternate speakers for and against when possible.
• ☐ Take the vote and announce the result.
• ☐ Record the motion, the mover and the result in the minutes.

What is the most recent edition of Roberts’ Rules of order?

The 12th edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised is the most recent. The same site names Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised In Brief, 3rd edition, as the concise companion guide. Boards that want a shorter reference can start with the In Brief edition.

Is it Robert’s Rules of Order or Roberts law of order?

The title is Robert’s Rules of Order, and “Roberts law of order” is a variant spelling of it. The book is not a statute. It binds an HOA only through the bylaws, which is the subject of the next section.

When not to use Robert’s rules of order?

An HOA board should not rely on Robert’s Rules where the bylaws, state law or a special rule of order says something different. The official FAQ states that the rules govern only if no contrary provision exists in federal or state law, the bylaws or any special rules of order.

The Robert’s Rules Association publishes the standard clause for adopting the book. Under that clause, the current edition governs wherever it applies and does not conflict with the bylaws or any special rules of order. A board whose bylaws lack that clause should confirm with a licensed attorney in your state whether the book applies.

State law also overrides the book on who may attend and how much notice owners get. The acts in the table take precedence, including California’s Davis-Stirling statutes, and so do the association’s CC&Rs. The table shows 15 states, using data checked September 24, 2026.

State	Owners may attend board meetings	Board meeting notice	Statute
Arizona	Yes	48 hours, after declarant control ends	A.R.S. 33-1804; 33-1248
California	Yes, except in executive session	4 days	Cal. Civ. Code 4925; 4920(a)
Colorado	Yes	No fixed period set	C.R.S. 38-33.3-308
Florida	Yes, with limited closed-door exceptions	Planned communities: 48 continuous hours, with agenda items	Fla. Stat. 720.303(2)
Georgia	No statutory requirement found	No separate board rule	None found
Illinois	Yes (planned communities)	48 hours	765 ILCS 160/1-40(b); 605/18(a)(9)
Maryland	Yes (planned communities)	Reasonable notice, no fixed count (planned communities)	Md. Real Prop. 11B-111
North Carolina	Owners may attend part of a meeting and speak	No fixed period set	N.C. Gen. Stat. 47F-3-108(b)
New Jersey	Yes, with listed closed topics	“Adequate notice,” days set by bylaws	N.J.S.A. 45:22A-46(a)
Nevada	Yes	10 days, except in an emergency	NRS 116.31085; 116.31083(2)
Ohio	No, unless the board authorizes it (planned communities)	Bylaws set it	Ohio Rev. Code 5312.04(F); 5312.02(B)(8)
South Carolina	No statutory right found	None for a regular meeting under the default rule, unless the bylaws require it	S.C. Code 33-31-822(a)
Texas	Yes (planned communities), with listed closed topics	144 hours (6 days)	Tex. Prop. Code 209.0051
Virginia	Yes (planned communities)	No fixed count	Va. Code 55.1-1816
Washington	Yes	14 days	RCW 64.90.445

Remote meetings follow the same logic. The official FAQ says a board may meet by videoconference or teleconference only if its bylaws specifically authorize it. Separate approvals from each member do not count as board approval.

What is the difference between parliamentary procedure and Robert’s rules of order?

Parliamentary procedure is the general practice of running orderly meetings through motions, debate and votes. The Wilton guide describes it as a set of rules for conducting orderly meetings fairly. Robert’s Rules of Order is one published authority that spells those practices out, and boards may use a different one.

Where can I get a copy of Robert’s Rules of order?

The official Robert’s Rules website lists the book for sale in stores and online. Its purchase page, checked October 1, 2026, prices the 12th edition at $35.00 in hardcover, $19.99 in paperback and $24.99 as an e-book. The In Brief 3rd edition runs $11.99 in paperback on the same page.

The purchase page also lists a PC application with both books from American Legal Publishing at $74.95 on CD-ROM. The adoption page recommends that an organization adopting the book buy a hardcover copy for the chair.

Can you provide an example of an agenda using Robert’s Rules of Order?

Yes. A typical order of business runs from call to order through adjournment, as in a Lincoln University handout built on the 10th edition. The sample agenda in the download follows that order.

The official FAQ adds that a proposed agenda becomes binding only when the assembly adopts it. Any member may move to amend it at that point, so the president does not set it alone.

The generator below fills in the same order for a specific meeting.

Steps to take next

1. Check the bylaws for a parliamentary authority clause and for any rule on remote meetings, then see the guide to HOA meetings.
2. Compare the state table with the board’s meeting notices.
3. Print the agenda form and the motion chart for the next meeting.
4. Consider whether a copy of the 12th edition or the In Brief edition fits the board’s budget.

For the full call-to-order sequence, see the board meeting procedure walkthrough. The document that decides whether the book applies is covered in the HOA bylaws guide. A guide to what a condo is explains how condo boards differ from HOA boards, since each state act treats them separately.

More guides for boards are in the HOA governance section.

Educational information, not legal advice. See the disclaimer.