Do HOA Board Members Get Paid?

Usually not. Whether HOA board members get paid depends on state law and the governing documents of the community.

Do HOA board members get paid in Florida and California?

Florida’s Chapter 720 bars an HOA director or officer from receiving a salary for the work. California’s volunteer liability shield assumes an officer is unpaid beyond expenses. Any pay needs a basis in both.

Section 720.303(12) of the Florida Statutes says a director, officer or committee member may not directly receive a salary or compensation for the work. The same person may not otherwise benefit financially from service to the association.

A homeowners association (HOA) board member in Florida is therefore unpaid unless an exception applies. Each HOA board member answers to the community of owners who elected the board.

The statute lists exceptions. They include reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses and a fee authorized in the governing documents.

A fee authorized in advance by a majority of the voting interests at a members’ meeting also qualifies. So does a benefit shared by most members of the community, such as routine repairs.

California points the same direction without a flat ban. Corporations Code Section 7213 makes officers subject to any contract of employment they hold.

HOA boards that want to compensate a board member need documents or a vote that permits it. The community should expect that decision in the minutes, and the amount belongs there too where the rules permit pay.

Do HOA presidents get paid?

The same rules apply to the president. Florida’s Section 720.303(12) covers every officer, and California’s Section 7213 treats the president as an officer who serves at the board’s pleasure. Compensation for the office depends on the governing documents and a lawful approval.

Do people who run the HOA make any money from it or receive any special perks?

Not from vendors. Section 720.3033(3) bars an officer, director or manager from accepting a kickback. A kickback means a thing or service of value from a person who supplies goods or services to the association.

A knowing violation is a third-degree felony, and the board must remove the officer or director.

The statute allows two small exceptions. A board member may accept food consumed at a business meeting that costs less than $25 per person. A good or service received at a trade fair or education program is also allowed.

Conflict rules add a second layer for HOA boards. A director or officer must disclose any activity that may be a conflict of interest at least 14 days before voting on it. A contract with a relative creates a rebuttable presumption of conflict when undisclosed.

A contract with a director’s business needs two-thirds of the directors present and a disclosure in the minutes. Board conflict of interest rules cover these requirements in more detail.

Why board members are unpaid

Three features of the law make unpaid service the default. The first is the fiduciary duty. Florida’s Section 720.303(1) says officers and directors have a fiduciary relationship to the members.

The ban on compensation in subsection (12) sits in the same section. A fiduciary handles financial decisions for the community’s benefit, not for personal gain. Members elect directors, and under Section 720.303(10) members can recall them, so board pay is a question the community can ask.

The second is liability protection. California’s Civil Code Section 5800 limits a volunteer officer’s personal liability to the association’s insurance coverage. The act must be within the officer’s duties and in good faith.

Paying actual expenses does not end that status. An officer who is the declarant, or is paid by the declarant, does not qualify.

The third is cost. Every dollar of compensation comes out of the fees that owners are billed. The Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey for 2023 gives a median monthly fee of $387 for condo and apartment households that report a fee, across 1,242 households.

What happens if nobody wants to be on the HOA board?

The Texas State Law Library’s guide to boards says a director whose term has expired must be replaced by election. The board may appoint members to fill vacant seats in the community, and an appointee serves the rest of the term. A Texas board must have at least three members.

What HOA board members may receive

The table shows what HOA board members may receive in each scenario under the statutes cited on this page.

What board pay would cost each owner

The fee estimator below shows the typical monthly fee for a home type and location. An HOA board can compare a proposed stipend with what owners in the community already spend. A stipend that looks small to the board still lands on every household.

The figures other than the $387 median are assumptions for the arithmetic, not data about any real association. A licensed attorney in the state can confirm whether a stipend is lawful at all.

Frequently asked questions about HOA board pay

What is the role of a condo association board of directors? Do they receive a salary?

A condo board sets policy and manages the association for the unit owners. Florida’s Section 718.111 says condominium officers and directors have a fiduciary relationship to unit owners and may not accept kickbacks. The section lacks the salary ban that Chapter 720 applies to HOAs.

Do HOAs pay their board members?

Rarely, and only where the law permits it. In Florida, Section 720.303(12) bars direct compensation for directors and officers but allows expense reimbursement and fees authorized in the governing documents or by a member vote. The association’s own documents and state law decide the answer.

Can an HOA president remove a board member?

Not alone. Florida’s Section 720.303(10) lets a majority of the total voting interests recall a director with or without cause. In Texas, the guide says the persons entitled to elect a director may remove that director by the same vote that elected the person.

What are the 5 positions on a HOA board?

No statute cited here sets five. California’s Section 7213 requires a president or chair, a secretary, and a treasurer or chief financial officer. Associations add roles such as vice president in their bylaws.

Who sits on an HOA board lists the common seats.

Summary: how pay is decided

Four checks settle the question for one community.

1. Read the community’s governing documents for any clause on board compensation.
2. Check the state statute, such as Florida’s Section 720.303(12), for limits on compensation.
3. Ask for approval by the vote the documents require before any HOA board stipend is paid.
4. Record every reimbursement against a receipt.

The governance hub covers the wider structure. Condo board responsibilities cover the duties that come with the seat.

HOA board member responsibilities cover the owner-side view. Director fiduciary duties explain the standard behind these rules.

Educational information, not legal advice. See the disclaimer.