The 30-day rule: an official-records posting checklist
An association almost never fails a records review because a category is missing. It fails because something went up late, or a notice window was counted wrong. Coverage is a one-time project; timing is a standing one.
The three clocks
| Clock | Window | Starts when | | --- | --- | --- | | Document posting | 30 days | The record is created or received | | Owner / member meeting notice | 14 days | Before the meeting | | Board meeting notice | 48 hours | Before the meeting |
The document clock is the one that slips, because nothing prompts it. A signed contract goes in a folder, and the 30 days run whether or not anyone is counting.
The checklist
Governing documents
- Declaration, articles, and bylaws, including every recorded amendment
- Current rules and regulations
- Any amendment adopted since the last review — this is the usual gap
Financial
- Current year's adopted budget
- Most recent financial report
- Reserve schedule and funding status
Contracts and operations
- Executed contracts the association is a party to
- Bids currently under consideration, where required
- Insurance policies and current certificates
Governance
- Notices and agendas for upcoming meetings
- Minutes of past meetings, once approved
- Election materials within their own statutory windows
How to count the windows
Two counting mistakes account for most near-misses:
- Counting from the wrong end. The 30 days run from creation or receipt, not from when the board reviewed it or from the next board meeting.
- Counting business days. These windows are in calendar days unless the governing documents say otherwise. A 48-hour board notice posted Friday afternoon for a Monday morning meeting is tighter than it looks.
Make it somebody's job
The single highest-value change most boards make is not software — it is naming one person who owns posting, and giving them a standing item on the agenda. Everything else is a way of making that person's job smaller.
If the association turns over board members annually, write the routine down. The compliance obligation does not reset when the secretary changes.