The HOA Rules Addendum: Binding Tenants to CC&Rs and House Rules

An HOA rules addendum puts the association's CC&Rs and house rules into your lease, so the tenant has seen them, signed for them and agreed to follow them. State law limits what the association can do about renting itself: under Civil Code § 4741 it may not prohibit or unreasonably restrict renting, or cap rentals below 25% of units, though it may ban rentals of 30 days or less. Before renting, the owner must give the association verification of the title date and the tenant's name and contact information (Civil Code § 4740).

The short version

• Get the current governing documents and rules before you write the lease, and attach the ones the tenant must follow.
• Make the tenant's compliance, and that of occupants and guests, a written lease term, with a signed acknowledgment of the documents received.
• Say plainly who pays a fine caused by the tenant. A fine is not one of the four uses of a deposit in Civil Code § 1950.5(b), so bill it separately.
• Set the lease term to fit any association ban on stays of 30 days or less (§ 4741(c)) and any city rule.
• Association pet rules do not apply to assistance animals the way they apply to pets (2 CCR § 12185).
• Do not pass along a rule that singles out families with children. Familial status is protected under Government Code § 12955.

Before the tenant signs

1. Get the documents. Ask the association for the current CC&Rs, rules, leasing and move-in procedures, and parking and amenity rules. Note the date or version of each.
2. Check whether renting is allowed. A governing-document ban on renting binds an owner only if it took effect before that owner acquired title (§ 4740). See HOA rental restrictions.
3. Fit the lease term. If the association bans rentals of 30 days or less, the statute allows that (§ 4741(c)). It does not otherwise speak of minimum lease terms, so read your documents and your city's rules. The rental length rule checker can compare them.
4. Tell the association. Before renting, give it verification of the date you acquired title and the tenant's name and contact information (§ 4740).
5. Draft the addendum using the table below, attach the rules, and have every adult tenant sign it with the lease.
6. Arrange access. Confirm parking, keys, fobs and any move-in reservation before move-in day, so the tenant is not stuck at a gate.

What the clause should cover

Clause mistakes to avoid

• Applying pet limits to assistance animals. A person with an assistance animal may not be charged a pet fee, additional rent or additional deposit for it, and breed, size and weight limits may not be applied, with a narrow exception for miniature horses (2 CCR § 12185).
• Passing along a rule that treats families differently. If an association rule restricts children or families in a way other residents are not restricted, raise it with the association and counsel instead of enforcing it through your lease. Familial status is a protected class (Gov. Code § 12955(a)).
• Banning every satellite dish. The federal OTARD rule (47 CFR § 1.4000) bars a lease provision or association rule that impairs a dish one meter or less on property within the tenant's exclusive use or control, such as a private patio, except for clearly defined safety or historic-preservation restrictions.
• Deducting fines from the deposit. Deposit deductions are limited to unpaid rent, damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, cleaning to move-in level and lease-authorized restoration of personal property (§ 1950.5(b)(1) to (4)).
• Leaving out the documents. "Tenant agrees to follow all HOA rules" with nothing attached gives the tenant nothing to follow.
• Forgetting the rest of the lease. The association's rules sit on top of state landlord-tenant law. Deposit limits, entry notice and the other lease disclosures still apply. See required lease disclosures.

For owners

• Keep a copy of the exact rules you attached, and send updates in writing as the association adopts them.
• When the association sends you a violation notice, forward it to the tenant promptly with a copy of the rule.
• Start with a written warning for a first problem. Under Civil Code § 1940.2(c), a good-faith warning about a lease or rule violation is not harassment.

For renters

• Ask for the rules before you sign, and read the parking, pet, guest and amenity sections.
• Check who pays association fines, move-in charges and fob replacement costs.
• If you use an assistance animal, tell the owner in writing; the pet rules and fees in the addendum should not apply to it.

Condo and planned-community renters in Coronado can also read renting a Coronado Shores or Cays home.

Local rules

Some cities add rules on top of state law, such as local just-cause, relocation or rental registration requirements, so check your city's code. Coronado has no local rent-control or just-cause ordinance as of October 2026, based on a review of its code's contents.

Frequently asked questions

Do tenants have to follow HOA rules in California?

The practical way to make the rules part of the tenancy is the lease. An addendum that lists the documents, attaches them and has the tenant agree to comply makes a rule violation a lease issue the owner can address in writing, and, where just cause applies, through the cure-notice process in Civil Code § 1946.2(c).

Can an owner pass an HOA fine on to the tenant?

The lease should say who pays a fine caused by the tenant or guests. Because a fine is not one of the uses of a deposit listed in Civil Code § 1950.5(b), bill it separately rather than deducting it at move-out, and have counsel review the clause.

Can an HOA set a minimum lease term?

Civil Code § 4741(c) lets an association prohibit transient or short-term rentals of 30 days or less. The statute does not otherwise address minimum lease terms, so read your governing documents and check your city's rules before setting the term.

Do HOA pet rules apply to a tenant's assistance animal?

Not the way they apply to pets. Under 2 CCR § 12185, a person with an assistance animal may not be charged a pet fee or extra deposit for it, and breed, size and weight limits may not be applied, though the person may be charged for damage the animal causes.

What does the owner have to give the HOA before renting?

Civil Code § 4740 requires the owner to give the association verification of the date the owner acquired title and the tenant's name and contact information before renting.

This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change; confirm the current text and your situation with a California attorney.

McKee Properties manages rentals from its Coronado office; contact us with questions about your property.

Sources

• Civil Code § 4740 (opens in a new tab)
• Civil Code § 4741 (opens in a new tab)
• Civil Code § 1950.5 (opens in a new tab)
• Civil Code § 1946.2 (opens in a new tab)
• Civil Code § 1940.2 (opens in a new tab)
• Government Code § 12955 (opens in a new tab)
• 2 CCR § 12005 (opens in a new tab)
• 2 CCR § 12185 (opens in a new tab)
• 47 CFR § 1.4000 (opens in a new tab)
• AB 1892 (2026) (opens in a new tab)

Verified October 19, 2026.