South Carolina association records requests
South Carolina's rules are narrow. Members of HOAs that are nonprofit corporations give at least 5 business days' written notice before inspecting. HOAs outside the nonprofit act owe owners only the annual budget and membership lists. Condominium owners may examine the book of receipts and expenditures and its vouchers on announced working days.
| Association | Deadline | Law |
|---|---|---|
| Nonprofit associations | 5 business days' noticeowner gives notice before inspecting | S.C. Code 33-31-1602 |
| HOAs | 5 business days' noticebudget and membership lists only | S.C. Code 27-30-150 |
| Condominiums | A reasonable timereceipts book and vouchers, on working days | S.C. Code 27-31-180 |
Nonprofit corporation act
S.C. Code 33-31-1602 to 33-31-1605
This applies to HOAs incorporated as South Carolina nonprofit corporations.
- Who may ask
- A member. The member's agent or attorney has the same rights.
- What starts the clock
- A written notice or demand at least five business days before the date the member wants to inspect. For accounting records and the membership list, the member must act in good faith for a proper purpose described with reasonable particularity.
- Deadline
- The member gives at least 5 business days' written notice; the association then makes the records available at a reasonable time and place it sets.
- Copies and costs
- A reasonable fee not exceeding the estimated cost of production or reproduction.
- What may be withheld
- Accounting records, board and committee minute excerpts and the membership list unless a proper purpose is shown.
- What must be protected
- The membership list may not be used for unrelated purposes, solicitation or commercial use without board consent.
- If the deadline is missed
- A court may order inspection. If the corporation refused without a reasonable basis for doubt, it must pay the member's costs, including reasonable counsel fees. There are no fines.
- Record keeping
- Member and board minutes are kept permanently. Member communications are kept 3 years.
Homeowners associations outside the nonprofit act
This section applies the nonprofit act's inspection sections to HOAs not under that act, but only to the annual budget and homeowner membership lists.
- Who may ask
- A homeowner.
- What starts the clock
- Same as the nonprofit act: written notice at least five business days before inspection.
- Deadline
- The owner gives at least 5 business days' written notice. Only the annual budget and membership lists are covered.
- Copies and costs
- Not more than the estimated cost of reproduction.
- What may be withheld
- Everything other than the annual budget and membership lists is outside this right.
- What must be protected
- Membership list use limits apply.
- If the deadline is missed
- A court may order inspection and award costs and counsel fees. Rules and regulations must also be made available to a member on request (S.C. Code 27-30-130(B)(1)(b)).
Condominiums (horizontal property regimes)
This section covers condominium co-owners and reaches only the book of receipts and expenditures and its vouchers.
- Who may ask
- All co-owners.
- What starts the clock
- No request step. The records are available for examination at convenient hours on working days that are set and announced.
- Deadline
- No number of days is set.
- If the deadline is missed
- S.C. Code 27-31-170 allows a civil action for damages or injunctive relief for non-compliance with the bylaws or master deed.
- Checklist or log
- The association keeps a chronological book of receipts and expenditures with vouchers.
How HOAChime handles South Carolina requests
Each association's state and type sets the 5 business day notice period automatically, counted with South Carolina holidays. For condominiums, which have no number of days, HOAChime lets the company set its own target per association. HOAChime sends reminder emails, shows a due-soon and overdue list across every association, and keeps a full history of the request.
Checked against the statute text on 2026-11-13. This page is a plain-English guide, not legal advice. Laws change; follow the citation links for the current text, and ask the association's attorney about a specific request.