HOA Architectural Request Letter
Describe your project, materials and schedule in this HOA architectural request letter so the review committee has what it needs to approve it. Check your governing documents for any required application form and the review deadline before you send it. The fields edit right in your browser, and you can copy the result or save it as a Word document.
[Date]
[Name of Homeowners Association]
Attn: Architectural Review Committee
[Association Address]
Re: Architectural request for [Project Name], [Your Property Address]
Dear Architectural Review Committee,
I request approval to [Project Description, for example "build a 12 by 16 foot wood deck at the rear of my home"].
Details of the project:
- Location on the lot: [Location on Lot]
- Dimensions: [Dimensions]
- Materials and colors: [Materials and Colors]
- Contractor: [Contractor Name and License Number, or "I will do the work myself"]
- Planned start and finish: [Start Date] to [Finish Date]
I have attached [Attachments, for example "a site plan, drawings, a materials sample and a contractor quote"]. [Neighbor Statement, for example "My adjoining neighbors at ADDRESSES have reviewed the plan and have no objection."]
Please send your decision in writing to [Email or Mailing Address]. If any information is missing, let me know as soon as possible. I will not begin work until I receive written approval.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Property Address]
[Phone or Email]
[Signature]
What this letter does
An HOA architectural request letter asks the association's architectural review committee to approve an exterior change before you build it. It matches the committee's application form in a short written form and gives the committee the details it needs to say yes. Most governing documents require approval for changes such as fences, decks, paint colors, additions, roofing, solar panels and landscaping.
What the committee reviews
The committee compares your plan with the declaration and design guidelines. It usually looks at appearance, materials, colors, size, location on the lot and effect on neighbors. A complete application that points to the relevant rules is easier to approve.
What to include
- A clear project description.
- Location, dimensions, materials and colors, with samples if possible.
- Drawings or a site plan with measurements.
- Contractor details, including license and insurance if required.
- A schedule.
- Neighbor support, if the documents ask for it.
- A promise to wait for written approval.
Know your rights
Read the declaration and guidelines before you apply. In Florida, for example, section 720.3035 says an association's architectural review authority exists only to the extent the declaration or published guidelines state or reasonably imply it, that standards must be applied equally to all owners, and that a denial must be in writing, name the rule or covenant with specificity and identify the part of the project that does not conform. Florida also bars an association from requiring a government building permit before reviewing a plan. Other states have their own rules, and for solar systems and electric vehicle chargers some states set specific approval standards. See the pages for solar panels and EV chargers. Are HOA rules legally binding explains how state law and governing documents interact, and how to write a letter to your HOA covers delivery and tone.
Common requests have their own letters
See the fence request letter, pool request letter, shed request letter, artificial lawn request letter and variance request letter. When the committee responds favorably, it sends an approval letter. Tree work has its own tree removal letter, and a request tied to a disability, such as keeping an assistance animal, uses the assistance animal request letter.
Avoiding delays
- Submit before you buy materials or sign contracts.
- Use the association's form if there is one.
- Follow up in writing if the deadline in the documents passes.
- If you are denied, ask for the reasons in writing and consider an HOA Violation Appeal Letter.
A refusal arrives as an HOA denial letter. Once the work is done, an HOA certification letter can confirm it meets the approved plans. The full set of project letters sits in the sample HOA letters.
Common questions
Do I need approval before I start work?
Usually yes. Work done without approval can lead to violation notices or an order to remove it.
How long does the committee have to decide?
The governing documents or state law may set a period. Some deem a request approved if the committee does not respond in time, so check yours.
This page gives general information and sample wording. It is not legal advice, and requirements differ by state and by association.