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# Georgia's Property Owners' Bill of Rights protections are now in effect
- URL: https://hoaweekly.ghost.io/georgia-property-owners-bill-of-rights-effective/
- Published: 2026-07-01T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-31T20:42:11.000Z
- Description: SB 406's first wave of homeowner protections took effect July 1, with HOA registration requirements to follow in 2027.
- Author: HOA Weekly Staff
- Tags: Legal Updates

The first wave of protections under Georgia Senate Bill 406 — the Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act, signed by Gov. Brian Kemp earlier this year — took effect on July 1, 2026.

## What changed on July 1

Before an association can collect attorney's fees from a homeowner, it must now send written notice by certified mail that identifies any outstanding fines or delinquent fees, give the homeowner **30 days to pay**, and provide an itemized list of the attorney's fees claimed. In bench trials, judges must review attorney's-fee claims for reasonableness and enter a formal order before any such fees can be awarded.

## Other key provisions

The act also prohibits associations from refusing any payment from an owner and from collecting accelerated assessments — that is, demanding future dues early. And in a significant structural change, every HOA in Georgia will be required to register with the Secretary of State's office and submit its governing documents along with a financial statement; the registration requirements take effect in January 2027 to give the Secretary of State's office time to stand up the program.

## What boards should do now

Georgia boards and managers should update collection policies and counsel engagement letters immediately — the certified-mail notice, 30-day cure window, and fee itemization are prerequisites to recovering attorney's fees today, not next year. Registration preparations can follow on a longer runway, but associations should begin assembling governing documents and financial statements ahead of the January 2027 requirement.

Sources: [News4Jax](https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2026/07/10/georgia-property-owners-bill-of-rights-what-new-hoa-law-means-for-homeowners/?ref=hoaweekly.ghost.io); [WTOC](https://www.wtoc.com/2026/05/13/statewide-hoa-rules-become-law-georgia/?ref=hoaweekly.ghost.io).