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HDE

Texas Property Code · Chapter 209

Got an HOA violation notice?
Find out if it's even legal.

Answer five quick questions. We check your notice against the Texas Property Code and show you every procedural defect, with the statute that backs you up. Free, and no account needed.

  • Was it sent by certified mail, as § 209.006 requires before a fine?
  • Did it give you a reasonable time to fix the problem?
  • Is the violation something Texas law protects, such as cameras or drought landscaping?
Free notice audit Step 1 of 5
Where is the property?

Texas properties only. Use the address shown on your HOA notice.

How did the notice reach you?

Texas law requires certified mail before an HOA can fine you.

What is the violation about?

What does the landscaping notice say?

Is your city or water utility under drought watering restrictions, or did it lift them in the last 60 days?

Can the problem be fixed?

Dates, deadline, and fine

Leave blank if the notice didn't give you a deadline.

My notice lists a deadline date instead

We'll count the days from the notice date for you.

$

Enter 0 if no fine has been charged yet.

Where should we send your results?

We'll email you a private link to your results. No spam.

Your audit is based only on your answers. It's general information about Texas law, not legal advice.

Takes about a minute · Free · No account

What we check

Each check is tied to a specific Texas or federal statute, so every defect we flag comes with its citation.

§ 209.006(a)

Certified-mail delivery

Before fining you, an HOA must send written notice by certified mail. Door hangers, regular mail, and email don't count.

§ 209.006(b)–(c)

Cure period and cure date

For a fixable violation, the notice must give you a reasonable time to cure and a date to cure by.

§§ 209.006(b)(2)(B), 209.007

30-day hearing window

You get 30 days to request a hearing before the board, and the HOA must follow strict hearing deadlines.

§ 209.0061

Fine policy (HB 614)

Boards that fine owners must adopt a written enforcement policy and fine schedule and make it available to you.

§§ 202.007, 202.008

Drought and brown-grass protection

No fines for brown turf during watering restrictions or for 60 days after, and xeriscaping is protected.

§ 202.023

Security cameras and fences

An HOA can't enforce rules that prevent security cameras, motion detectors, or perimeter fences on your property.

How it works

  1. 1

    Run the free audit

    Tell us how the notice arrived, what it's about, the dates, and the fine. You'll see every statutory defect we find right away.

  2. 2

    Build your defense packet

    We assemble a formal demand letter citing each defect, a § 209.007 hearing demand, a records request, and your cure photo as Exhibit A.

  3. 3

    Send it by certified mail

    Print and mail it yourself with our instructions, or we mail it for you by USPS Certified Mail and you track delivery on your dashboard.

Simple pricing, after your free audit

Instant Digital Defense Packet

$14.99 one time

  • ✓Demand letter citing every defect we found
  • ✓§ 209.007 hearing demand and § 209.005 records request
  • ✓Exhibit A with your cure photo and certification
  • ✓Pre-addressed #10 envelope page
  • ✓Step-by-step certified-mail instructions
Most popular

Done-For-You USPS Certified Mail

$29.99 one time

  • ✓Everything in the digital packet
  • ✓We print and mail it by USPS Certified Mail
  • ✓Electronic return receipt as proof of delivery
  • ✓USPS tracking number on your dashboard
  • ✓No printer and no post office line

Questions

Is this legal advice?

No. Homeowner Defense Engine (HDE) is self-help software that applies the Texas Property Code to the facts you give us. It is not a law firm and is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. If a lot of money or a lien is at stake, talk to a Texas attorney.

What is the "30-day rule"?

Texas gives you 30 days after the notice was mailed to request a hearing before your HOA's board (§ 209.006(b)(2)(B)). It isn't a guaranteed 30-day cure period. The law requires a reasonable cure period, and we flag deadlines that fall short.

Do I have to pay the fine while I dispute it?

Requesting a hearing doesn't automatically pause fines under Texas law. Your letter demands that the HOA suspend enforcement until the hearing. If you fix a curable violation before a valid cure deadline, the HOA can't fine you for it (§ 209.006(e)).

My notice did come by certified mail. Can you still help?

Yes. We also check the cure period, protected categories like cameras and drought landscaping, and the fine policy. The packet's hearing demand and records request work no matter how the notice arrived.

I rent my home. Can I use this?

Chapter 209's notice and hearing rights belong to the property owner. If you rent, share your audit with your landlord, who can send the letter.

How does done-for-you mailing work?

After checkout, our print-and-mail partner prints your letter and sends it by USPS Certified Mail with an electronic return receipt. Your tracking number shows on your case dashboard.

Start my free audit