# Washington Condo: Who Pays for Common Element Repairs? | Who Pays the Repair?

> Under Washington's WUCIOA the association maintains all common elements including limited common elements (RCW 64.90.440), and each owner the unit.

**Who pays:** shared

Under Washington's WUCIOA, the association must maintain, repair and replace all common elements, including limited common elements, while each owner handles their own unit, unless the declaration says otherwise.

**Boundary:** RCW 64.90.440(1): except as the declaration, subsections (2)/(4), or RCW 64.90.470(8) provide, the association maintains/repairs/replaces the common elements INCLUDING limited common elements, and each owner does so for the unit. Notably the board may designate high-risk components an owner must maintain, and if the owner fails, the association may do the work at the owner's expense (64.90.440(2)).

**Property owner:** Maintain, repair and replace the unit; give the association access through the unit and LCEs (notice except emergencies). May be assigned specific high-risk-component maintenance by board rule.

**City / agency:** The association maintains, repairs and replaces all common elements, including limited common elements.

**Exceptions:** The declaration may reallocate; Casualty repairs under RCW 64.90.470(8); Board may shift designated high-risk components to owners (64.90.440(2))

## Sources
- [RCW 64.90.440: Maintenance, repair, replacement](https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.90.440) — "Except to the extent provided by the declaration, subsections (2) and (4) of this section, or RCW 64.90.470(8), the association must maintain, repair, and replace the common elements, including limited common elements, and each unit owner must maintain, repair, and replace that owner's unit." (accessed 2026-09-13)
- [RCW 64.90 chapter listing](https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.90&full=true) (accessed 2026-09-11)
- [RCW 64.90.440(2): Maintenance, Repair, and Replacement of the Common Interest Community](https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.90.440) — "The board may by rule designate physical components of the property for which a unit owner is otherwise responsible that present a heightened risk of damage or harm to persons or property if the physical components fail. ... to perform such maintenance, repair, replacement, or measure at the expense of that unit owner." (accessed 2026-09-27)

_Last verified 2026-09-14. Source: Who Pays the Repair? — https://whopaystherepair.com/rules/washington-condo-who-pays-common-element-repair/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._