What we are
Washington State Reserve Study is an introduction service. We are not a reserve study firm, we do not prepare studies, and nobody here is a reserve study professional. The pages on this site explain Washington law from the statute text on the Legislature’s website; they are not legal advice.
What happens when you ask
- You give us the community’s ZIP code, your role and a way to reach you, then as much about the association as you like.
- We pick one reserve study firm that works where the community is, and by the end of the next business day we tell you its name.
- If you say yes, we pass your request to that firm. If you say no, it goes no further and nobody calls you.
- The firm contacts you, confirms the scope and sends its quote. Any agreement is between the association and the firm.
Who pays us
The firm pays us for an introduction you agreed to. You pay us nothing, and the firm’s quote is its own. We do not take a share of the study fee from the association.
How we choose the firm
We look for a firm that says it works in your county, prepares studies at the level you need and can visit the site. We name one firm rather than several so that your inbox stays quiet; if you would rather compare, the firms page lists every firm we found that works in Washington, with links to their websites.
What we keep
We keep your request for up to 12 months and use it only to make the introduction. The privacy notice has the details, and you can opt out of any sharing at do not sell or share.
Questions boards ask
Does every Washington association need a reserve study?
Under RCW 64.90.545, yes, unless one of four exemptions applies: nonresidential communities, communities with nominal reserve costs, certain middle housing communities, and any year in which the study would cost more than 10 percent of the annual budget. The governing documents can ask for more than the statute does.
How often does the study have to be updated?
Every year. At least every third year the update has to be prepared by a reserve study professional from a visual site inspection. In the two years between, the update can be a desk review of balances, costs and contributions.
Our community was created before 2018. Which law applies?
Until the end of 2027, communities created before July 1, 2018 that have not opted in remain under the older acts, such as RCW 64.34.380 for condominiums, though RCW 64.90.545 already reaches them for events after July 1, 2018. On January 1, 2028 the older acts are repealed and RCW 64.90 governs nearly every community. Check with the association’s attorney for your own documents.
Who is allowed to prepare a reserve study in Washington?
The statute asks for a reserve study professional: an independent person suitably qualified by knowledge, skill, experience, training or education. Washington has no license for the work. Many firms hold the CAI Reserve Specialist (RS) or APRA Professional Reserve Analyst (PRA) credential, and some analysts are engineers or architects.
What if the board skips the study?
Owners can sue to enforce the reserve study sections and a court can award attorneys’ fees, under RCW 64.90.555. Owners holding 20 percent of the votes can also demand a professional study when more than three years have passed since the last one. Sellers feel it too: the resale certificate has to carry a warning that the association has no current study.
Do you prepare the study yourselves?
No. We are an introduction service. We find one firm that works where your community is, tell you its name, and pass on your request only after you agree. The firm quotes and prepares the study.