Orange County HOA Guide
Orange HOA Guide: Local Rules for Boards and Owners
The City of Orange has an estimated 138,365 residents, and the Census Bureau puts its owner-occupied housing rate at 56.7%. Orange is outside the Orange County Fire Authority’s area and runs its own fire inspections, and the city’s Water Division supplies water, with the Serrano Water District serving a small portion of the city.
This guide collects the city rules an Orange board runs into most often, and points you to the How2HOA guide that explains what to do about each one.
Local rules on this page were checked against the City of Orange’s website and City Council agendas, the Serrano Water District, the Municipal Water District of Orange County, the Orange County Fire Authority, the State CEQA database and the State Water Resources Control Board on November 3, 2026. The city’s online municipal code and its fire and code enforcement pages would not open for us, so this page does not give parking rules, noise limits or construction hours. We also could not confirm which neighborhoods sit in a fire hazard zone. It covers only what we could confirm on official pages. Confirm the current rule before you act on it. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
At a glance
HOAs in Orange at a glance
The city pages we checked do not list homeowners associations or say how many there are. Here is what shapes life in an Orange association:
No public agency we checked gives a count of Orange’s HOAs or a typical dues figure, so we do not quote one. We also did not confirm which Mello-Roos or landscape districts cover Orange homes. Check your property tax bill to see what applies to your address.
Local rules
Rules that apply in Orange
Three layers of rules apply to an Orange association. State law comes first, mainly the Davis-Stirling Act. City ordinances apply to every property, whether or not it is in an HOA. Your governing documents can then be stricter than the city in most areas, and state law limits them in a few. The city does not enforce your CC&Rs, and your CC&Rs do not excuse anyone from a city rule.
Short-term rentalsA city permit is required, and all 125 permits are taken.
Orange defines a short-term rental as renting a home for 30 days or less. Any owner in a zone that allows homes, except mobile home parks, needs a city permit. The city caps permits at 125, and its page says the limit has been reached, so new applicants join a wait list.
- Cost: a $250 permit plus a $260 business license.
- Renewal: permits expire after one year and do not renew on their own. They cannot be transferred.
- Minimum stay: two nights.
- Parking: guests must park in an approved driveway or garage, not on the street.
- Quiet time: 10:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.
- Tax: Transient Occupancy Tax has applied to stays of 30 days or less since October 1, 2021.
Report a problem rental to the city’s 24-hour hotline at (714) 867-1626, or report a loud party to the Police Department at (714) 744-7444. The city’s page does not mention HOAs, but your association can restrict short rentals in its own documents.
What to do about it: How to Handle Short-Term Rentals in Your Community walks through writing and enforcing a rental rule. For longer leases, see Renting Out Your Home in a Homeowners Association. For the California rules, see our guide to buying, selling and renting in a California HOA.
Watering rulesNo watering from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and no more than 15 minutes per station a day.
The city moved its Water Shortage Contingency Plan from Level 2 to Level 0 on May 1, 2023, so watering is no longer limited to Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. These permanent rules in the Municipal Code still apply to City of Orange water customers:
| Rule | What it says |
|---|---|
| Time of day | No landscape watering from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Run times | No more than 15 minutes per day per station |
| Runoff | No watering that causes excessive runoff onto driveways, streets or sidewalks |
| Paved areas | No washing down driveways, streets, sidewalks or other hard surfaces |
| Vehicles | Wash only with a bucket or a hose with a self-closing shut-off nozzle |
| Leaks | Fixed within 3 days |
If your community is served by the Serrano Water District instead, its own rules apply. They are set out in our Villa Park guide. Check the bill for each common-area meter. City water questions go to the Water Division at (714) 288-2475.
What to do about it: Managing Outside Vendors for Your HOA, so your landscape contract sets watering times that match the city’s.
Nonfunctional turf and rebatesThe city introduced an ordinance in June 2026 to stop drinking water on nonfunctional turf.
Under AB 1572, the 2023 state law on watering nonfunctional turf with drinking water, HOA and common interest development common areas must stop by January 1, 2029. The State Water Board says functional turf is mowed grass in a recreation area or community space. Grass in street rights-of-way and parking lots is nonfunctional.
On June 9, 2026, the City Council held a hearing on the city’s 2025 Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan and introduced Ordinance No. 10-26, which updates city rules to prohibit potable water on nonfunctional turf. We could not confirm the ordinance’s final adoption or its effective date, so ask the Water Division at (714) 288-2475.
The City of Orange and the Serrano Water District are both member agencies of the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC). MWDOC’s commercial rebates list:
| MWDOC commercial rebate | Terms |
|---|---|
| Turf replacement | $2 per square foot for commercial properties, plus $100 per tree planted in the project for up to 5 trees |
| Smart irrigation controllers | $35 per station |
| Rotating sprinkler nozzles | $2 per nozzle, minimum 30 |
| Artificial turf | Not eligible |
MWDOC says rebate levels can change with available funding. Its page does not say how HOA common areas are classified, so call MWDOC at (714) 593-5036 before you plan a conversion.
What to do about it: put the turf conversion in your numbers with Planning Your HOA Budget and Understanding HOA Reserve Studies, then compare landscape bids with the Vendor Comparison Worksheet. For the California rules behind these projects, see California HOA maintenance and repair responsibilities and California HOA reserves.
Fire hazard zones and selling a homeThe city took up the State Fire Marshal’s new zone map in May 2025.
On May 13, 2025, the City Council introduced Ordinance No. 07-25, adopting the State Fire Marshal’s recommended fire hazard severity zone map for the city’s local responsibility area. A city notice from October 2025 refers to high and very high fire hazard severity zones in the city’s wildland-urban interface, and names the Serrano Heights and Orange Hills neighborhoods among the work areas. We could not open the adopted map, so look up each common-area address before you assume either way.
A seller of a home in a high or very high zone must give the buyer proof of defensible space compliance, under Civil Code section 1102.19. Because Orange is outside the Orange County Fire Authority’s area, inspections go through the city, at (714) 288-2500.
What to do about it: Wildfire Defensible Space for Foothill HOAs, and for coverage questions, Rising HOA Insurance Costs in California and the FAIR Plan. For what the association’s insurance has to cover, see California HOA insurance requirements.
City brush clearing in the hillsThe city is clearing about 284 acres of brush in high-risk areas.
In October 2025 the City of Orange filed notice with the state of a Wildfire Fuel Management Project. It clears vegetation in high and very high fire hazard severity zones in the wildland-urban interface, about 284 acres in all. The notice names the Serrano Heights and Orange Hills neighborhoods and Santiago Canyon Road, an evacuation route.
- The work removes grasses, weeds, scrub, brush and small trees under 18 inches across, and creates fuel breaks.
- Healthy, mature or scenic trees are not removed.
- The notice says the project follows the city’s FEMA-approved Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.
The notice does not say whether any association land is included. If your community backs onto open space in these areas, ask the city’s project contact at (714) 744-7272 where the fuel breaks run, and plan your own slope work so it meets the city’s.
What to do about it: How to Minimize Homeowners Association Liability and How to Hire a Contractor for Your Homeowners Association for brush and tree crews.
Is this a lot for a volunteer board to track?
City rules, state law and your own documents all change, and someone has to keep up. If your Orange board is deciding between managing itself and hiring help, start with Self-Managed vs. Professional HOA Management, or tell us about your community and we will send you options from affiliated management companies.
Compare HOA management optionsQuick answers
Questions Orange board members ask
Can an owner get a new short-term rental permit in Orange?
Not right away. The city caps permits at 125, and its page says the limit has been reached, so new applicants go on a wait list. Your CC&Rs are a separate question. More in How to Handle Short-Term Rentals in Your Community.
Can short-term rental guests park on our street?
Not under the city’s rules. Guest vehicles must park in an approved driveway or garage.
When can our sprinklers run?
For City of Orange water customers, not between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., and no more than 15 minutes per station a day. Serrano Water District customers follow that district’s rules.
Does the city have a nonfunctional turf rule yet?
The City Council introduced Ordinance No. 10-26 on June 9, 2026. We could not confirm its final adoption. The state deadline for HOA common areas is January 1, 2029 either way.
Can our HOA get a turf rebate?
MWDOC lists $2 per square foot for commercial properties and does not cover artificial turf. Call (714) 593-5036 to confirm how your common areas qualify.
Who inspects defensible space when an owner sells?
The city, not the Orange County Fire Authority. Call (714) 288-2500.
Calendar
An Orange board’s year
The watering rules and the 2029 turf date are legal requirements, from the City of Orange and the State Water Board. The other items are general good practice, not legal requirements.
Keep the year on track: use the Board Meeting Checklist and the Annual HOA Budget Checklist.
Who to call
Orange contacts for HOA boards
| Office | Phone | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Short-term rental hotline | (714) 867-1626 | Short-term rental complaints, 24 hours |
| Orange Police Department | (714) 744-7444 | Loud parties and noise complaints |
| Water Division | (714) 288-2475 | Water service and conservation rules |
| Utility Billing | (714) 744-2233 | Water accounts |
| After-hours water emergencies | (714) 538-1961 | Main breaks and leaks after hours |
| City of Orange fire inspections | (714) 288-2500 | Defensible space inspections for home sales |
| City project contact | (714) 744-7272 | The Wildfire Fuel Management Project |
| Serrano Water District | (714) 538-0079 | Serrano-served areas |
| MWDOC turf rebates | (714) 593-5036 | Turf and irrigation rebates |
Short-term rental wait list questions can also go to STRadmin@cityoforange.org. We did not find a code enforcement number we could confirm. For emergencies, call 911.
Keep going
Where to go next on How2HOA
Sources for this guide
These sources open in a new tab.
City of Orange: short-term rentals; Water Division, water conservation; City Council agenda item 8.2, June 9, 2026 (Ordinance No. 10-26); City Council agenda item 11.1, May 13, 2025 (Ordinance No. 07-25).
Other agencies: State CEQA database, City of Orange Wildfire Fuel Management Project notice (October 2025); Serrano Water District, history and service area; Municipal Water District of Orange County, service area; MWDOC commercial rebates; Orange County Fire Authority, defensible space disclosure; Orange County Fire Authority, member cities; U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Orange.
California law: State Water Resources Control Board, nonfunctional turf (AB 1572) FAQ; Civil Code section 1102.19.
Professional management
Thinking about management help?
Tell us about your community and we will send you options from affiliated management companies.
Compare HOA management optionsBrowse all HOA topicsThis page is general educational information, not legal, financial or insurance advice. City ordinances and state law change, and your association’s governing documents control many of these questions, so check the current code and talk with your association’s attorney or another qualified professional about your situation.