Collecting dues by check is a relic. Checks get lost, residents forget to write them, and someone has to manually deposit them and record the transaction. Online dues collection solves all of that - and once residents are set up with autopay, the board often doesn't have to think about dues at all until someone fails to pay.
Here's exactly how to set it up.
This is the most important decision. Some platforms hold dues in their own account and disburse to you periodically. Avoid those. You want a platform that uses Stripe Connect - meaning your HOA's bank account is connected directly and payments deposit within 2 business days of the transaction. You never touch a third party's funds.
Stripe is the payment processor used by most reputable HOA platforms. Setting up a Stripe account takes about 10 minutes: you'll need your HOA's EIN (or SSN if it's an informal association), your bank routing and account numbers, and a board officer's ID for verification. This is a one-time setup.
Enter your monthly assessment amount, the day of month dues are due, and your grace period and late fee rules. Most platforms automate late fee application once you've set these - you don't have to manually flag overdue accounts each month.
Enter each unit with its assigned resident's email. Most platforms accept a CSV upload if you have more than a handful. This creates the resident accounts and determines who gets invited to the portal.
The platform generates a unique invite link per unit. Email it to residents - or use the platform's built-in invitation system. Include a short explanation: what the portal is, how to set up autopay, and when the first online payment will be due.
Most platforms let you generate dues records for all units at once with a single click. Residents with portal access will see their balance immediately and can pay by card or set up autopay via ACH bank transfer.
Most communities see 70–85% of residents complete portal setup within the first month. The rest usually need a second nudge - either another email or a knock on the door. A small number of residents (usually older homeowners) will never pay online; have a policy for how to handle check-payers alongside your online system.
Most platforms let you manually record a payment for residents who pay by check or cash. Keep this as the exception - if you make it easy to opt out, more residents will. But for the genuinely tech-averse homeowner, a manual recording workflow is a reasonable accommodation.
Do not accept Venmo, Zelle, or PayPal alongside your online dues system. Having two payment channels doubles your reconciliation work and undermines the consistency that makes online collection worthwhile.
Credit and debit card payments carry a 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee. For a $150 assessment, that's about $4.65. Your board gets to decide who absorbs it: you can pass it through to residents at checkout, or the HOA can absorb it so residents pay the exact amount owed. Either approach is valid. Passing it through is more common and most residents understand it, but absorbing it signals goodwill and keeps the payment experience frictionless.
ACH bank transfer fees are lower (usually $0.80–$1.50 flat) and are the right recommendation for residents setting up autopay. If your platform supports it, frame ACH as the lower-cost option to encourage adoption.
Setup takes under an hour. Residents can pay before your next due date.
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