'$750??? for a satellite dish??': Homeowner challenges HOA's $750 fine for their satellite dish that has been on their roof for 2 years, force the HOA to back down by quoting the actual federal law

Author image for Brad Dickson
Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Apr 14, 2026 12:30 AM EDT

There's always a bigger fish, and in this case, an HOA's overzealous enforcement of their own made-up rules over a homeowner's ability to put a satellite dish on their own roof came into direct conflict with actual FCC guidelines.

This homeowner received a $750 fine from their HOA for an "unauthorized exterior modification." This was specifically referring to a satellite dish that they had had sitting on their roof for two years without issue. It was almost as if some busybody HOA board member had just been out for a walk and decided to take issue with a sight that they had likely witnessed dozens of times. 

The homeowner initially intended to pay the fine and move on, just to avoid the hassle of dealing with it. But they decided to quickly research the situation and discovered that there was an actual FCC rule that protected satellite dishes under one meter in diameter from HOA restrictions. Score! Brimming with confidence and motivation from the fact that this quick bit of research was going to save them a serious bit of coin, they decided to dig deeper. 

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  • 01
    A satellite dish mounted on the side of a homeowner's home
    via Valeria Nikitina

    The image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02

    My HOA tried to fine me $750 for a satellite dish. I got it thrown out in 4 days.

    honestly i've been lurking here for months reading all the horror stories. and never thought i'd actually have my own but here we go got a letter in january saying i owed. $750 for "unauthorized exterior modification" - it was a directv dish. like a normal satellite dish on my back patio. been there since i moved in 2 years ago and nobody said anything until now
    via Current_Lab_1184
  • 03
    A satelite dish on a roof
    via Rasta Gubaz

    The image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • When they went to review the HOA's own Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions, they found that the HOA had not folllowed the proper notice procedures either. They had only received a letter 12 days before the fine instead of the required 30-day-notice period that was outlined. 

    Armed with this information, they sent a concisely worded letter to the HOA informing them why they would not be paying the fine. The fine was quickly removed, with the HOA quoting “courtesy."

    Really, what the homeowner needs to do from here is proceed to go after the HOA and the board member involved for overstepping and violating not only federal law but also their own rules. They need to make sure that they set the record straight that it was not a “courtesy” to overturn the fine but a misuse of power. Otherwise, there is nothing stopping the HOA from doing the same thing again in the future. 

     

  • 04
    my first instinct was to just pay it because fighting your HOA sounds exhausting. but $750??? for a satellite dish??? so i started digging turns out there's an FCC rule called OTARD (47 CFR 1.4000) that literally makes it illegal for HOAS to ban satellite dishes under 1 meter. like it doesn't matter what your CC&Rs say. federal law overrides it. i had no idea this existed
    via Current_Lab_1184
  • 05
    but here's the thing that actually won it - i didn't just cite the federal law. i pulled my CC&Rs and found that they require 30 days written notice via certified mail before any fine. they sent me a regular letter dated 12 days before the fine hit my account. so even IF the dish was a legit violation (it wasn't), the fine was procedurally defective because they didn't follow their own rules sent a one page letter citing both things. got a call 4 days later saying the fine was "removed as a cour
    via Current_Lab_1184
  • 06
    the biggest thing i learned: it's almost never about whether you actually violated something. it's about whether your HOA followed their own process. most of them don't. they skip notice requirements, they don't offer hearings, they charge amounts that aren't in the fine schedule. every one of those is a procedural defect you can use check your CC&Rs people. actually read the enforcement section. i know it's boring as h I but that's where the ammo is
    via Current_Lab_1184
  • 07
    cervidal2 Keep fighting. 'Removed as a courtesy' is them not admitting a mistake and is often used by an HoA to hammer you next time they find a violation.
    via Current_Lab_1184
  • 08
    TastyChocolateChip Another thing to check out as well, are the notice requirements under your state law. Even if the CC&Rs do not provide much on notice requirements, some states have a minimum notice / hearing requirements before any fines or enforcement action is commenced against the homeowner.
    via Current_Lab_1184
  • 09
    WyoGrads Email them back and get them to reply to your letter officially so you can document the rationale.
    via Current_Lab_1184
  • 10
    souldogringo My brother did the same thing. Then they tried to get him for parking on the street overnight. He then drove around about every other night taking pictures all over the neighborhood of others parking on the street. Apparently you have to enforce equally not just because you're p ed off that you had the law on your side about your satellite dish.
    via Current_Lab_1184
  • 11
    An older happy couple excitedly give the thumbs up
    via Getty Images

    The image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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