Standard order
RONR standard order of business
The order below is the RONR default. Most organisations follow it without modification. Bylaws can change the order if needed (commonly to add a public-comment period for government bodies), but the default applies if bylaws are silent on the question.
- 1
Call to order
The chair opens the meeting at the scheduled time with the phrase "The meeting will come to order." The secretary records the actual call-to-order time in the minutes. The chair confirms quorum before any business is conducted; without quorum, the body can only adjourn, fix the time of the next meeting, or take measures to obtain quorum.
- 2
Reading and approval of minutes
The secretary presents the minutes of the previous meeting. Members propose corrections if any. Once corrections are made (or none are required), a member moves "That the minutes of the [date] meeting be approved as [presented/corrected]." Requires second and majority vote.
- 3
Reports of officers and standing committees
Officers (president, treasurer, secretary) report on activity since the last meeting. Standing committees (finance, audit, governance) report similarly. Reports are received without motion; recommendations contained in reports require separate motions in the New Business section.
- 4
Reports of special committees
Ad-hoc committees report. Same convention as standing committees: report received, any recommendations move to New Business as motions.
- 5
Special orders
Items the body previously voted to take up at this meeting at a specific time, or items the bylaws or rules require to be taken up at this point. Most meetings have none; the section is preserved by RONR for the cases where it applies.
- 6
Unfinished business and general orders
Items postponed from previous meetings, motions tabled and not yet taken from the table, and motions previously interrupted by adjournment. These have priority over new business.
- 7
New business
New motions, proposals, resolutions presented to the body for the first time. Members obtain the floor by being recognised by the chair, then move their motion. Each motion requires a second, then debate, then vote.
- 8
Announcements
Informational items not requiring action: next meeting date, upcoming events, administrative notes. No motions; announcements are simply made.
- 9
Adjournment
A member moves "to adjourn," requires a second, majority vote, no debate. The chair declares the meeting adjourned and notes the time in the minutes.
Motion taxonomy
RONR motion classes and the eight most-used motions
RONR distinguishes five classes of motions in order of precedence: privileged, incidental, subsidiary, main, and unclassified. The eight motions below cover roughly 95% of what happens in a typical board or member meeting. The full motion taxonomy in RONR 12th edition spans roughly 80 motions across the five classes.
| Motion | Class | Second? | Vote | Debatable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main motion | Main | Yes | Majority | Yes |
| Amend | Subsidiary | Yes | Majority | Yes |
| Postpone indefinitely | Subsidiary | Yes | Majority | Yes |
| Refer to committee | Subsidiary | Yes | Majority | Yes |
| Lay on the table | Subsidiary | Yes | Majority | No |
| Previous question (close debate) | Subsidiary | Yes | Two-thirds | No |
| Point of order | Incidental | No | Chair rules | No |
| Adjourn | Privileged | Yes | Majority | No |
Debate rules
RONR debate rules
RONR debate rules are designed to ensure fair distribution of speaking time and that the discussion stays focused on the motion before the body. The defaults below apply unless bylaws or special rules of order modify them.
Each member may speak twice per motion
Once for, once against, or twice on either side. The chair calls on members who have not yet spoken before recognising members who have already spoken once.
Speeches limited to 10 minutes by default
Most organisations adopt a shorter limit (typically 3 to 5 minutes) via special rules of order. The chair enforces the time limit by ruling speakers out of order at the limit.
Debate must remain on the motion
The chair rules speakers out of order if they stray from the motion before the body. Side topics or related items must wait for a new motion or the appropriate agenda section.
No personal attacks on motives
Debate addresses the motion, not the motives or character of other members. The chair rules out of order any speech that attacks members personally rather than addressing the substance of the question.
FAQ
Common questions about Robert's Rules
What is Robert's Rules of Order?
Robert's Rules of Order is a parliamentary procedure manual first published in 1876 by Henry Martyn Robert, a US Army colonel. The current edition is Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR), 12th edition, published in 2020 by the Robert's Rules Association. It governs the conduct of meetings for most boards, legislative bodies, fraternal organisations, and member associations in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Do you have to use Robert's Rules?
Only if your organisation's bylaws specify it. Many corporate boards, nonprofit boards, HOAs, and government bodies adopt RONR by reference in their bylaws. If your bylaws are silent, you can use any procedure the group agrees to. The reason most member-governed organisations adopt RONR is to have a neutral, well-documented procedure that everyone can reference when disputes arise.
What is the standard order of business?
RONR specifies a standard order: Call to Order, Reading and Approval of Minutes, Reports of Officers and Standing Committees, Reports of Special Committees, Special Orders, Unfinished Business and General Orders, New Business, Announcements, Adjournment. Bylaws can modify this order, but the default applies if bylaws are silent.
What is a quorum and how is it set?
A quorum is the minimum number of members who must be present for the body to conduct business. RONR's default is a majority of members, but bylaws typically set a different number (commonly one-third of members for large bodies, a fixed number for boards). Without quorum, the only valid actions are setting a time for the next meeting, adjourning, and taking measures to obtain quorum. Any other business transacted without quorum is null.
How do you make a motion?
Stand (or raise your hand if seated is conventional), wait to be recognised by the chair, state 'I move that...' followed by the specific action proposed. Another member must say 'I second' before discussion begins. The chair restates the motion to the group, opens debate, then puts the motion to a vote. Debate must remain on the specific motion before the group.
What is the difference between Robert's Rules and consensus decision-making?
Robert's Rules uses majority vote (typically requiring just over 50%) to decide most motions. Consensus decision-making seeks unanimity or near-unanimity, with no decision adopted until all members can live with the outcome. RONR is faster and clearer for large groups; consensus tends to produce stronger commitment but takes longer and can grind to a halt with one persistent dissenter. Many organisations use RONR for formal decisions and consensus for informal team operations.
Related
Where Robert's Rules applies
Board meeting agenda
RONR procedure applied to typical corporate and nonprofit board content with 8 sections.
Nonprofit board meeting
501(c)(3)-specific agenda combining RONR procedure with IRS governance practices.
HOA board meeting
RONR plus open-meeting-law compliance for HOA boards in California, Florida, and other state regimes.
School board meeting
RONR plus Brown Act and state sunshine-law requirements for public school boards.