Question 1

How long does a Florida condo association have to respond to a records request?

Accepted Answer

Under Florida §718.111(12)(c)1.a., the association must make official records available within 10 business days of receiving a written records request. The clock starts on the day the written request is received. Failure to comply gives the requester a claim for actual damages or statutory minimums per day, depending on the violation.

Question 2

How much advance notice must a Florida condo board give for a board meeting?

Accepted Answer

Florida §718.112(2)(c) requires the board to post written notice of regular board meetings at least 48 hours in advance, conspicuously on the condominium property. Some categories of meetings (e.g., assessments) carry longer notice requirements. The notice must include the agenda.

Question 3

How much notice is required for a budget meeting in a Florida condo association?

Accepted Answer

Under §718.112(2)(e), the association must mail, hand-deliver, or electronically transmit a copy of the proposed annual budget along with a notice of the meeting at which the budget will be considered at least 14 days before that meeting.

Question 4

What is the 5-year rule for HOA in Florida?

Accepted Answer

Most people asking about the "5-year rule" are referring to the §95.11(2)(b) five-year statute of limitations on actions founded on a written instrument — which includes an HOA's recorded declaration. A lawsuit to enforce a declaration provision must generally be filed within five years of the violation. Note that this is a different clock from the §718.116(5)(b) one-year lien expiration for unpaid condo assessments and the §720.3085(1)(b) 90-day window an owner has to contest a recorded claim of lien.

Question 5

Are Florida HOA records public?

Accepted Answer

HOA records are not public records under the Florida Sunshine Law. They are association property, accessible only to members who submit a written request under §720.303(5)(a). The association must respond within 10 business days. Non-members — including prospective buyers who have not yet closed — generally have no statutory right of access, though some associations grant limited access by policy.

Question 6

Where can I find condo documents online in Florida?

Accepted Answer

Florida §718.111(12)(g) requires any condominium association with 25 or more non-timeshare units to maintain an association website or web portal. A password-protected owners-only section must post the declaration, bylaws, articles of incorporation, rules, current contracts, adopted budget, financial reports, director certifications, conflict-of-interest disclosures, meeting notices and agendas, inspection reports, structural reserve studies, and building permits. Smaller associations and timeshare condos are exempt from this website requirement.

Question 7

How long does a Florida HOA have to keep records?

Accepted Answer

Under §720.303(4)(b), an HOA must retain the declaration, articles of incorporation, bylaws, minutes, and the member roster permanently. Most accounting records and contracts must be kept for seven years within Florida. Ballots and proxies must be kept for one year. Condominiums follow §718.111(12)(b), which requires structural inspection reports to be kept for 15 years. Failure to maintain required records is a basis for DBPR complaint.

Question 8

What is the best HOA software in Florida?

Accepted Answer

There is no single "best" — the right tool depends on what your board needs most. Broad operational platforms cover payments, maintenance, and owner portals. HOA Rocket is built for Florida §718 and §720 compliance depth: it tracks the §718.111(12)(c)1.a 10-business-day records-request clock, generates statutory meeting notices, maintains an audit log, and hosts the §718.111(12)(g) statutory website. Many boards pair a general-purpose platform with a Florida-specific compliance layer.

Question 9

Is QuickBooks good for an HOA?

Accepted Answer

QuickBooks is a capable general ledger for an HOA but was not designed for Florida statutory compliance. It does not produce the notices required by §718.112(2)(c)1, run the §718.111(12)(c)1.a 10-business-day records-request clock, host the §718.111(12)(g) statutory website, or create the §720.305(2)(b) fining-committee audit trail. Most boards use QuickBooks for accounting and pair it with a Florida-compliance tool that handles the regulatory side.

Question 10

Are HOA fines enforceable in Florida?

Accepted Answer

Yes, provided the board follows the exact §720.305(2) procedure. The owner must receive written notice at least 14 days before the hearing date. The hearing must be held before a fining committee of at least three members who are not officers, directors, or employees of the association, and the committee must approve the fine by majority vote. Fines imposed without following these steps are unenforceable, and the association may not collect or lien for them.

Question 11

When can a Florida HOA fine become a lien?

Accepted Answer

Under §720.305(2), a fine of less than $1,000 in the aggregate may never become a lien against a parcel regardless of what the governing documents say. A fine of $1,000 or more may become a lien only if the governing documents expressly authorize it. Even then, the fining-committee process under §720.305(2)(b) must be completed first. This rule is separate from assessment liens, which attach under §720.3085.

Question 12

Can a Florida condo association lien a unit for unpaid fines?

Accepted Answer

No. §718.303(4) explicitly states that a fine imposed by a condominium association "may not become a lien against a unit." Unpaid fines remain a personal obligation of the unit owner and may be collected through civil action, but the association cannot record a claim of lien against the unit for a fine. Assessments and special assessments are a different matter — they may become liens under §718.116.

Question 13

How much notice is required for a Florida condo budget meeting?

Accepted Answer

§718.112(2)(e)1 requires the association to deliver, mail, or electronically transmit the proposed annual budget and meeting notice at least 14 days before the budget meeting. An officer of the association must execute an affidavit of compliance confirming timely delivery, and that affidavit becomes part of the official records. Failure to provide proper notice may make the adopted budget voidable.

Question 14

How much advance notice is required for a Florida condo annual meeting?

Accepted Answer

§718.112(2)(d)3 requires that notice of the annual members' meeting be mailed, hand-delivered, or electronically transmitted to each unit owner at least 14 days before the meeting. The same notice must also be conspicuously posted on the condominium property for 14 continuous days preceding the meeting. Failure to meet either requirement can invalidate action taken at the meeting.

Question 15

Is 48 hours the notice rule for a Florida condo board meeting?

Accepted Answer

§718.112(2)(c)1 requires written notice of every regular board meeting at least 48 continuous hours in advance, conspicuously posted on the condominium property. However, notice for a meeting at which a special assessment will be considered, or at which rules will be amended, is 14 days with written or electronic delivery to every owner. Votes taken at an emergency meeting must be ratified at the next regular meeting.

Question 16

What are the website requirements for Florida statute 718?

Accepted Answer

§718.111(12)(g) requires any association with 25 or more non-timeshare units to operate an independent or dedicated website with a protected owners-only section. Required postings include the declaration, bylaws, articles of incorporation, rules, a list of contracts and contact information, the adopted budget, financial reports, director certifications, conflict-of-interest disclosures, meeting notices and agendas, inspection reports, structural reserve studies, and applicable building permits. Associations that fail to maintain this website expose directors to DBPR complaints.

Question 17

Does a Florida HOA have to have a fining committee?

Accepted Answer

Yes — when the board wants to impose a fine or suspension, §720.305(2)(b) requires the matter to go before a committee of at least three members appointed by the board. None of those committee members may be an officer, director, or employee of the association, or the spouse, parent, child, or sibling of one. The committee must give the owner 14 days' notice and confirm the fine by majority vote. Without committee approval, the fine is void.

Question 18

How much does a milestone inspection cost in Florida?

Accepted Answer

Florida law does not set a fixed price for milestone inspections under §553.899. Phase 1 costs vary based on building height, number of units, age, coastal exposure, and the engineering or architectural firm selected. Small mid-rise buildings may see fees in the low thousands; large oceanfront towers can pay substantially more. Phase 2 — which involves destructive or non-destructive testing — is priced separately and is only required when Phase 1 identifies substantial structural deterioration.

Question 19

Which Florida buildings need a milestone inspection?

Accepted Answer

§553.899 requires a milestone inspection for any condominium or cooperative building that is three or more stories above ground. The first inspection is due at 30 years from the certificate of occupancy. Buildings within three miles of the coast may be required to inspect at 25 years if the local enforcement agency adopts that threshold. After the initial inspection, repeat inspections are due every 10 years. Single-family homes and buildings under three stories are exempt.

Question 20

What is the statute for milestone inspection in Florida?

Accepted Answer

Milestone inspections in Florida are governed by §553.899, which sets the scope, timing, and qualification requirements for Phase 1 and Phase 2 inspections. Related Structural Integrity Reserve Study rules appear in §718.112(2)(g). The framework was originally enacted by SB 4-D in May 2022 following the Champlain Towers South collapse, and was further refined by HB 913 in 2025.

Question 21

What documents can I request from my HOA or condo association in Florida?

Accepted Answer

An owner may request any official record enumerated in §718.111(12)(a) for condominiums — including bylaws, declaration, rules, minutes, financial records, the member roster, ballots, and contracts — or §720.303(4)(a) for HOAs, which covers a similar list. The association must make the records available within 10 business days of receiving a written request. Associations may charge a reasonable per-page copying fee but may not require the owner to give a reason for the request.

Question 22

Can a Florida HOA director be removed for a criminal charge?

Accepted Answer

§720.3033 requires that any HOA director or officer who is charged with a crime involving ballot forgery, theft or embezzlement of association funds, destruction or falsification of official records, obstruction of justice, or any other criminal violation of Chapter 720 must be immediately removed from office. The removed person may not be reappointed or act in any capacity until the charges are resolved in their favor. The board must fill the vacancy under its normal vacancy-filling procedure.

Question 23

What vote is needed to amend a Florida HOA's governing documents?

Accepted Answer

§720.306(1)(b) sets the default threshold for amending HOA governing documents at the affirmative vote of two-thirds of total voting interests, unless the current documents specify a different percentage. If an amendment would materially alter or eliminate voting rights, or change the proportional method for calculating assessments, §720.306(1)(c) requires the written consent of every affected owner — a unanimous-consent rule that cannot be overridden by a lower document threshold.

Question 24

Can a Florida condo hold elections online?

Accepted Answer

§718.128 permits non-timeshare condominium associations to conduct votes electronically once each unit owner has consented in writing or electronically. The electronic voting system must transmit a receipt to each voter after a ballot is cast. For board elections specifically, the system must permanently separate ballot content from owner-identifying authentication data. The board must give at least 14 days' advance notice of the resolution adopting electronic voting.

Question 25

What is the HB 913 law in Florida?

Accepted Answer

HB 913 was signed by Governor DeSantis and took effect July 1, 2025. It strengthens reserve funding and Structural Integrity Reserve Study rules under §718.112(2)(g), refines the timing and reporting requirements for milestone inspections under §553.899, expands enforcement powers held by the DBPR Division of Florida Condominiums under §718.501, and makes several other updates to Chapter 718 aimed at improving condominium building safety following the 2021 Champlain Towers South collapse.

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