Florida homeowners associations are generally governed by Chapter 720, Florida Statutes, together with their declarations of covenants, articles of incorporation, bylaws, rules, architectural guidelines, resolutions, and other applicable requirements.
The Florida HOA Law Center provides practical educational resources for directors, officers, architectural committees, fining committees, community association managers, and other HOA leaders.
Published Guides
All 63 published guides that apply to Florida homeowners associations, grouped by topic. A guide that addresses more than one kind of association appears in every section it applies to; the “Applies to” line on each card shows which.
Start Here: Fundamentals
Understanding Chapter 720
A plain guide to the Homeowners' Association Act: its three parts, the sections boards use most, how it differs from Chapter 718, and what changed in 2026.
- HOAs
- Master associations
- Sub-associations
When a Board Needs an Attorney
The decisions, letters and deadlines that should trigger a call to the association's attorney, the ones that usually do not, and using counsel efficiently.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
- Clubs
What Is a Florida Homeowners Association?
How a Florida homeowners association is defined under Chapter 720, what it owns, what powers and duties it has, who regulates it, and the limits on its rules.
- HOAs
- Master associations
- Sub-associations
HOA vs. Condominium Association
A side-by-side comparison of Florida HOA and condominium law: ownership, regulation, reserves, insurance, meetings, elections, records, fines, collections and more.
- HOAs
- Condominiums
- Master associations
Reading Your Governing Documents
The order of authority among the declaration, articles, bylaws and rules; how Chapter 718 and 720 override them; Kaufman language; and the clauses boards misread.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Governance and Board Operations
HOA Board Authority
Where an HOA board's power comes from, the architectural limits in § 720.3035, restrictions Chapter 720 forbids, and which decisions require a member vote.
- HOAs
- Master associations
- Sub-associations
Committee Authority
Which HOA committee meetings must be open and noticed, the architectural committee's separate rules, the independent fining committee, and delegation limits.
- HOAs
- Master associations
- Sub-associations
Amenity Vendor Agreements
What belongs in agreements with fitness instructors, tennis pros, pool management companies, caterers and camps, from worker classification through competitive bidding.
- HOAs
- Master associations
- Country clubs
Board Member Certification
Florida director education rules for condo and HOA boards: the 4-hour course within 90 days, the written certification, continuing education and penalties.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Director Fiduciary Responsibilities
Fiduciary duties of Florida association directors under §§ 718.111, 720.303 and 617.0830, the business judgment rule, volunteer immunity and liability.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Director Conflicts of Interest
Florida conflict-of-interest rules for condo and HOA directors: § 718.3027 and § 720.3033 disclosure, leaving the room, recusal, member cancellation and kickbacks.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Board Email and Text Messages
Chapters 718 and 720 on director emails and texts: information yes, votes no, a quorum deliberating is an unnoticed meeting, and messages may be records.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Meetings, Elections and Recalls
Candidate Eligibility
The statutory and documentary tests for HOA board service: delinquency, felony convictions, the 90-day education certificate, and what Chapter 720 leaves to your bylaws.
- HOAs
Election Mistakes
Why HOA elections are not condominium elections, and the notice, proxy, quorum, nomination, counting and retention errors that get Florida elections overturned.
- HOAs
Disputed Elections
The 60-day challenge window, the department's narrow arbitration jurisdiction over HOA election and recall disputes, fee exposure, and preserving the election file.
- HOAs
Board Election Requirements
The Florida condo election calendar (60-, 40- and 14-day notices, 20% turnout, secret ballots), how HOA elections differ, eligibility and disputes.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Ballots, Proxies, Voting Certificates and Electronic Voting
When Florida associations may use general and limited proxies, when secret ballots are required, who signs a voting certificate, and how e-voting is adopted.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Board Recall Procedures
Florida's recall process for condo, co-op and HOA directors: written agreements vs. recall meetings, the board's 5-business-day meeting and arbitration.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Board Meeting Notices and Agendas
Florida condo and HOA board meeting notice rules: 48-hour posting, 14-day notice for assessments and use rules, agendas, owner rights and closed sessions.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Annual Meeting Planning
How to run a compliant Florida condo or HOA annual meeting: the 60/40/14-day notice timeline, quorum, limited and general proxies, owner rights and records.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Meeting Minutes
What condo and HOA minutes must contain under Chapters 718 and 720 (each director's vote), what to omit, closed sessions, committees, retention and access.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Official Records
Official Records Requirements
The fourteen record categories in section 720.303(4)(a), how long each must be kept, where they must be stored, and the retention policy 2024 added.
- HOAs
Electronic Records
What an HOA with 100 or more parcels must post online, the members-only area, redaction duties, and the rules and covenants every member must receive.
- HOAs
Records Exempt From Inspection
The nine categories a Florida HOA may withhold under section 720.303(5)(g), how narrow each one is, and why redacting beats refusing.
- HOAs
Records Request Mistakes
The 10-business-day rule, the fees an HOA may charge, the $50-a-day presumption, the 2024 criminal provisions, and the process that prevents claims.
- HOAs
Responding to Official Records Requests
Florida condo, co-op and HOA records requests: the 10-day deadlines, what owners may inspect, what may be withheld, the $50-a-day penalty and a checklist.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Records Retention Requirements
How long Florida condo, co-op and HOA associations must keep each category of records, which are permanent, the one-year election rule and board emails.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Budgets, Reserves and Structural Safety
Reserve Funding Requirements
Which reserves Florida condo and HOA budgets must include, how they are calculated, what owners may still waive, and the 2024 cutoff for structural reserves.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Special Assessments
When a Florida association board may levy a special assessment, the 14-day notice and its required contents, when owners must vote, and how funds may be used.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
- Master associations
Annual Budget Adoption
How to adopt a Florida condo or HOA budget: the planning calendar, required contents, the 14-day notice with a copy of the budget and the 115 percent rule.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
- Master associations
Assessments, Collections and Liens
Capital Contributions Owner Charges
Capital contributions, transfer fees, estoppel charges and fines: where an HOA's authority to charge comes from, what the lien secures, and the cost of getting it wrong.
- HOAs
Assessment Collection Timeline and Notices
The statutory sequence for collecting delinquent Florida condo and HOA assessments: 30-day late notice, 45-day lien notice, claim of lien and foreclosure.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Claims of Lien and Foreclosure
The Florida condo and HOA lien foreclosure timeline: 30- and 45-day notices, the claim of lien, the complaint, HOA qualifying offers, sale and redemption.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Payment Plans and Owner Bankruptcy
How Florida associations structure payment plans that preserve the lien, apply payments in statutory order, and respond to Chapter 7 or 13 bankruptcies.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Rules, Enforcement and Owner Conduct
Fining Committee
Who may sit on an HOA fining committee, the 14-day notice and 90-day hearing rule, what the committee may decide, and the errors that void fines.
- HOAs
Tenant Guest Conduct
Holding owners answerable for tenants and guests: fines, use-right suspensions, the section 720.3085(8) rent demand, lease rules and fair housing limits.
- HOAs
Clubhouse Rules
Rulemaking authority over the clubhouse, reservation and deposit policies, alcohol and insurance, vendor certificates, fob suspensions and fair housing limits.
- HOAs
- Country clubs
Swimming Pool Rules Risk
When Chapter 514 applies to a community pool, barrier and signage duties, lifeguard and age-restriction traps, guest rules, incident response and coverage.
- HOAs
- Country clubs
Racquet Facility Policies
Court time allocation, whether a pickleball conversion needs a member vote, noise and lighting exposure, and contracting with leagues and teaching pros.
- HOAs
- Country clubs
Amenity Noise Disputes
The nuisance standard behind the covenant, local ordinance limits, how to measure and document, mitigation options, and the board's exposure either way.
- HOAs
- Country clubs
Amenity Guest Policies
Who counts as a guest, whether you can charge a guest fee, how to limit numbers, and why caregivers and minors need separate handling.
- HOAs
- Master associations
- Country clubs
Fines, Hearings and Suspensions
Florida condo and HOA fining rules: $100-a-day limits, the 14-day notice, the independent hearing committee, when fines become liens, and suspensions.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Leasing and Rental Restrictions
How Florida condos and HOAs may restrict leasing and short-term rentals, which owners a new amendment binds, lease-approval fee limits and tenant enforcement.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Pet Restrictions and Emotional Support Animals
How Florida condo and HOA boards should handle emotional support animal requests under § 760.27: what may be asked, what may be denied, enforceable pet rules.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Covenant Enforcement Guide
Step-by-step covenant enforcement for Florida condo and HOA boards: authority, violation notices, cure periods, the fining committee, selective enforcement.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Enforcing Old Restrictions and MRTA
How Florida's Marketable Record Title Act extinguishes HOA covenants 30 years after the root of title, how to preserve them, and how to revitalize them.
- HOAs
- Master associations
- Sub-associations
Architectural Review, Alterations and Maintenance
Fence Applications
How far a declaration can go on fence height, material and setback, what surveys and easements do to an approval, and the 2026 permit rule.
- HOAs
Roofing Exterior Modifications
Roof color and material standards, matching when a product is discontinued after a storm, solar under section 163.04, hurricane protection, and the new 2026 permit rule.
- HOAs
Landscaping Restrictions
Where landscape covenants still bite, what sections 373.185 and 720.3045 take away, and how to handle turf rules during a watering ban.
- HOAs
Unapproved Owner Improvements
After-the-fact approval, modification or removal, the section 720.305 hearing route, who pays, and how to restart enforcement after years of inaction.
- HOAs
Drainage Improvements
How a board should handle requests to regrade, fill, install a French drain or set a driveway culvert, and why approval is not a permit.
- HOAs
- Master associations
Drainage Easements
Reading drainage and lake maintenance easements on the plat and in the declaration, association access rights, encroachments, removal and restoration.
- HOAs
- Master associations
Lake Drainage Maintenance Contracts
Writing a lake management scope from the permit conditions, checking applicator licensing, bidding under section 720.3055, and drafting indemnity and insurance terms.
- HOAs
- Master associations
Roads Gates Common Areas
Who owns and maintains your streets, how traffic law gets enforced on private roads, and the records, access and liability that come with gates.
- HOAs
- Master associations
- Sub-associations
- Country clubs
HOA Stormwater Responsibilities
An HOA's duties as operation and maintenance entity under a Florida Environmental Resource Permit: lakes, control structures, drainage easements, erosion.
- HOAs
- Master associations
- Clubs
Architectural Review Procedures
Section 720.3035 rules: authority in the declaration or published guidelines, open committee meetings, specific written denials, solar, hurricane protection.
- HOAs
- Condominiums
- Master associations
Insurance, Hurricane and Disaster Recovery
Emergency Board Decisions
The eleven emergency powers in § 720.316, when they apply, how emergency assessments and borrowing work, and what the board should ratify afterward.
- HOAs
- Master associations
- Sub-associations
Hurricane Preparation Checklist for Boards
A pre-season legal checklist for Florida association boards: emergency-powers resolution, insurance review, contractor pre-qualification and records backup.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Clubs
- Marinas
Emergency Powers After a Hurricane
The emergency powers Florida condo, co-op and HOA boards hold during a declared state of emergency, their limits, how long they last, and documentation.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Filing an Association Insurance Claim After a Storm
Step-by-step guide for Florida association boards filing a hurricane insurance claim: notice deadlines, documentation, mitigation, adjusters and appraisal.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
- Clubs
Restoration Contracts After a Hurricane
What Florida boards must check before signing post-storm roofing and restoration contracts: license, insurance, no AOB, no advance payments and lien releases.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
- Mobile home communities
Disputes, Mediation and Litigation
Flooding Drainage Disputes
Surface water liability in Florida, telling a design problem from a maintenance failure, the evidence to gather first, insurance, and presuit mediation.
- HOAs
- Master associations
Arbitration and Presuit Mediation
How § 718.1255 arbitration and § 720.311 presuit mediation work: covered disputes, the demand, deadlines, fees, trial de novo and refusals to participate.
- Condominiums
- HOAs
- Cooperatives
Start Here
- What Is a Florida HOA
- Understanding Chapter 720
- HOA Governing Documents
- HOA Board Authority
- HOA versus Condominium Association
HOA Governance and Meetings
- Board Member Duties
- Director Fiduciary Responsibilities
- Board Meeting Requirements
- Membership Meeting Requirements
- Meeting Notice Requirements
- Meeting Minutes
- Committee Authority
- Director Conflicts of Interest
- Director Email Communications
- Emergency Board Decisions
HOA Elections and Recalls
- Election Requirements
- Candidate Eligibility
- Proxies Ballots Voting
- Election Mistakes
- Board Recall Procedures
- Disputed Elections
Official Records
- Official Records Requirements
- Records Retention
- Responding to Records Request
- Electronic Records
- Records Exempt From Inspection
- Records Request Mistakes
Covenant and Rule Enforcement
- Covenant Enforcement
- Violation Notices
- Fining Procedures
- Fining Committee
- Suspension of Use Rights
- Selective Enforcement
- Enforcing Old Restrictions
- Pre Suit Mediation
- Rental Restrictions
- Tenant Guest Conduct
Architectural Review
- Architectural Review Procedures
- Architectural Committee Authority
- Reviewing Architectural Applications
- Fence Applications
- Roofing Exterior Modifications
- Landscaping Restrictions
- Solar Panel Applications
- Drainage Improvements
- Unapproved Owner Improvements
Assessments, Collections, and Liens
- Assessment Collections
- Collection Notices
- HOA Liens
- Lien Foreclosure Process
- Payment Plans
- Owner Bankruptcy
- Special Assessments
- Capital Contributions Owner Charges
Lakes, Drainage, and Stormwater
- Stormwater Responsibilities
- Lakes Retention Ponds
- Drainage Easements
- Surface Water Management Permits
- Sfwmd Compliance
- Flooding Drainage Disputes
- Lake Drainage Maintenance Contracts
Amenities and Community Operations
- Clubhouse Rules
- Swimming Pool Rules Risk
- Racquet Facility Policies
- Amenity Guest Policies
- Amenity Vendor Agreements
- Amenity Noise Disputes
- Roads Gates Common Areas
Related Resources
Speak With a Florida HOA Attorney
Before acting on a disputed election, records request, owner violation, architectural application, collection account, drainage concern, contract, or significant capital project, the board should consider obtaining guidance tailored to its documents and circumstances.