Florida HOA records requests: what the law actually requires

What the law says

Florida's homeowners'-association statute, Fla. Stat. § 720.303(5), requires the association to make its official records available to any parcel owner (or authorized representative) for inspection or photocopying, at reasonable times and places, within 10 business days after receiving a written request. A verbal request doesn't start the clock - it has to be in writing.

Copies can cost up to 25¢ per page - but for a request of 25 pages or fewer, the association can't charge for staff/personnel time on top of that, only the per-page rate.

What counts as an "official record"

The statute's list is broad: the declaration, articles of incorporation, bylaws and rules; accounting records and financial reports; meeting minutes; the official roster of members; contracts the association is a party to (including management and vendor contracts); and insurance policies, among others. Some categories are excluded or restricted - attorney-client privileged material, personnel records of association employees, and personal identifying information (like social security numbers or account numbers) generally aren't accessible the same way.

What happens if the board misses the deadline

Missing the 10-business-day window creates a rebuttable presumption that the association willfully failed to comply - meaning the burden shifts to the association to show otherwise. If a willful failure is found, Florida law sets minimum statutory damages of $50 per calendar day, up to a maximum of $500, starting from the 11th business day after the request. The prevailing party in a records-enforcement action can also recover reasonable attorney fees and costs - a real incentive for boards to just meet the deadline rather than litigate it.

New for 2026: condos with 25+ units must post records online

Separately from the records-request process above, Florida's House Bill 1021 expanded a website-posting mandate that previously applied only to condominiums with 150 or more units - as of January 1, 2026, it applies to any condominium association with 25 or more units (Fla. Stat. § 718.111(12)). Covered associations must maintain a website or app with a secure, password-protected owners-only section containing governing documents, rules, budgets and financial reports, meeting notices/agendas/minutes, current insurance policies, contracts and bids, and director/conflict-of-interest disclosures. This applies to condominium associations (Chapter 718) specifically - the records-request deadline and damages above apply to HOAs (Chapter 720) - but the practical effect for either type is the same: records need to already be organized and accessible, not located under deadline pressure.

A simple template for the request itself

A written request starts the 10-business-day clock and creates a paper trail. Copy, fill in the brackets, and send it (email or mail, whichever the association's governing documents specify or accept):