Florida HOA Records Requests: Deadlines and Fees

Short answer: Under Florida’s HOA statute (Fla. Stat. § 720.303(5), as of September 23, 2026), the association must make official records available within 10 business days after the board or its designee receives your written request, unless the law or the governing documents provide otherwise. If the request went by certified mail, return receipt requested, a missed deadline creates a presumption that the failure was willful, and minimum damages can apply for a willful failure. Condominiums (Chapter 718) follow a similar but different rule, described below.

Last checked: September 23, 2026. Covers: Florida Statutes Chapter 720 (HOAs), with a comparison to Chapter 718 (condominiums). Agency rules, court decisions and local rules were not reviewed.

How do you make a records request to a Florida HOA?

Put it in writing and send it to the board or its designee (Fla. Stat. § 720.303(5)(a)). Say which records you want. If you want the legal presumption of willfulness to be available, send the request by certified mail, return receipt requested (§ 720.303(5)(b)). The statute allows the association to meet the request electronically, by making records available over the internet or viewable on a computer screen and printable on request (§ 720.303(5)(a)).

For wording, see how to request your HOA’s records and the records request letter template.

Who may inspect, and do you need a reason?

In an HOA the statute speaks of the “parcel owner” (§ 720.303(5)(a)). The association may not require you to show a proper purpose, state a reason, or limit your inspection to less than one 8-hour business day a month (§ 720.303(5)(g)). It may adopt reasonable written rules on the frequency, time, location, notice, records to be inspected and manner of inspections (§ 720.303(5)(g)), so it is worth asking whether your association has such rules.

What is the deadline?

Ten business days after the board or its designee receives the written request, “unless otherwise provided by law or the governing documents” (§ 720.303(5)(a)). The records are to be available within 45 miles of the community or within the county where the association is located (§ 720.303(5)(a)). The condo statute says “10 working days” instead (§ 718.111(12)(b), (c)1.a). We did not find either term defined in those sections.

What can the association charge for copies?

Under § 720.303(5)(g), the association may impose fees to cover the costs of providing copies:

Personnel time for retrieving and copying only if it exceeds one-half hour, and only if personnel costs do not exceed $20 an hour. Personnel costs may not be charged for a request that results in copying 25 or fewer pages.
Up to 25 cents a page for copies made on the association’s own photocopier.
An outside duplicating service at actual cost, as supported by the vendor invoice, if the association has no photocopier where the records are kept or the request is over 25 pages.

Two related rules are in § 720.303(5)(a). The association must let a member or authorized representative use a portable device, such as a smartphone or scanner, to make an electronic copy, and may not charge a fee for that. If the association has a photocopier where the records are kept, it must give copies on request during the inspection when the whole request is 25 pages or fewer.

What may the association withhold?

The HOA statute lists records that are not accessible to members (§ 720.303(5)(g)). They include attorney-client privileged material and work product, information gathered when approving a lease, sale or transfer of a parcel, and information about guests’ visits in a gated community. Also listed are medical records of an owner or resident, Social Security, driver license and credit card numbers, electronic security measures and passwords, and other personal identifying information such as e-mail addresses, telephone numbers and emergency contacts. A person’s name, parcel designation, mailing address and property address are excluded from that protection. Personnel records are on the list too, but the term does not include written employment agreements or budget and financial records showing employee compensation. The association’s data software and operating system are also listed, though the data itself is part of the official records. The condo list is similar but treats e-mail addresses differently: it excludes addresses given to the association for its notice requirements (§ 718.111(12)(c)5.e).

What happens if the association misses the deadline?

Presumption. Failing to provide access within 10 business days of a certified-mail request “creates a rebuttable presumption” of willful failure (§ 720.303(5)(b)). Rebuttable means the association can offer evidence to the contrary.
Damages. A member denied access is entitled to actual damages or minimum damages for the association’s willful failure. The minimum is $50 per calendar day for up to 10 days, counted from the 11th business day, which tops out at $500 (§ 720.303(5)(c)).
Attorney fees. We found no attorney-fee sentence in subsection (5). The general clause says the prevailing party in litigation to enforce the chapter is entitled to reasonable attorney fees and costs (§ 720.305(1)).
Criminal penalties. The statute sets three, each with its own conditions (§ 720.303(5)(d)-(f)). A second-degree misdemeanor applies to a director, a member of the board or association, or a community association manager who knowingly, willfully and repeatedly violates paragraph (a). The intent must be to cause harm to the association or its members. “Repeatedly” means two or more violations within a 12-month period. A person who knowingly and intentionally defaces or destroys required accounting records during the retention period, or knowingly or intentionally fails to create or maintain required accounting records, with the same intent to cause harm, commits a first-degree misdemeanor. A person who willfully and knowingly refuses to release association records with the intent to avoid detection, arrest, trial or punishment for a crime, or to help another person do so, commits a third-degree felony.

What if the association refuses?

Follow up in writing, politely, and keep proof of delivery. Volunteer boards sometimes need a reminder.
Consider the presuit mediation route. Disputes over access to official records are among those that need a demand for presuit mediation, served by certified mail, return receipt requested, before the dispute is filed in court (§ 720.311(2)(a)-(b)). The other side has 20 days from the mailing of the demand to respond. If a session cannot be held within 90 days, an impasse is deemed unless both parties agree to extend. Costs are shared equally unless the parties agree otherwise. A party who fails or refuses to take part in the entire process may not recover attorney fees and costs in later litigation. A motion for temporary injunctive relief in an emergency may be filed first (§ 720.311(2)(a)).
Know that Florida’s HOA statute does not create a state agency to regulate HOAs (§ 720.302(2)). The Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) says it cannot investigate Chapter 720 complaints.
Ask a Florida attorney about your own facts. For other routes, see how to file a complaint against your HOA.

How do condos differ?

	HOA (ch. 720)	Condo (ch. 718)
Who may inspect	Parcel owner (§ 720.303(5)(a))	Any association member or a person the member authorizes as a representative (§ 718.111(12)(c)1.a)
Deadline	10 business days, unless otherwise provided by law or the governing documents	10 working days
Willfulness presumption	Only for certified mail, return receipt requested	Any written request
Minimum damages	$50 a day, up to 10 days, from the 11th business day	$50 a day, up to 10 days, from the 11th working day
Attorney fees	No fee sentence in (5); general clause in § 720.305(1)	Prevailing party in an enforcement action recovers fees from the person in control of the records who knowingly denied access (§ 718.111(12)(c)1.a)
Checklist	None found in ch. 720	Required with the response (§ 718.111(12)(c)1.b)
Copy cost	Schedule above	“Reasonable expense, if any, of the member”; no per-page schedule in § 718.111
State agency	None for HOA complaints	The Division of Florida Condominiums may investigate records-access complaints after turnover (§ 718.501(1)(a))

The condo checklist must list all records made available and identify any official records that were not (§ 718.111(12)(c)1.b). A director, a member of the board or association, or a manager who willfully and knowingly or intentionally violates the condo records rule commits a second-degree misdemeanor and must be removed from office (§ 718.111(12)(c)2). Unlike the HOA text, that condo provision has no “repeatedly” or intent-to-harm element. The Division’s civil penalty for an offense may not exceed $5,000 (§ 718.501(1)(e)6).

What to do next

Write a short, specific request and send it by certified mail, return receipt requested.
Note the date the board or its designee received it, and count 10 business days.
Read the response against the deadline, the fee rules and the withholding list above.
If it falls short, follow up in writing, then consider presuit mediation or an attorney.

Common questions

How long does an HOA have to respond to a request in Florida? Ten business days after the board or its designee receives a written request, unless the law or the governing documents provide otherwise (Fla. Stat. § 720.303(5)(a)). A condo has 10 working days (§ 718.111(12)(b)).

Are HOA documents public record in Florida? The HOA statute gives inspection rights to parcel owners (§ 720.303(5)). Our research covered the association statutes, not Florida’s general public-records law, so we cannot say whether that law applies to private associations.

How long does a Florida HOA have to keep records? The HOA statute says the listed official records are kept at least 7 years unless the governing documents require a longer period. Bids, and ballots, sign-in sheets and proxies, have a shorter period of 1 year (§ 720.303(4)(a)). Condos must keep some core documents, including the declaration, bylaws, articles, rules and minutes, permanently (§ 718.111(12)(a)-(b)).

How do I request condo association records in Florida? Send a written request to the board or its designee. The condo deadline is 10 working days and the presumption of willfulness does not depend on certified mail (§ 718.111(12)(b), (c)1.a).

Sources

Checked September 23, 2026.

Fla. Stat. § 720.303 (https://www.flsenate.gov/laws/statutes/2026/720.303), § 720.305 (https://www.flsenate.gov/laws/statutes/2026/720.305), § 720.311 (https://www.flsenate.gov/laws/statutes/2026/720.311), § 720.302 (https://www.flsenate.gov/laws/statutes/2026/720.302)
Fla. Stat. § 718.111 (https://www.flsenate.gov/laws/statutes/2026/718.111), § 718.501 (https://www.flsenate.gov/laws/statutes/2026/718.501)
DBPR homeowners’ association page (https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/condos-timeshares-mobile-homes/homeowners-associations/)

Important notice

Fycus is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Association law varies by state and by each community’s governing documents. Consult a licensed attorney for guidance specific to your association.

This page is general information, was written from official statute text as of September 23, 2026, and has not been reviewed by an attorney. Laws change; check the current text before you rely on it.

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