A Florida HOA records request lands on the Community Association Manager’s (CAM) desk before the board hears about it. The CAM logs the request and pulls the file, then reads every page for material the law keeps closed, the step that gets associations sued. At Synergistic Community Association Management, this is routine work for every Homeowners Association (HOA) we manage.
Highlights
- A Florida HOA must make official records available to a parcel owner for inspection or copying within 10 business days after the board or its designee receives a written request (FS 720.303(5)(a)).
- A Florida HOA may not require a parcel owner to state a reason or proper purpose for a records inspection (FS 720.303(5)(g)).
- Nine categories of Florida HOA records are closed to members, including attorney-client privileged material, employee personnel records, owner medical records, and personal identifying information (FS 720.303(5)(g)1. through 9.).
- Florida HOA boards that ignore a written request sent by certified mail face a rebuttable presumption of willful noncompliance, plus minimum damages of $50 per calendar day up to 10 days (FS 720.303(5)(b) and (c)).
- Synergistic Community Association Management, a certified woman-owned Tampa firm, runs records requests for Florida HOAs and COAs through one dedicated local manager, not a call center.
What your board must produce
Chapter 720 requires a defined set of official records kept at least 7 years: declaration, articles, bylaws, current rules, board and member minutes, the member roster, insurance policies, contracts, and financial records, including itemized receipts and owner ledgers. Bids and voting materials carry a 1-year retention (FS 720.303(4)(a)). Production may happen within 45 miles of the community, inside the county, or electronically (FS 720.303(5)(a)).
Records an owner cannot see
Privileged attorney communications and litigation work product are exempt, as is anything collected while approving a lease, sale, or transfer. In a gated community, guest visit records are off-limits. Personnel files stay closed, though employment agreements and budgeted compensation remain open. Medical records, personal identifying information such as Social Security numbers, security passwords, and association software complete the list (FS 720.303(5)(g)).
Condominium Owners Association (COA) records carry their own exempt list under FS 718.111(12). The two are not interchangeable, and boards that treat them that way may hear from an owner’s attorney.
Who is on the hook when a request arrives?
The ten days run from receipt by the board or its designee, which in a managed community is the CAM. The clock starts before the board knows. A manager carries the same criminal exposure as a director under FS 720.303(5)(d). Redaction of closed material before it is posted to the association website falls to the manager (FS 720.303(4)(b)4.), as does the written retention policy every association owes owners (FS 720.303(4)(c)).
What can the association charge for copies?
An owner may photograph records with a phone at no charge. Copies run up to 25 cents per page, and personnel time only after the first half hour, capped at $20 per hour and never for requests of 25 pages or fewer (FS 720.303(5)).
Looking for a community association management partner in Florida?
Synergistic Community Association Management manages HOAs, COAs, and master associations across Florida, with a Midwestern work ethic that returns calls. Boards get peace of mind knowing a request was answered inside the statutory window and screened. Call us about your records process, or read other insightful content at synergisticcam.com.
Liz Welch, Licensed Community Association Manager, Broker and Owner
813-940-8588
hello@synergisticcam.com
4511 N. Himes Ave., Suite 125, Tampa, FL 33614
Synergistic CAM manages communities throughout Florida
