On this page 12 sections
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We re-read the listed sources on this date. This is not attorney review, and it is not legal advice.
General information, not legal advice. Statutes and rules change; the official sources are linked below.
A Florida condominium association has 10 working days to make official records available after it receives an owner's written request, and a homeowners' association has 10 business days. Miss the window and the law presumes the failure was willful, with minimum damages of $50 per calendar day for up to 10 days. The condominium rules are in section 718.111(12), Florida Statutes; the HOA rules are in section 720.303(4) and (5).
Most records disputes do not start with a refusal. They start with a request that sat in a general inbox for six days, a board member who wanted to "check with counsel first", or a packet that went out with an owner's phone number in it. This guide covers what the two statutes say, as of October 2026, and then the workflow that keeps a manager on the right side of both.
Condo and HOA rules side by side
| Rule | Condominiums (Chapter 718) | HOAs (Chapter 720) |
|---|---|---|
| Who may inspect | Any member, or a person the member authorizes as a representative; renters only the declaration, bylaws, rules and inspection reports | Parcel owners and members |
| Clock | 10 working days after the board or its designee receives a written request | 10 business days after the board or its designee receives a written request |
| Presumption of willful failure | Any written request not met in 10 working days | Request sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, not met in 10 business days |
| Minimum damages | $50 per calendar day, up to 10 days, from the 11th working day | $50 per calendar day, up to 10 days, from the 11th business day |
| Checklist with the response | Required; it names records not made available and is kept 7 years | Not in §720.303 |
| Copies | At the member's reasonable expense; owners may use a phone, tablet or scanner at no charge | Up to 25 cents a page on the association's copier; personnel time only after half an hour, at no more than $20 an hour; no personnel charge for 25 pages or fewer; owners' own devices free |
| Purpose | The association may not require a reason | The association may not require a proper purpose or a reason |
| Retention | Governing documents and minutes permanently; bids 1 year; most other records at least 7 years, in Florida | At least 7 years unless the governing documents say longer; bids and voting papers 1 year |
What counts as an official record?
What the law says
Condominiums. Section 718.111(12)(a) lists 21 categories the association keeps "from the inception of the association", among them the declaration, bylaws, articles and rules; board and owner meeting minutes and a recording of meetings held by video conference; insurance policies; contracts and bids; building permits; affidavits; accounting records for the association and for each condominium it runs; and ballots, sign-in sheets, proxies "and all other papers and electronic records relating to voting by unit owners." The last item is a catch-all: "all other written records of the association not specifically included in the foregoing" that relate to its operation (§718.111(12)(a)).
Retention. The governing documents and minutes are kept permanently, bids for work or materials for at least 1 year, and other official records within the state for at least 7 years (§718.111(12)(b)).
HOAs. Section 720.303(4) has its own list, which also ends with "all other written records of the association not specifically included." Records are kept for at least 7 years unless the governing documents require longer; bids for 1 year; ballots and other voting papers for 1 year after the election, vote or meeting (§720.303(4)).
Recommended operating practice
The catch-all is why "that isn't an official record" is a weak answer. Emails about association business, vendor invoices and the manager's work-order log can all fall inside it. Decide with counsel which systems hold association records, and make sure each one can be searched and exported when a request names it.
Who can request records, and how?
What the law says
- Condominiums. The official records are open to inspection by any association member or the member's authorized representative, who may make or obtain copies at the member's reasonable expense. "A renter of a unit has a right to inspect and copy only the declaration of condominium, the association's bylaws and rules, and the inspection reports" described in sections 553.899 and 718.301(4)(p) (§718.111(12)(c)1.a).
- HOAs. Parcel owners and members may inspect and photocopy official records (§720.303(5)).
- No reason required. A condominium association "may not require a member to demonstrate any purpose or state any reason for the inspection" (§718.111(12)(c)1.a); an HOA may not require a proper purpose or a reason either (§720.303(5)).
- Rules on access. Both chapters allow reasonable rules on the frequency, time, location, notice and manner of inspection. An HOA's rules must be written and may not limit inspection to less than one 8-hour business day a month.
Recommended operating practice
Verify ownership before the clock gets tight. A request signed by "the tenant in 3B" gets the renter's set in a condo and an explanation in an HOA. A request from an owner's attorney comes with the owner's written authorization.
The 10-day clock and where records must be made available
What the law says
Condominiums. Official records "must be made available to a unit owner within 45 miles of the condominium property or within the county in which the condominium property is located within 10 working days after receipt of a written request by the board or its designee." The association may offer the records electronically, over the Internet or on a screen at the inspection site (§718.111(12)(b)). If the requested records are posted on the association's website or available through its app, the association may fulfill the request by directing the person there (§718.111(12)(c)1.a).
HOAs. Records are maintained in Florida and made available within 45 miles of the community or within the county, within 10 business days after the board or its designee receives a written request. The association can comply by giving Internet access to the records or letting the owner view them on a screen and print on request (§720.303(5)).
Recommended operating practice
A worked example
A written condo request arrives on Tuesday, April 6, 2027. Counting Monday through Friday with no holidays in the window:
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Request received | Tue, Apr 6 |
| Working day 1 | Wed, Apr 7 |
| Working day 5 (halfway check) | Tue, Apr 13 |
| Working day 10 (last day to make records available) | Tue, Apr 20 |
| Minimum damages can start (11th working day) | Wed, Apr 21 |
Agree with counsel, once and in writing, how the association counts working and business days around weekends and legal holidays, then use that rule for every request.
Damages, fees and criminal penalties
What the law says
Condominiums (§718.111(12)(c)):
- Failing to make records available within 10 working days "creates a rebuttable presumption that the association willfully failed to comply."
- "A unit owner who is denied access to official records is entitled to the actual damages or minimum damages for the association's willful failure to comply. Minimum damages are $50 per calendar day for up to 10 days," beginning on the 11th working day after the written request.
- A person who prevails in an enforcement action may recover reasonable attorney fees from the person in control of the records who knowingly denied access.
- A director, board member or community association manager who willfully and knowingly violates the inspection rules commits a second-degree misdemeanor and must be removed from office.
- Knowingly destroying or failing to maintain required accounting records with intent to harm is a first-degree misdemeanor, with a personal civil penalty under section 718.501(1)(e).
- Willfully refusing to release or produce records to avoid detection, arrest, trial or punishment for a crime is a third-degree felony.
HOAs (§720.303(5)):
- If a request sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, is not met within 10 business days, there is a rebuttable presumption of willful failure.
- A member denied access is entitled to actual or minimum damages, with minimum damages of $50 per calendar day for up to 10 days, beginning on the 11th business day.
- A director, board member or community association manager who knowingly, willfully and repeatedly violates the inspection rules (two or more violations within 12 months) with intent to harm commits a second-degree misdemeanor. Destroying or failing to maintain accounting records with intent to harm is a first-degree misdemeanor, and refusing to release records to avoid detection of a crime is a third-degree felony.
The condominium criminal penalties arrived with HB 1021 (2024), which also added the requirement to keep the response checklist for 7 years (HB 1021 final bill analysis).
Recommended operating practice
The minimum-damages figure tops out at $500 per request ($50 times 10 days). That number is rarely the real exposure. Attorney fees, a presumption the board has to rebut, and a director's seat are what make a missed deadline expensive.
The condo checklist
What the law says
When responding to a written request, a condominium association must at the same time give the requestor a checklist of all records made available for inspection and copying. "The checklist must also identify any of the association's official records that were not made available to the requestor." The association keeps the checklist for 7 years, and delivering it creates a rebuttable presumption that the association complied (§718.111(12)(c)1.b).
Recommended operating practice
Section 720.303 has no equivalent checklist. HOAs can still send one: it costs a few minutes and it is the best evidence of what the owner received and when.
What to withhold or redact
What the law says
Condominium owners may not access (§718.111(12)(c)5):
- Records protected by the lawyer-client or work-product privilege, until the litigation concludes
- Information obtained in approving the lease, sale or other transfer of a unit
- Personnel records of association or management company employees, other than employment agreements and budgetary or financial records showing compensation
- Medical records of unit owners
- Social Security, driver license, credit card and similar numbers, email addresses, telephone numbers, fax numbers, emergency contacts and addresses other than those used for association notices (a name, unit designation and notice address stay accessible)
- Electronic security measures, including passwords
- Software and operating systems used to manipulate data (the data itself remains an official record)
- Affirmative acknowledgments under section 718.121(4)(c)
The HOA list in §720.303(5)(g) is nearly the same and adds information obtained in a gated community in connection with guests' visits.
Recommended operating practice
Withholding a protected record does not stop the clock on everything else in the request. Produce what can be produced, redact what must be redacted, and list on the checklist what was held back. A request for "all 2026 vendor contracts" might go out on day eight with a background check and a gate system's admin login removed, and the checklist would say so.
A step-by-step workflow for managers
ChecklistRecords request workflow
Two habits prevent most misses. First, every inbox that owners can reach, including the front desk and the after-hours line, sends written records requests to one queue the same day. Second, a request never waits on a board meeting: the board can be told, but the clock does not pause for it.
Managers handing over an account have a clock of their own. Under HB 1021, a community association manager or management firm must return all official records within 20 days after the earlier of contract termination or the association's written request, and a late return can bring license discipline and a civil penalty of $1,000 a day for up to 10 days, starting on the 21st day (HB 1021 final bill analysis).
Complaints to DBPR
The Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes lists "the maintenance of and unit owner access to association records listed in statute" among the matters it handles. It accepts complaints by mail or through an online form, confirms receipt within 2 business days and aims to finish investigations within 90 days (DBPR condominium FAQs). The Division's jurisdiction comes from section 718.501(1).
Posting rules for the owner website are covered in Florida condo website requirements and Florida HOA website requirements. For everything else that changed for condominium associations since 2024, see What changed for Florida condo associations in 2024 and 2025. A printable list of the recurring Florida deadlines is in the Florida compliance checklist.
Where TowerLine AI fits in the request workflow
TowerLine AI's records request tracker, in the Board Portal, is designed to log each written request with the date it arrived and count down the 10 working days, with steps for gathering, redaction review and delivery, and a calendar reminder before the due date. Owners can submit a written request from the Resident Portal, and the AI concierge can open a records request for a verified owner who calls. The tracker follows the Chapter 718 rules; a business-day version can be set up for Chapter 720 associations during implementation. What to withhold and how the statute applies to a request stay with your manager and your attorney. See how this works for condominium associations and for HOA and community management.
Frequently asked questions
How many days does a Florida condo association have to respond to a records request?
Ten working days after the board or its designee receives a written request, under section 718.111(12), Florida Statutes. The records must be made available within 45 miles of the condominium property or in the same county, or electronically. Missing the window creates a rebuttable presumption that the association willfully failed to comply.
Does a records request have to be in writing?
The 10-day clocks in both chapters run from receipt of a written request. A phone call or a hallway conversation does not start the statutory clock, but it is good practice to tell the owner how to put the request in writing, and to log the call.
Can the association ask why an owner wants the records?
No. Section 718.111(12)(c) says a condominium association may not require a member to demonstrate any purpose or state any reason for the inspection, and section 720.303(5) says the same for HOAs. Both chapters allow reasonable rules on the frequency, time, location, notice and manner of inspection. For HOAs those rules must be written and may not limit inspection to less than one 8-hour business day a month.
Can a condo association answer a request by sending owners to its website?
Yes, for records that are posted. Section 718.111(12)(c)1.a lets the association meet its obligation by directing the person to the website or the mobile app when the requested records are posted there. Records that are not posted still run on the 10-working-day clock.
What are the damages if an association misses the deadline?
A unit owner denied access is entitled to actual damages or minimum damages of $50 per calendar day for up to 10 days, starting on the 11th working day after the request. In a condominium, a person who prevails in an enforcement action may also recover reasonable attorney fees from the person in control of the records who knowingly denied access. HOA owners have the same minimum damages, from the 11th business day.
Who enforces condo records rights?
Owners can sue, and the Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes at DBPR has jurisdiction over unit owner access to association records listed in statute, under section 718.501(1). DBPR accepts complaints by mail or through its online form, confirms receipt within 2 business days and aims to finish investigations within 90 days.
Sources
- Section 718.111, Florida Statutes (2026): official records, inspection, damages, protected records, website posting
- Section 720.303, Florida Statutes (2026): HOA official records, inspection, copy fees, protected records
- Section 718.501, Florida Statutes (2026): the Division's enforcement authority
- CS/CS/CS/HB 1021 (2024), Community Associations, ch. 2024-244
- HB 1021 final bill analysis
- DBPR condominium FAQs
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Whether a document is an official record, what may be withheld and how the days are counted depend on your governing documents and the facts of the request, so confirm them with a Florida community association attorney before you rely on this summary.
