How to Request HOA Records in Florida

One of the strongest rights Florida gives HOA members is the right to inspect the association's official records. If you want to understand how your dues are spent, whether the board is following its own rules, or how a decision was made, this is how you find out.

What you're entitled to see

Under Florida Statute 720.303(5), members may inspect and copy the association's official records, which generally include:

• Governing documents — the declaration (CC&Rs), bylaws, articles, and rules
• Budgets, financial reports, and accounting records
• Meeting minutes for the board and the membership
• Contracts and bids the association has entered into
• Insurance policies
• The membership/owner roster (contact info, with limits)
• Reserve studies and, for larger communities, records posted online

Associations with 100 or more parcels must now post many of these records on a website or app under the 2024 reforms.

The 10-business-day rule

You must make your request in writing (certified mail creates a clear record). The association must make the records available for inspection within 10 business days of receiving your request. Inspection typically happens at a reasonable time and place; you can take photos or request copies (the association may charge a reasonable per-page copy cost).

What the association may withhold

Not everything is open. Florida law lets the association protect certain records, including:

• Attorney-client privileged communications
• Records related to pending litigation
• Personnel records of employees
• Owners' personal identifying information such as Social Security numbers, bank/credit card numbers, and email addresses of owners who have opted out
• Medical and certain security records

If the board refuses

Failure to provide access is taken seriously. Under Florida Statute 720.303, a member who is willfully denied access may be entitled to statutory damages — commonly cited as up to $50 per day for up to 10 business days ($500) — plus the right to recover attorney's fees in a successful action. The 2024 reforms also added potential penalties for board members who knowingly obstruct records access.

How to write an effective request

1. Address it to the association and its manager, in writing.
2. Be specific — list the exact records and the date range.
3. State that you're requesting inspection under Florida Statute 720.303(5).
4. Send it by certified mail (or a method that proves delivery) and keep a copy.
5. Note the date; the 10-business-day clock starts when they receive it.

Learn more

• Florida Statute 720.303 — Association powers and duties; records