Florida rewrote large parts of its community association law between 2024 and 2025. Three bills did most of the work: HB 1203 overhauled the Homeowners’ Association Act, HB 1021 reshaped the Condominium Act, and in 2025 HB 913 softened some of the condo requirements while adding others. If you own in a deed-restricted community, sit on a board, or manage one, the rules that governed your association a year ago may no longer be the rules today.

This guide breaks down the changes in plain language, organized by who they affect, with the bill and statute numbers so you can read the law for yourself. It is general information, not legal advice, and some provisions have carve-outs or later effective dates. If a change affects a decision you are about to make, confirm how it applies to your specific community before you rely on it.

Table of Contents

The 2024 HOA overhaul (HB 1203)

House Bill 1203 was signed in 2024, with most provisions effective July 1, 2024 and a few effective January 1, 2025. It amended Chapter 720, the Homeowners’ Association Act, and it tilted meaningfully toward owner protection and board accountability.

Caps on fines and a required hearing

Under Fla. Stat. 720.305, an HOA fine generally cannot exceed $100 per violation unless the governing documents allow a higher amount, and a fine of less than $1,000 in the aggregate generally cannot become a lien against the parcel. Before imposing a fine or suspension, the association must give the owner at least 14 days’ written notice of the right to a hearing, and that hearing is held before an independent committee, not the board. If the committee does not approve the fine, it cannot be imposed. Skipping these steps can make a fine unenforceable.

Things an HOA can no longer immediately fine you for

HB 1203 protects several everyday activities. An HOA generally cannot fine an owner for leaving garbage receptacles at the curb within 24 hours before or after the collection day, and cannot prohibit an owner from parking a personal vehicle, including a pickup truck, where any other passenger vehicle would be allowed, such as the owner’s own driveway. Holiday decorations are also protected, though this is not an absolute bar: the association must give written notice and a short period to comply before it can act, rather than fining immediately.

A right to a detailed accounting

An owner can request a detailed accounting of the amounts the association claims are owed, and the association must respond within 15 business days. If it fails to respond in time, it can waive the outstanding fines at issue. This is a powerful tool for an owner who is being pursued for a balance they cannot verify.

The website and digital-records requirement

As of January 1, 2025, under Fla. Stat. 720.303, an HOA with 100 or more parcels must maintain a website or downloadable mobile application and post its official records and notices there. Larger communities can no longer keep their governing documents and decisions out of members’ reach.

Architectural denials must be explained

If an HOA’s architectural or improvement committee denies an owner’s request, it generally must give written notice identifying the specific rule or covenant it relied on. A vague or unsupported denial is now harder to defend. This requirement is specific to homeowners associations under Chapter 720, and it has limited exceptions for certain older and development-of-regional-impact communities.

Criminal accountability for board misconduct

HB 1203 added real teeth. Knowingly, willfully, and repeatedly refusing to provide access to official records with the intent to harm the association or its members can be a second-degree misdemeanor, and other acts such as defacing or destroying accounting records, fraudulent voting activity, and accepting kickbacks carry heavier penalties and removal from office.

The 2024 condo overhaul (HB 1021)

House Bill 1021 was signed in June 2024, effective July 1, 2024, with some provisions phased in later. It amended Chapter 718, the Condominium Act, largely in response to building-safety concerns.

Milestone inspections and Structural Integrity Reserve Studies

Under Fla. Stat. 718.112, a residential condominium association must complete a Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS) at least every 10 years for each building that is three habitable stories or higher. The study evaluates the components that keep a building standing, including the roof, load-bearing structure, fireproofing, plumbing, electrical, waterproofing and exterior painting, and windows and exterior doors. The association must provide the state Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes with a compliance statement within 45 days of receiving the study.

Reserves you generally cannot waive

For budgets adopted on or after December 31, 2024, owners in an association required to have a SIRS generally cannot vote to use reserve funds for anything other than the structural components the study covers. That was a significant shift for boards used to deferring reserve contributions to keep assessments down. The 2025 session later added narrow pause exceptions, covered below.

Director education

Condominium directors must complete at least four hours of education covering milestone inspections, SIRS, elections, recordkeeping, financial literacy, fines, and meeting requirements.

The 2025 condo relief and reforms (HB 913 and HB 393)

By 2025, the cost and timing of the 2024 condo mandates had become a flashpoint. House Bill 913, effective July 1, 2025, delivered relief while adding new governance rules, and a companion bill, HB 393, expanded a condominium hurricane-hardening grant program.

Breathing room on reserves and timelines

HB 913 lets a unit-owner-controlled association, for a budget adopted on or before December 31, 2028, temporarily pause or reduce reserve contributions for no more than two consecutive annual budgets, by majority vote, solely to fund repairs recommended by a milestone inspection, and only if the association completed a milestone inspection within the previous two years. This pause does not apply to developer-controlled associations. HB 913 also extended the deadline to complete a SIRS from December 31, 2024 to December 31, 2025, and raised the minimum threshold for required reserve items from $10,000 to $25,000, with annual inflation adjustments.

Funding flexibility and electronic voting

An association required to have a SIRS may now fund reserves through a special assessment, a line of credit, or a loan, with the approval of a majority of the voting interests, rather than assessments alone. HB 913 also revised electronic-voting rules for condominiums and kept the state’s oversight of election, voting, and recall disputes.

The My Safe Florida Condominium Program

The My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program, administered by the Department of Financial Services, helps condominium buildings fund wind-mitigation improvements. HB 393 expanded it in 2025, including broader roof-related eligibility. To apply for a grant that improves units, an association needs approval by a majority of the board or the voting interests to participate in a mitigation inspection, plus approval by at least 75 percent of the unit owners who reside in the building that is the subject of the grant. An association cannot apply unless it is current with its milestone-inspection and SIRS obligations.

What this means if you are an owner

If you own in an HOA or condominium, the 2024 and 2025 changes generally strengthened your position. You have clearer limits on fines, a required hearing before a fine sticks, a faster right to a detailed accounting of what you owe, better access to records, and a right to a real explanation when an architectural request is denied. When an association ignores these rules, that failure can become your defense, or the basis for your own claim. If you are in a dispute with your association, see our guide to HOA and condo disputes for homeowners.

What this means if you are on a board

If you serve on a board or manage a community, these laws raised the compliance bar and, for condominiums, added real building-safety and financial obligations, even after the 2025 relief. Fining, records responses, website posting, elections, and reserve decisions all now have to follow a defined process, and some missteps carry personal and even criminal exposure. Documenting decisions and staying inside the statute is no longer optional. If your board needs counsel on compliance, enforcement, or collections, see our community association representation page.

Not sure how these changes affect your community or your board? Schedule a free consultation with Ludwin Law Group or call (561) 455-4455.

Frequently asked questions

Do these laws apply to my community?

HB 1203 applies to homeowners associations under Chapter 720. HB 1021 and HB 913 apply to condominium associations under Chapter 718. Some provisions depend on community size, building height, or age, so whether a specific requirement applies to you depends on your community’s facts.

Can my HOA still fine me?

Yes, but generally not more than $100 per violation unless the governing documents allow more, and not without giving you at least 14 days’ notice and a hearing before an independent committee. A fine imposed without the required process may be unenforceable.

Does my association have to have a website now?

An HOA with 100 or more parcels has been required to maintain a website or mobile app with its official records since January 1, 2025. Smaller HOAs are not subject to that requirement.

Were the 2024 condo reserve rules repealed?

No, but the 2025 session softened them. HB 913 extended the SIRS deadline to December 31, 2025, allowed a temporary pause on reserve contributions in narrow circumstances, raised the reserve-item threshold, and added funding flexibility.

Questions about how these changes affect you?

Ludwin Law Group is a boutique civil litigation firm in Delray Beach that represents both homeowners and community association boards across Palm Beach County and South Florida. If a change in Florida’s HOA or condo law affects your situation, schedule a free consultation or call (561) 455-4455.

New Florida HOA and Condo Laws: A 2024-2025 Guide for Owners and Boards