Issues · Issue #1
Where Florida condo & HOA law stands after the 2026 session
Issue #1: what changed, what died, and the deadlines still ahead
Informational, not legal advice. This newsletter summarizes Florida statutes and official sources in plain English. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Your declaration, bylaws and specific facts matter. For decisions affecting your association, consult a Florida-licensed attorney or the DBPR Division of Condominiums, Timeshares and Mobile Homes. We are nonpartisan, take no position on legislation, and endorse no candidates.
Welcome to the first issue. Every week we'll cover what changed, what's due, and how owners, board members and managers can take part in their communities, for condos (Chapter 718) and HOAs (Chapter 720) alike.
1. New laws, rules & deadlines (plain English)
The 2026 session was quiet for condo and HOA law. The largest community association bill, HB 657 (2026), passed the House but died in the Senate Rules Committee on March 13, 2026. None of its proposals became law, including HOA termination, a community-association court program, and changes to official records and electronic ballots. If someone forwards you a headline about it, it did not pass.
Two 2026 laws took effect July 1, 2026:
HB 797 (Chapter 2026-168) rewrote Florida's nonprofit corporation law (Chapter 617). Most associations are organized under it. The bill summary lists:
revised officer duties ("good faith, with reasonable care");
a process for courts to remove directors;
updated meeting and notice procedures.
Florida's HOA statute now points to the new conflict-of-interest section, s. 617.0832, when an HOA contracts with a director's business (s. 720.3033(2), F.S.). Ask your association attorney how HB 797 interacts with your bylaws. We'll cover it in more depth in a later issue.
HB 803 (Chapter 2026-63) is mostly a building-permit bill, with one HOA provision. An HOA or its architectural review committee may not require you to already have a government building permit before it will review your plans (s. 720.3035(1)(c), F.S.; bill page).
Condo safety deadlines still in force (from SB 4-D, SB 154 and HB 913):
Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS): required for residential condo buildings three habitable stories or higher.
Owner-controlled associations existing on or before July 1, 2022 had to complete one by December 31, 2025.
If your building's milestone inspection is due on or before December 31, 2026, the SIRS may be done alongside it, but "in no event" later than December 31, 2026 (s. 718.112(2)(g), F.S.; DBPR FAQ).
Milestone inspections: due by December 31 of the year the building turns 30 (a local agency may require 25, for example near salt water), then every 10 years (s. 553.899(3), F.S.).
After a SIRS:
The association must give owners a copy, or notice that it's available, within 45 days (s. 718.112(2)(g)11).
It must report the SIRS to DBPR through its online account within 45 days of receiving it (DBPR FAQ).
Association websites:
Condos with 25+ units (non-timeshare) had to post key documents online by January 1, 2026 (DBPR FAQ; s. 718.111(12)(g)).
HOAs with 100+ parcels had to do so by January 1, 2025 (s. 720.303(4)(b)).
Coming up:
The 2027 regular session starts March 2, 2027. The Florida Constitution starts odd-year sessions on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March (Art. III, s. 3).
After the November 3, 2026 general election, committee assignments for condo and HOA bills may change.
2. How to get involved: attend and speak
You don't need a board seat to have a voice.
Condo board meetings:
Open to all owners whenever a quorum of the board is present.
You have the right to speak on all designated agenda items and to record the meeting.
Notice with a specific agenda must be posted at least 48 continuous hours in advance, except in emergencies.
In condos with more than 10 units, the board must meet at least quarterly, and at least four times a year the agenda must include time for owners' questions (s. 718.112(2)(c)).
HOA board meetings: open to members, who may speak on all designated items. Notice must be posted 48 hours ahead, or mailed 7 days ahead (s. 720.303(2)).
HOA membership meetings: members may speak at least 3 minutes on any item. The association may adopt reasonable rules on how (s. 720.306(6)).
This week's action: find where your association posts meeting notices (the board must designate a location by rule) and put the next board meeting on your calendar.
3. Running for your board: the condo calendar
If your condo's annual election is in early 2027, the timeline starts soon (s. 718.112(2)(d)):
60 days before: the association sends the first notice of the election date.
40 days before: your written notice of intent to run must be received by the association.
35 days before: last day to submit an optional one-page candidate information sheet, which the association mails with the ballot.
14–34 days before: the second notice and ballot go out.
Eligibility:
You can't run if you're delinquent in any assessment, or have been suspended or removed by the Division.
People convicted of a felony are ineligible unless their civil rights have been restored for at least 5 years.
Co-owners of one unit generally can't serve at the same time (with exceptions).
A director generally can't serve more than 8 consecutive years without a two-thirds vote.
At least 20% of eligible voters must cast ballots for the election to be valid.
Next issue: the education and certification every new director must complete.
4. Florida sponsor
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