How to get your association's records in Florida

Ready to ask? Our free tool fills in the letter for you and works out your exact deadline. Build my request letter →

Who can ask

Any member of the association: a condo unit owner or an HOA parcel owner. You can also authorize someone in writing, such as your attorney, accountant, real estate agent or property manager, to inspect the records for you. Asking for an owner? The request tool writes the owner's authorization too. The association can't make you explain why you want them.

Still buying? You aren't a member yet, so the request has to come from the seller. For a condo resale, Florida law already requires the seller to give you, at the seller's expense, the declaration, articles, bylaws and rules, the annual financial statement and budget, the "Frequently Asked Questions and Answers" sheet, the milestone inspection summary if the building needed one, and the most recent structural integrity reserve study or a statement that none was done (s. 718.503(2)). Ask for them early.

What to ask for

The records that answer "where did the money go" questions are usually these:

Bank statements for every association account, and the ledger
Invoices, receipts and deposit slips behind each payment and deposit
Contracts for work done on the property
Minutes of board and owner meetings
The budget and the year-end financial report
Insurance policies
For condos: reserve studies, the structural integrity reserve study and building inspection reports

Some records can be withheld, including attorney-client and work-product material, personnel and medical records, and owners' personal identifiers such as Social Security and driver license numbers.

The rules at a glance

	Condominium (s. 718.111(12))	HOA (s. 720.303(4)–(5))
Time to make records available	10 working days after the written request	10 business days after the board receives the written request
If they miss it	Missing the deadline creates a presumption that the failure was willful. Minimum damages are $50 a day for up to 10 days, starting on the 11th working day.	Minimum damages are $50 a day for up to 10 days, starting on the 11th business day. Sending the request by certified mail, return receipt requested, creates a presumption that a missed deadline was willful.
Proof of what was produced	The association must give you a checklist of the records it made available, and identify any it didn't.	No checklist required. Keep your own list.
Copies	You may make or get copies, including with your own phone or scanner, at no charge for the device.	No charge for using your own device. Copier copies up to 25¢ a page; no staff charge for requests of 25 pages or fewer.
Online posting	Associations with 25 or more units must post certain records on a website or app.	Associations with 100 or more parcels must post certain records on a website or app.

Directors or managers who knowingly violate the records rules, or destroy or hide accounting records, can face removal from office and criminal penalties. That is for the courts and the state to decide; your job is to ask clearly and keep good notes.

How to ask, step by step

Put it in writing. Name the records and the dates you want. Say whether you want to inspect them in person or get electronic copies.
Keep proof of delivery. The clock starts when the association receives your request. Certified mail with a return receipt works for both condos and HOAs; for an HOA it also matters for the presumption above. Keep a copy of everything you send.
Count the days. Mark the 10th working or business day on your calendar.
Check what comes back. Compare it, item by item, with what you asked for. For a condo, compare it with the association's checklist too. Note anything missing in a short written follow-up.
If you get nothing, or not enough. Condo owners can file a complaint with the Florida Division of Condominiums, Timeshares and Mobile Homes. For either kind of association, a Florida attorney who handles association matters can tell you your options.

A request letter you can copy

Prefer it filled in for you, with your deadline date? Use the free request tool.

[Date] To: Board of Directors, [Association name] [Association or management company address or email] Re: Request to inspect and copy official records, [unit or lot number] I own [unit or lot number] and am a member of the association. Under [section 718.111(12) / section 720.303(4) and (5)], Florida Statutes, I request access to these official records for [period, for example January 1, 2025 to today]: 1. Bank statements for every association account, and the ledger. 2. Invoices, receipts and deposit slips supporting payments and deposits. 3. Contracts for work performed. 4. Minutes of board and member meetings. 5. The budget and the year-end financial report. 6. [Any other records] I would like [to inspect the records and copy them with my own device / electronic copies sent to the email below]. Please tell me the date, time and place, or how the records will be delivered. [Condominiums only:] Please include the checklist of records made available and not made available required by section 718.111(12)(c). [Name] [Unit or lot, mailing address] [Email and phone] [Signature]

This page is general information about Florida law as of October 2026, not legal advice. Laws change; read the current statute at the links above and talk to a Florida attorney about your situation.

Need help with what comes back? HOAShark helps owners and their attorneys turn a records response into an organized exhibit set, with every finding tied to the page it came from. Request early access.

Buying a condo instead? CondoCheckpoint, a sister company, will give buyers a report on a building's records before they sign. Coming soon.