If your Florida HOA refuses to give you records, the law is on your side: it must produce its official records within 10 business days of your written request, and a failure to do so lets you recover damages of $50 per calendar day for up to 10 days, plus attorney fees if you go to court (Fla. Stat. §720.303(5)). You do not have to explain why you want them. Here is how to get compliance.

First, make sure the clock actually started

The 10-business-day deadline only starts running when the association receives a written request. A verbal ask at a meeting, or a comment to a board member, does not count. So before anything else:

  • Put the request in writing.
  • Send it by certified mail, return receipt requested, so you can prove the date they received it.
  • Be specific about what you want.

If you have not done this yet, do it now. See how to request HOA records for the method, and use the records request letter.

The deadline and the penalty

Under Fla. Stat. §720.303(5):

  • The association must make records available within 10 business days (weekends and holidays do not count).
  • Failure to do so within that window creates a rebuttable presumption of willful noncompliance.
  • You can recover the greater of your actual damages or minimum damages of $50 per calendar day, beginning on the 11th business day after they received your request, for up to 10 days (a $500 minimum floor).
  • If you prevail in court, you may also recover reasonable attorney fees.

The association cannot demand a reason for your request, and it cannot limit your access to less than one 8-hour business day per month.

What "won't give me records" usually looks like

  • Flat refusal or silence past the 10 business days.
  • "Tell us why you want them" (they cannot require this).
  • Producing only some of what you asked for.
  • Endless delay, "the manager is out," "the attorney is reviewing it," past the deadline.
  • Charging unreasonable fees to discourage you (they may charge only reasonable per-page copy costs).

A narrow set of records is legitimately protected, such as attorney-client privileged material and employee personnel records (Fla. Stat. §720.303(5)). But those are exceptions, not an excuse to withhold ordinary minutes, financials, and contracts.

Step by step to force compliance

Step 1: Confirm your written request and the date received. If you used certified mail, you have the receipt. If you only asked verbally, send a proper written request now to start the clock.

Step 2: Send a demand after day 10. Once 10 business days pass, send a follow-up that cites §720.303(5), notes the missed deadline, and states that $50-per-day damages are now accruing and attorney fees may follow. This alone often gets the records produced. Use the records-denial follow-up letter.

Step 3: Pre-suit mediation. Access to official records is a dispute that goes to pre-suit mediation before most lawsuits (Fla. Stat. §720.311(2)). See pre-suit mediation explained.

Step 4: Circuit court. File to compel production and recover damages and attorney fees. The rebuttable presumption of willfulness works in your favor.

Do not waste time filing with DBPR

This is important. For HOAs, DBPR does not enforce records requests. Filing a complaint with the state will not get you your records. The remedy is the demand letter, then mediation, then court. See who regulates HOAs in Florida.

What you can do next

  1. Make sure you have a written request on file, sent by certified mail, using the records request letter.
  2. After 10 business days, send the records-denial follow-up letter noting the $50/day damages.
  3. If they still refuse, escalate to pre-suit mediation, then circuit court.