The short version
In a condominium (FS 718) you own your unit and an undivided share of the common elements as tenants in common. In a homeowners association (FS 720) you own your parcel outright and membership is a mandatory condition of that ownership. In a cooperative (FS 719) you own shares in the corporation that owns the property — not real estate at all.
The three at a glance
| Type | What the resident owns, and the statute |
|---|---|
| Condominium | FS 718 — the unit, plus an undivided share of the common elements held as tenants in common |
| Homeowners association | FS 720 — the parcel, with mandatory association membership attached to ownership |
| Cooperative | FS 719 — shares in the corporation that owns the property, plus a proprietary lease or occupancy agreement |
All three usually sit on top of FS 617, the Not-for-Profit Corporate Act, which supplies the corporate shell. That is why a board's fiduciary duty runs to the association and its members regardless of which chapter governs the community.
Condominium: common elements and limited common elements
Two definitions from FS 718.103 do a lot of work in daily management:
A third category is easy to confuse with both: association property is property owned by the association itself, with title in the association's name — unlike common elements, which the unit owners own together.
Because owners collectively own the common elements, a unit owner who wants to alter one needs written permission from the association (FS 718.113). Unauthorized alterations can be restored at the owner's expense.
Access to a unit
| Situation | Notice required (FS 718.111(5)) |
|---|---|
| Emergency — to prevent damage to common elements or another unit | No prior notice |
| Non-emergency access, such as inspections or repairs | At least 24 hours |
Cooperative: shares, not real estate
The cooperative is the outlier. Residents hold shares in the corporation that owns the property, together with a proprietary lease or occupancy agreement — and the governing documents are the cooperative documents: declaration, articles, bylaws and that lease.
As in a new condominium or HOA, a co-op begins under developer control and transitions to owner control once the developer has sold the percentage of shares or units specified in FS 719.
Timeshares are a fourth thing entirely
Under FS 721, a timeshare grants the right to use property for a specific recurring period each year rather than continuous exclusive ownership. Purchasers have 10 calendar days to cancel from execution of the contract or receipt of the public offering statement, whichever is later (FS 721.10), and the managing entity must keep records and provide annual financial statements throughout the life of the plan.
A CAM managing a timeshare community needs FS 721 specifically, because its record-keeping, disclosure and cancellation rules differ from the condominium regime.
What a purchaser must receive
On the sale of a condominium unit, FS 718.503 requires the seller to provide the declaration, articles of incorporation, bylaws, rules and regulations, the most recent year-end financial statements and the required FAQ sheet. Note what is not a governing document: a CAM's management or employment contract is not one, however central it feels to how the community runs.
This page explains FS 718, 719, 720, 721 and 617 in general terms for CAM exam study. Florida community association law changes frequently and specifics depend on your governing documents. Not legal advice.
Why the exam mixes them deliberately
Law is 20% of the Florida CAM licensing exam, and its favorite move is to describe a situation without naming the community type, leaving you to work out which chapter applies. Getting the ownership structure straight first makes most of those questions answer themselves.
Know which statute you are standing in
FLCamPro drills all 5 CAM content areas with 308 exam-style questions and a plain-English explanation on every answer.