The short version
A condominium association must make its official records available within 10 business days of a unit owner's written request (FS 718.111(12)), and must maintain them for at least 7 years. Under FS 720, HOA members have the same 10 business day right of inspection.
The two numbers
| Obligation | FS 718.111(12) |
|---|---|
| Produce records after a written request | 10 business days |
| Retain official records | At least 7 years |
| HOA equivalent (FS 720) | 10 business days |
The clock runs from the written request, and it is counted in business days. A request received Friday afternoon does not become urgent on Monday, but it also does not wait for the next board meeting.
What the official records include
And one thing that is not an official record, whatever a suspicious owner may believe: board members' personal tax returns. The association's finances are open to members; a director's private finances are not.
Why this is where managers get complained about
Records requests arrive from exactly the owners who are already in conflict with the board — over an assessment, a fine, a vendor contract. The temptation to slow-walk the request is strongest in precisely the cases where the deadline is most likely to be enforced.
The professional answer is a dull one: log the date of the written request, acknowledge it, produce what exists, and say plainly what does not exist. A manager who does that is defensible even when the underlying dispute goes badly.
The purchaser's package
Records also matter at the point of sale. Under FS 718.503, a seller of a condominium unit must provide the buyer with:
Note what is absent from that list — and from the governing documents generally: the CAM's management contract is not a governing document, however much it shapes daily life in the community.
Contracts in the record
Since contracts are official records, they are also what an owner reads first when questioning a vendor decision. Association contracts should carry a clear scope of work, price, schedule and, for larger projects, evidence of proper licensing and insurance.
Some contracts also carry their own limits: a condominium board may enter a cable television contract for up to 2 years without unit owner approval, but a longer term requires approval by a majority of unit owners (FS 718.115(1)(d)).
This page explains FS 718.111(12), FS 718.503 and the FS 720 records provisions in general terms for CAM exam study. Florida community association law is amended frequently and your governing documents may add requirements. Not legal advice.
Where this sits on the exam
Records questions fall in Law (20% of the Florida CAM exam) and Procedure (25%). They are numeric and absolute — 10 business days, 7 years — and the exam reliably offers plausible near-misses like 10 calendar days or 5 years. Learn the units, not just the numbers.
Learn the units, not just the numbers
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