Florida’s New Condo Law 2025: What Every Owner Needs to Know
- Hanny Gomez
- Jul 24
- 4 min read
What Does the Florida Condo Law 2025 Actually Require?
After the tragic collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside in 2021, thousands of Florida condo owners faced sudden inspections, skyrocketing assessments, and deep mistrust of their associations. The collective trauma revealed issues rooted in poor structural maintenance, lack of oversight, and minimal transparency.
In 2022, Florida responded with strict regulations—but they came at a high cost for owners, especially retirees and those on fixed incomes. The outcry was clear: “We need balance—safety without going bankrupt!”
On July 1, 2025, Florida implemented two new laws: HB 913 and HB 393, ushering in a more balanced era in condo governance. With the implementation of Florida condo law 2025, owners now face new requirements for milestone inspections, reserve funding, and HOA transparency. Here’s everything owners need to know.
What Are HB 913 and HB 393?
HB 913 reforms how condo and co‑op associations operate—aiming for greater transparency, owner oversight, and more flexible financial tools.
HB 393 enhances the My Safe Florida Condo program, easing access to mitigation grants and inspections.
These laws empower condo owners and equip associations with practical tools to comply without risking financial collapse.
📌 Read the full text of HB 913 on the official Florida legislative site https://www.flgov.com/eog/news/press/2025/governor-desantis-signs-legislation-delivering-relief-condo-owners
Greater Financial Flexibility
HB 913 introduces a highly anticipated provision: the ability to pause reserve contributions for up to two years following a milestone inspection. This gives associations time to prioritize critical repairs without immediately burdening owners financially.
The deadline for completing the Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS) has also been extended until December 2025, granting associations additional time to plan responsibly
Credit Lines for Associations – Relief or Risk?
Associations may now use credit lines or loans to fund reserve requirements, subject to owner approval.
Pros:
Avoids surprise special assessments.
Enables prompt action on urgent repairs.
Eases compliance without draining individual owner funds.
Cons:
Increases building-level debt.
Interest charges may raise future maintenance fees.
Risk of long-term financial mismanagement without transparency.
Bottom line: When used mindfully—with proper legal advice and full disclosure—credit lines can be invaluable. But mishandled, they could saddle communities with hidden liabilities.
A Realistic Scenario – What Happens After 10 Years?
Imagine a mid-rise condominium in Broward County that takes out a $1.2 million loan in 2025 to cover concrete restoration and waterproofing, based on findings from its milestone inspection.
The repayment term is 10 years, with a fixed interest rate and monthly contributions folded into the HOA fees. Initially, owners feel relieved—no massive special assessment, and urgent work gets done quickly.
But here's the catch: by 2035, when the loan is nearly paid off, the building must undergo another milestone inspection as required by Florida law (every 10 years for buildings over 30 years old). If that new inspection identifies additional structural issues, the association may need to secure another round of funding.
Now, the board faces a dilemma:
Take out a second loan while still finishing payments on the first?
Issue a special assessment on top of existing loan fees?
Increase monthly dues significantly?
This is where strategic financial planning and transparency with owners become critical. Loans may provide short-term relief—but without a long-term strategy, they can create cyclical debt that erodes trust and financial stability.
📌 This scenario is hypothetical but reflects real financial situations currently faced by many Florida condo associations. Under current Florida law (SB 4D and reinforced by HB 913), milestone inspections are required at 30 years and every 10 years thereafter. It is common for associations to finance major repairs with 7- to 15-year loans, often overlapping future inspection cycles.
More Control Over Association Management
HB 913 strengthens owners’ ability to hold their boards accountable:
Allows termination of contracts when managers violate state condo laws.
Restricts re-entry for managers whose licenses are revoked—banning them from the industry for 10 years
Requires competitive bidding on major repairs, reducing self-dealing.
For the first time, condo owners have legal recourse to challenge unfair or opaque board decisions—promoting more professional, transparent governance.
Clearer, Digital Access to Information
A longstanding complaint: difficulty accessing meeting minutes, financials, and board decisions. HB 913 addresses this effectively:
Requires associations to publish official records online for at least one year
Permits electronic voting and virtual meeting attendance, modernizing participation.
Mandates disclosure of conflicts of interest and contract details.
This level of transparency fosters informed decision-making, speeds up administrative processes, and builds trust within communities.
📌 You can also review the legislative details of HB 913 at the Florida House site:
Owners Now Hold the Power
HB 913 and HB 393 represent an important shift toward more transparent and balanced condo governance in Florida. And while I’d like to believe that we, the owners, finally have more power and better tools to protect our investments, I also recognize this could be a double-edged sword.
More rights come with more responsibility. If misused or ignored, even well-intentioned reforms can backfire.
That’s why it’s crucial for owners to stay informed and proactive. Here’s what you can do right now:
Review your condo’s governing documents and bylaws.
Ask about the current status of your building’s SIRS and milestone inspections.
Find out whether your board is considering loans or new financial arrangements.
Request digital access to meeting minutes, budgets, and contracts.
Show up. Vote. Ask questions. Your voice matters now more than ever.
These new laws won’t eliminate every challenge or fix the deeper issues in condo governance overnight. But what they do offer is something far more important: leverage. For the first time in years, condo owners are not just passive recipients of board decisions—they are empowered stakeholders with the right to access information, challenge mismanagement, and help shape the financial and structural future of their communities.
Whether your building is just beginning its journey toward compliance or facing complex funding decisions after a milestone inspection, the success of these reforms depends on how owners respond. Transparency, participation, and long-term thinking are no longer optional—they are essential.
You now have the tools. You now have the voice. The question is—will you use them?
Because in a condo association, silence is expensive. And informed action? That’s your most powerful asset.
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