Serving on your Florida condo association board of directors comes with some basic prerequisites and qualifications. You should always review your HOA’s CC&Rs and bylaws to confirm if there are any requirements unique to your association. Also review the Florida Condominium Act. Knowing the information contained in these important documents will be essential to your success once elected.

Board Member Requirements

In general, board members in Florida must complete a board certification course within 90 days of taking office, though there is no specific educational degree required to serve on a board. 

In addition to becoming certified, here are some common prerequisites and qualifications you may need if you have plans to serve on your HOA’s board.

• Unit ownership – Typically, there are ownership and residency requirements for serving on a Florida HOA board, but it’s up to each condo association to specify in their bylaws what the board composition and residency requirements are for their association. For example, a husband and wife generally cannot simultaneously serve on their board unless the couple owner more than one unit in the HOA or there are not enough eligible candidates to fill the vacancies on the board.

• Good standing with the association – Prospective board members are required to be in good standing with the association. This includes being current on association dues and complying with community rules and regulations.

• Not having financial conflicts of interest – To avoid conflicts of interest and ensure their ability to maintain their fiduciary responsibilities as board members, many associations require board members to disclose any potential financial conflicts.

• Be legally qualified to participate – Board members must have the legal capacity to serve. This means they are not disqualified due to legal issues such as a criminal record or felony convictions that may impede their ability to fulfill the responsibilities of the position.

• Willingness to attend meetings – Board members are expected to actively participate in board meetings, discussions and decision-making.

• Ability to work collaboratively – Serving on a condo board involves collaboration and decision-making as a team. Board members should demonstrate an ability to work well with others and contribute constructively to discussions. For more about the team that makes up an effective HOA, read about the “Fantastic Five.

Serving on your association’s board of directors is an exciting responsibility, and there are resources to help. At Dania Fernandez and Associates, P.A., we offer board member certification training classesthroughout the year. We also have numerous legal resources on our website. Contact us today if your board is interested in retaining an attorney for your condo association or if you have questions about Florida community law. 

Dania S. Fernandez, Esq.( Attorney At Law )

We offer legal assistance in all matters of condominium association law, homeowners and community association law, real estate litigations and transactions, residential and commercial closings, and insurance law.

We pride ourselves of our level of commitment to our clients. We love what we do, and we do it with utmost care and professionalism.