Chapter 720 of the Florida Statutes was amended on July 1, 2013, requiring that HOA directors verify they are prepared to serve on their association board in one of two ways. This law requires a newly elected or appointed HOA director to certify, within 90 days, in writing to the secretary of the association that he or she has read the governing documents and will uphold them to the best of his or her ability. In lieu of this written certification, the HOA board members may submit proof of attendance at an HOA certification course by a division approved provider.
It would certainly be wise for HOA directors to understand both their own documents AND the Florida Statutes. However, most association attorneys we have spoken with recommend that directors attend the course in order to meet the requirement.
There are several HOA certification courses in South Florida this month and next. Campbell Property Management is sponsoring three courses that we recommend:
- Monday, October 21 at 6PM in Boynton Beach
- Wednesday, October 23 at 9AM in Deerfield Beach
- Saturday, November 16 at 11AM in Palm Beach Gardens.
The certificate of completion is good for the uninterrupted tenure of the board member. However, if a board member leaves their position on the board and returns later, they must repeat the HOA certification course. Directors have one year before or 90 days after the date of election to provide proof that they have completed the HOA certification course. Failure to file the certificate will result in suspension from the board until the director complies with the requirement to become certified.
Have you recently become certified? Where did you attend the course? What did you think of the course you attended? Let us know in the comments section below.