Florida
Florida HOA and Condo Estoppel Certificate: Fees, Deadlines, and How to Order
An estoppel certificate is the document a title company asks for before a Florida closing. Florida associations must deliver it within 10 business days. The fee is capped at $299.
Free for the resale platform. No contract to sign.
Florida Estoppel Certificate
Example Shores Owners Association
Regular assessment
$345.00 monthly
Reserve balance
$227,600.00
Fee for this document
$299, the Florida cap
Due to the requester
Within 10 business days
Florida at a glance
- What Florida calls it
- Estoppel Certificate
- Fee cap
- $299
- Delivery deadline
- 10 business days
- Buyer's right to cancel
- No statutory right tied to this document
Also called: estoppel letter, HOA estoppel, condo estoppel. If you were told to get a Florida resale certificate, or an FL resale certificate as closing agents write it, for a home in an HOA or a condominium, this is that document. It has nothing to do with the sales tax resale certificate a retailer files with the state.
What each Florida act sets
Florida has 3 sets of rules, and which one applies depends on how the community was created. Havn asks once which act governs a community, then applies that act's limits to every order.
Fla. Stat. 718.116(8)
Condominium Act. Applies to condominiums.
- Required by statute
- Yes
- Fee
- $299
- Deadline
- 10 business days from the request
- Rush
- $119 more for delivery within 3 business days
- Delinquent account
- Up to $179 more on a delinquent account
- When the fee is paid
- Payable once the document is prepared, not in advance
- Good for
- 30 days
- If it is late
- Havn removes the fee
Fla. Stat. 719.108(6)
Cooperative Act. Applies to cooperatives.
- Required by statute
- Yes
- Fee
- $299
- Deadline
- 10 business days from the request
- Rush
- $119 more for delivery within 3 business days
- Delinquent account
- Up to $179 more on a delinquent account
- When the fee is paid
- Payable once the document is prepared, not in advance
- Good for
- 30 days
- If it is late
- Havn removes the fee
Fla. Stat. 720.30851
Homeowners' Association Act. Applies to HOAs and planned communities.
- Required by statute
- Yes
- Fee
- $299
- Deadline
- 10 business days from the request
- Rush
- $119 more for delivery within 3 business days
- Delinquent account
- Up to $179 more on a delinquent account
- When the fee is paid
- Payable once the document is prepared, not in advance
- Good for
- 30 days
- If it is late
- Havn removes the fee
Florida HOA laws on resale documents, in plain words
Each entry links to the official text. Read the statute itself before relying on a summary.
Fla. Stat. 718 (Condominium Act)
Chapter 718 of the Florida Statutes is the Condominium Act, governing the creation, governance, and operation of condominium associations in Florida. It covers the declaration, board governance, assessments, records, and owner rights, and it sets the disclosure obligations an association or selling owner owes to buyers and lenders when a unit is sold or refinanced. Applies to condominium associations.
Fla. Stat. 720 (Homeowners' Association Act)
Chapter 720 of the Florida Statutes is the Homeowners' Association Act, governing the creation, governance, and operation of homeowners' associations for planned communities of parcels or lots. It covers board governance, meetings, assessments, records, and covenant enforcement, and it sets the disclosure obligations owed to prospective buyers and lenders when a lot is sold. Applies to homeowners' associations in planned communities.
Fla. Stat. 718.116(8) (Estoppel certificates)
This section requires a condominium association to furnish a written estoppel certificate on request from a unit owner, the owner's designee, or a mortgagee, stating the unit's assessment and financial status for a sale or refinance. The statute sets a delivery deadline and a fee cap for preparing the certificate, with a consequence if the association misses the deadline. Applies to condominium associations.
Fla. Stat. 719.108(6) (Estoppel certificates)
This section requires a cooperative association to furnish a written estoppel certificate on request from a unit owner, the owner's designee, or a mortgagee, stating the unit's assessment and financial status for a sale or refinance. The statute sets a delivery deadline and a fee cap for preparing the certificate, with a consequence if the association misses the deadline. Applies to cooperative associations.
Fla. Stat. 720.30851 (Estoppel certificates)
This section requires a homeowners' association to furnish a written estoppel certificate on request from a parcel owner, the owner's designee, or a mortgagee, stating the parcel's assessment and financial status for a sale or refinance. The statute sets a delivery deadline and a fee cap for preparing the certificate, with a consequence if the association misses the deadline. Applies to homeowners' associations in planned communities.
Fla. Stat. 718.503 (Resale disclosure)
This section requires the seller in a condominium resale, rather than the developer, to give the buyer copies of the association's governing documents and key financial and inspection records before the sale closes. The statute gives the buyer a limited right to cancel the contract if these documents are not provided in time. Applies to condominium associations.
Fla. Stat. 720.401 (Disclosure summary)
This section requires that a prospective buyer of a lot in a homeowners' association community receive a disclosure summary describing the association, its assessments, and covenant restrictions before signing a purchase contract. The statute gives the buyer a limited right to cancel the contract if the summary is not provided in time. Applies to homeowners' associations in planned communities.
Fla. Stat. 719 (Cooperative Act)
Chapter 719 of the Florida Statutes is the Cooperative Act, governing the creation, governance, and operation of residential cooperative associations in Florida. It covers the cooperative documents, board governance, assessments, records, and owner rights, and it sets the estoppel certificate an association must furnish on a unit's sale or refinance and the disclosures a reselling owner must give a buyer.
Fla. Stat. 719.503 (Resale disclosure)
Entitles a prospective purchaser under contract for an interest in a cooperative to current copies, at the seller's expense, of the articles of incorporation, the bylaws and rules, the question and answer sheet, the milestone inspection summary where one applies, the most recent structural integrity reserve study or a statement that none has been completed, and any turnover inspection report for an inspection on or after July 1, 2023. The resale contract must carry the statute's conspicuous acknowledgment or seven day voidability clause.
The notice Havn prints on every Florida estoppel certificate
Every Florida document Havn prepares carries a notice that tells the reader where the document comes from and what Florida law says about it. This is the wording, act by act.
Fla. Stat. 718.116(8)Condominiums
This estoppel certificate is furnished under Fla. Stat. 718.116(8). Any person who relies on it in good faith may not be charged more than the amounts stated in it. It is effective for 30 days after it is delivered by hand or electronically, or 35 days after it is sent by regular mail; if a mistake or new information comes to the association's attention within that period and before closing, an amended certificate will be furnished at no charge. If the sale or refinance does not close, a payor who is not the unit owner may request a refund of the fee within 30 days after the scheduled closing date. No fee may be charged for a certificate furnished more than 10 business days after the request.
Fla. Stat. 719.108(6)Cooperatives
This estoppel certificate is furnished under Fla. Stat. 719.108(6). Any person who relies on it in good faith may not be charged more than the amounts stated in it. It is effective for 30 days after it is delivered by hand or electronically, or 35 days after it is sent by regular mail; if a mistake or new information comes to the association's attention within that period and before closing, an amended certificate will be furnished at no charge. If the sale or refinance does not close, a payor who is not the unit owner may request a refund of the fee within 30 days after the scheduled closing date. No fee may be charged for a certificate furnished more than 10 business days after the request.
Fla. Stat. 720.30851HOAs and planned communities
This estoppel certificate is furnished under Fla. Stat. 720.30851. Any person who relies on it in good faith may not be charged more than the amounts stated in it. It is effective for 30 days after it is delivered by hand or electronically, or 35 days after it is sent by regular mail; if a mistake or new information comes to the association's attention within that period and before closing, an amended certificate will be furnished at no charge. If the sale or refinance does not close, a payor who is not the parcel owner may request a refund of the fee within 30 days after the scheduled closing date. No fee may be charged for a certificate furnished more than 10 business days after the request.
Florida's payoff statement: the estoppel letter
In Florida a statement of the moneys owed on a unit or parcel, requested by the owner or the owner's designee or by a mortgagee or the mortgagee's designee, is an estoppel certificate, and this letter prints the statutory form (Fla. Stat. 718.116(8)(a), 719.108(6)(a), 720.30851(1)). The association must issue it within 10 business days after the written or electronic request and deliver it by hand, mail, or email on the date of issuance; a certificate delivered later may carry no fee. The fee may not exceed $299, plus $119 where the certificate is requested on an expedited basis and delivered within 3 business days, plus up to $179 where the account is delinquent; the Department of Business and Professional Regulation republishes those figures, next by July 1, 2027. The fee is payable on preparation, never in advance, and only under a written board resolution or a written management, bookkeeping, or maintenance contract. It is one fee per unit for the transaction whether the certificate goes out alone or with the resale documents. The certificate is effective for 30 days when delivered by hand or electronically; an amended certificate inside that period is free and restarts it. If the closing does not occur, a payor other than the owner who asks in writing within 30 days after the scheduled closing date, with reasonable documentation, is refunded within 30 days.
About HOA Estoppel LettersDocuments Florida adds to the package
Beyond the governing documents, budget, and financial statements every state expects, Florida adds these. Havn attaches each one as its own exhibit.
- Milestone inspection summary report (Fla. Stat. 553.899)
- Structural integrity reserve study (Fla. Stat. 718.112(2)(g)), or a statement that none has been completed
- Turnover inspection report for inspections after July 1, 2023
- Frequently Asked Questions and Answers sheet (Fla. Stat. 718.504)
- Governance summary form (Fla. Stat. 718.503(2)(b))
- Structural integrity reserve study (Fla. Stat. 719.106(1)(k)), or a statement that none has been completed
- Turnover inspection report for inspections after July 1, 2023 (Fla. Stat. 719.301(4)(p) and (q))
- Question and answer sheet (Fla. Stat. 719.504)
Florida estoppel certificate: common questions
What is a Florida estoppel certificate?
It is what Florida law has the association provide when a home in condominiums, cooperatives, and HOAs and planned communities is sold: a statement of what the home owes and of the association's finances, insurance, and rules, under Fla. Stat. 718.116(8), Fla. Stat. 719.108(6), and Fla. Stat. 720.30851.
What is an estoppel fee in Florida?
It is what the association or its management company charges to prepare and deliver the estoppel certificate. Florida caps it at $299. $119 more for delivery within 3 business days. Up to $179 more on a delinquent account. The statute itself still prints $250, $100, and $150, the 2017 amounts. The state adjusts them for inflation every five years.
How do I request an estoppel certificate in Florida?
Make an estoppel request in writing or electronically. The owner, the owner's designee, a mortgage lender, or the lender's designee may ask, and in practice the title company does it for the seller. Every Florida association has to name on its website a person or entity, with a street or email address, to receive the request.
How much does a Florida estoppel certificate cost?
Florida caps the fee at $299. Rush delivery can add $119 for delivery within 3 business days. Up to $179 more on a delinquent account. Inside the cap, the association or its management company sets the price.
How long does a Florida association have to provide an estoppel certificate?
10 business days, counted from the request. In Havn, a Florida document delivered after that deadline carries no fee.
Is an estoppel certificate required in Florida?
Yes, for condominiums, cooperatives, and HOAs and planned communities, under Fla. Stat. 718.116(8), Fla. Stat. 719.108(6), and Fla. Stat. 720.30851.
Can a buyer cancel after receiving a Florida estoppel certificate?
Florida law ties no cancellation right to this document. Any right to cancel comes from the purchase contract or from other disclosure laws.
Who pays for the estoppel certificate in Florida?
Whoever orders it pays the association's fee, usually the seller or the closing agent on the seller's behalf, and the purchase contract can move the cost to the buyer. In Florida the fee is payable once the document is prepared, not in advance.
What is included in a Florida estoppel certificate?
What the home owes the association, the fees due at closing, the budget and reserves, the insurance the association carries, pending lawsuits, and the governing documents. Florida adds 8 more items, listed on this page. The full list is in Fla. Stat. 718.116(8).
How do I get an estoppel certificate in Florida?
Ask the association, or its management company if it has one. Many take the request through an online order page and deliver by email. Once asked, a Florida association has 10 business days. A buyer should ask the seller or the closing agent to order it.
Is this the same as a Florida sales tax resale certificate?
No. A sales tax resale certificate is a form a retailer gives a supplier so it can buy goods without paying sales tax. It shares a name and nothing else. This page is about the HOA document used when a home is sold.
How Florida compares with its neighbors
Management companies that work across state lines meet a different rule on each side. Florida: $299, 10 business days.
Georgia
Resale Package
No fixed dollar cap
5 business days
Not required by statute
Alabama
Resale Certificate
No fixed dollar cap
10 days
Required by statute
South Carolina
Resale Package
No fixed dollar cap
No statutory deadline
Not required by statute
See all 51 jurisdictions on the map, compare every state in the fee and deadline table, or read about lender questionnaires, estoppel letters, and demand letters.
Your next Florida estoppel certificate could write itself.
The resale platform is free for the association. The requester pays for the document, never more than Florida's $299 cap. No contract to sign.