# Florida HOA Special Assessments: The 14-Day Notice Rule (2026)

> Florida HOAs have no statutory cap on regular or special assessment increases; the 115 percent budget challenge that limits condominiums under Chapter 718 does not apply to HOAs under Chapter 720. What Florida Statutes 720.303(2) gives owners is notice. Written notice of any meeting where a special assessment will be considered has to be mailed, delivered, or electronically transmitted to owners AND posted conspicuously on the property at least 14 days before the meeting, and the notice must state that an assessment will be considered and describe its nature. An assessment levied without that notice is voidable. For a buyer, the reserve study and the assessment history in the packet are the signals of what may be coming.

_Source: https://hoanotes.com/hoa/florida/special-assessments/ | Last reviewed 2026-06-03_

## What the law requires before a special assessment

There is no Florida statute that caps how much an HOA can charge in a special assessment. The 115 percent budget challenge that owners sometimes hear about applies only to condominiums under Chapter 718, not to HOAs under Chapter 720. So the protection a Florida HOA owner has is procedural, not a dollar limit.

Florida Statutes 720.303(2) is that protection. Written notice of any meeting where a special assessment will be considered must be mailed, delivered, or electronically transmitted to owners and posted conspicuously on the property at least 14 days before the meeting. The notice has to state that an assessment will be considered and describe its nature. An assessment levied without that notice is voidable, which gives owners a real lever if the board skips the step.

## Why a buyer should care

Because there is no cap, a special assessment in a Florida HOA can be large, and it transfers to you at closing if it is pending. The notice rule does not limit the amount, but it does mean a properly noticed assessment is on the record, where you can find it. The reserve study tells you whether the association is funding for the big repairs or setting up a future assessment.

## What to check in the disclosure packet

Read these together before you make an offer:

- The reserve study and reserve balance, since underfunded reserves are the most common path to a special assessment.
- Recent board minutes and notices for any special assessment that is pending or was just approved.
- The assessment history, for how often and how much the board has assessed.
- Whether any current special assessment is fully disclosed and who owes the remaining balance at closing.

## Why this matters to your offer

A pending special assessment, or a reserve study that points to one, is a number you want before you remove contingencies, not after. With no statutory cap, the size is whatever the repair costs.

An HOA Notes brief reads the reserve study, the financial statements, and the minutes together, flags a pending or likely assessment, and cites the page behind every finding.

## What the statute says

**Florida Statutes section 720.303(2)** (Special assessment meeting notice). Written notice of any board meeting at which a special assessment will be considered must be mailed or delivered AND posted conspicuously on the property not less than 14 days before the meeting, and must expressly state that a special assessment will be considered and describe its nature; a special assessment adopted without this notice is voidable. The board may levy special assessments without a member vote unless the governing documents require otherwise; there is no statutory cap on HOA assessment increases (the 115% budget challenge rule applies only to condominiums under Chapter 718).

## Florida HOA special assessments: common questions

### Is there a cap on Florida HOA special assessments?

No. Florida has no statutory cap on HOA assessment increases. The 115 percent budget challenge applies only to condominiums under Chapter 718, not to HOAs under Chapter 720.

### What notice must a Florida HOA give before a special assessment?

Under 720.303(2), at least 14 days written notice, mailed or delivered and posted on the property, stating that an assessment will be considered and describing its nature.

### What if the HOA skips the notice?

A special assessment levied without the required 14-day notice is voidable, which gives owners grounds to challenge it.

### Who pays a special assessment if I buy mid-year?

It depends on the timing and your purchase contract. A pending or approved assessment can transfer to you at closing, so confirm the balance and who owes it before you remove contingencies.

## Sources (verified 2026-06-03)

1. Florida Statutes section 720.303(2) (association powers; meeting notice), The Florida Legislature. Verified 2026-06-03. https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0720/Sections/0720.303.html
2. Chapter 720 Section 303, Florida Statutes, The Florida Senate. Verified 2026-06-03. https://www.flsenate.gov/laws/statutes/2024/720.303
3. The Three Key Elements of Properly Noticing a Special Assessment Meeting, Florida Condo and HOA Law Blog. Verified 2026-06-03. https://www.floridacondohoalawblog.com/2024/11/26/the-three-key-elements-of-properly-noticing-a-special-assessment-meeting/

HOA Notes is not a law firm and this is not legal advice.