The Florida Condo Glossary: Every Term, in Plain English

Condo life in Florida runs on vocabulary most owners never chose to learn: SIRS, estoppel, spalling, repose. This glossary defines the legal, financial, and building terms used throughout The Florida Condominium Owner’s Manual, written for owners and board members rather than specialists. Each entry links to a stable anchor, so you can cite a definition directly.

A

Amendment

A change to the declaration, articles, or bylaws adopted by the owners under the voting thresholds stated in the documents and in chapter 718. Rule changes do not require owner approval; document amendments almost always do.

Arbitration, mandatory non-binding

A DBPR process for certain condominium disputes in which an arbitrator hears the case and issues a decision. The decision becomes binding only if neither party files for a trial de novo within 30 days. Section 718.1255 governs.

Architectural review

The process by which the board or a committee reviews and approves exterior changes an owner wants to make (paint color, window replacement, patio modification). Authority for architectural review comes from the declaration, not from the rules.

Articles of incorporation

The document filed with the Florida Department of State that creates the association as a corporation. The articles are short, define the association's purpose, and are the highest-ranking governing document after the declaration.

Assessment, regular

The owner's share of the annual operating budget plus required reserve contributions, typically paid monthly or quarterly. Regular assessments fund day-to-day operations and the scheduled reserve plan.

Assessment, special

A one-time charge levied on owners when a specific project or emergency expense cannot be funded from the budget or reserves. Special assessments require board action under the bylaws and proper notice to owners.

Assignment of benefits (AOB)

A contract in which an owner or association assigns the rights under an insurance policy to a third party, usually a contractor. For property policies issued on or after January 1, 2023, Florida law bars post-loss assignments of insurance benefits; older policies and other situations may still involve assignments governed by §627.7152 and the policy terms. Have counsel review any proposed assignment before signing.

B

Balcony

A projecting platform attached to a unit. In most Florida declarations the slab is an association responsibility and the finishes above it are the unit owner's. The division matters because most balcony failures involve both.

Board of directors

The governing body of the association. Directors are owners elected by the membership under the bylaws and chapter 718. The board adopts rules, approves the budget, contracts for services, and owes a fiduciary duty to the owners.

Budget

The annual financial plan adopted by the board, showing projected operating income, operating expenses, and reserve contributions. Florida law requires the budget to include reserves. Owners may vote, by a majority of the total voting interests, to waive or reduce reserves only for items outside the structural integrity reserve study; SIRS-component reserves cannot be waived for budgets adopted on or after December 31, 2024.

Building envelope

The physical boundary between the conditioned interior and the outside: roof, exterior walls, windows, doors, and below-grade waterproofing. Most maintenance spending on a Florida condominium is building-envelope spending.

Bylaws

The governing document that defines how the association operates: meeting procedures, board elections, officer duties, quorum, and voting. Bylaws must not conflict with the declaration or the statute.

C

CAI (Community Associations Institute)

A national nonprofit that publishes standards, best practices, and designations (CMCA, AMS, PCAM) used in the community-association industry. CAI reserve-study levels (I, II, III) are the most common framework used by reserve specialists.

CAM (Community Association Manager)

A Florida-licensed professional who provides day-to-day management services to a community association. CAMs are licensed by DBPR under chapter 468 and contract with the association, either directly or through a management company.

Capital project

A one-time expenditure to replace or substantially rehabilitate a long-life component of the property, such as a roof replacement, parking-garage concrete restoration, or exterior painting. Capital projects are funded from reserves, special assessments, loans, or a combination.

Chapter 718, Florida Statutes

The Florida Condominium Act. Chapter 718 governs the creation and operation of condominium associations; its mandatory provisions control over any conflicting provision of the governing documents, while matters the statute leaves to the documents are governed by the documents themselves. References throughout this book to section 718.xxx are references to the Florida Statutes.

Chapter 720, Florida Statutes

The Florida Homeowners Association Act. Chapter 720 governs HOAs, which are a different form of community association from condominiums. This book addresses chapter 720 only to distinguish it from chapter 718.

Common elements

The portions of the condominium property owned in common by all unit owners: typically the building structure, roof, exterior walls, common corridors, elevators, mechanical rooms, amenity areas, and site improvements. Maintenance of the common elements is the association's obligation.

Common expenses

The expenses that all unit owners share through their assessments: operating expenses plus required reserve funding.

Concrete restoration

The repair of deteriorated reinforced concrete: removing damaged concrete past the level of corroded rebar, cleaning or replacing the rebar, and placing a formulated repair material. On most Florida coastal condominiums concrete restoration is a recurring capital project.

Corrosion

The electrochemical process by which metals break down. On reinforced concrete buildings in a marine environment, chloride-induced corrosion of reinforcing steel is the dominant structural failure mode and the primary reason milestone inspections exist.

D

DBPR

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, the state agency that licenses community association managers and houses the Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes (see DFCTMH).

Declaration

The fundamental document that creates the condominium and defines units, common elements, and the rights and obligations of the owners and the association. The declaration controls every other document and every rule.

Deductible, named-storm

The portion of a named-storm (hurricane) loss that the insured pays before the master policy pays. Named-storm deductibles on Florida commercial master policies are typically expressed as a percentage (2 to 5 percent) of the insured value and are often the largest insurance exposure the association carries.

Deferred maintenance

Work that should have been done on schedule and was not. Deferred maintenance costs more later, sometimes many times more, and the bill grows the longer the work waits.

Destructive testing

The deliberate removal of a portion of a building assembly (stucco, cladding, drywall) to inspect what lies behind. Destructive testing is often the only way to determine whether framing, sheathing, or insulation has been damaged by hidden water intrusion.

DFCTMH

The Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes within DBPR. The division oversees condominium associations and is the agency to which owners file complaints regarding statutory violations. Efflorescence [App C] The white mineral deposit that appears on masonry or stucco when water moves through the wall and carries soluble salts to the surface. The stain is cosmetic; the water movement behind it is the real concern.

E

EIFS (exterior insulation finish system)

A cladding system consisting of foam insulation covered by a reinforced base coat and a finish coat. When installed and flashed correctly EIFS performs well in Florida. When the details at windows, parapets, and penetrations are wrong the system hides significant water damage in the substrate.

Elevator modernization

The replacement of elevator controls, wiring, door operators, and finishes while retaining the hoistway, rails, and car frame. Modernization extends useful life by 20 years or more.

Estoppel certificate

A written statement from the association to a buyer, lender, or closing agent that certifies the amount of any unpaid assessments or other monies owed on a specific unit. Florida law regulates the content, delivery time, and fees for estoppel certificates.

Expansion joint

A designed gap in a building that allows structural elements to expand and contract without cracking. Expansion-joint sealants are consumable and fail on a predictable cycle; when they fail they become a direct water-intrusion path.

F

Fiduciary duty

The legal obligation directors and officers owe to the association and its members to act in good faith, in the best interest of the association, and with the care an ordinarily prudent person would exercise under similar circumstances. Section 718.111(1)(a) establishes the duty in Florida.

Fining committee

A committee appointed by the board, independent of the board, that reviews proposed fines or suspensions before they take effect. Under chapter 718 a fine cannot be levied until the fining committee, after notice and an opportunity to be heard, confirms it.

Flashing

The metal or membrane component installed at transitions (roof to wall, window to wall, penetrations) to direct water away from the assembly. Flashing details cause more roof and wall leaks than the membrane or cladding itself.

Florida Building Code (FBC)

The construction code adopted by the state and used throughout Florida. The FBC governs new construction and most substantial alterations. Code editions are adopted on a multi-year cycle; the edition in force when permits are pulled governs the work.

G

Governing documents

The set of recorded and adopted documents that control the condominium: the declaration, articles of incorporation, bylaws, rules and regulations, and any properly recorded amendments. Chapter 718 overlays all of them.

H

HB 1021 (2024)

The 2024 legislation that expanded records-access rules, reaffirmed the 10-working-day window for owner records requests and tightened penalties, required director education, clarified hurricane-protection cost allocation, and added anti-retaliation protections for owners.

HB 913 (2025)

The 2025 legislation that, among other things, raised the reserve-item threshold from $10,000 to $25,000 (indexed annually; $25,675 for 2026), moved the SIRS baseline deadline to December 31, 2025, introduced a limited two-year reserve-funding pause, authorized funding SIRS reserves through special assessments, lines of credit, or loans, and tightened CAM contract and conflict-of-interest rules.

HO-6 policy

The unit owner's insurance policy. The HO-6 covers personal property, interior improvements that the master policy does not cover, liability, and loss assessment. Every unit owner should carry one; many Florida declarations require it.

HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning)

The building systems that condition air. On Florida condominiums this is predominantly cooling: rooftop units, split systems, or central chilled water serving the units plus separate systems for common areas.

I

Impact-rated glazing

Window and door glass tested and certified to resist impact from wind-driven debris. The Florida Building Code requires opening protection (impact-rated glazing or another approved protection method) in designated wind-bornedebris regions; whether a specific opening must comply is a permit-level determination by the design professional and the local building official.

L

Lien, claim of

A recorded document asserting that the association is owed money on a specific unit. The association's lien for unpaid assessments relates back to the recording of the declaration and has priority over most other claims against the unit.

Limited common elements

Common elements that are reserved for the use of one or more units to the exclusion of others: assigned parking spaces, storage units, balconies, patios, and air-handler closets are common examples. Maintenance responsibility for limited common elements varies by declaration.

M

Master policy

The property and liability insurance policy maintained by the association to cover the building and common elements. Florida law requires every residential condominium association to carry adequate master-policy coverage.

Mediation, pre-suit

One of the two pre-suit paths chapter 718 requires for most owner-association disputes: before litigation can proceed, the parties must complete mandatory non-binding arbitration or pre-suit mediation. Mediation is confidential and nonbinding unless both parties sign a written agreement resolving the dispute.

Milestone inspection

A structural inspection required under section 553.899 for buildings three habitable stories or more. Phase 1 is a visual inspection; Phase 2 is required if Phase 1 identifies substantial structural deterioration. Originating in SB 4-D (2022) after the Surfside collapse.

N

NOA (Notice of Acceptance)

A Miami-Dade County approval number certifying that a window, door, or roofing product has been tested and approved for specific wind loads. Coastal Florida installations routinely reference the NOA in the specification.

O

Official records

The records of the association that chapter 718 requires to be maintained and made available for owner inspection. The list includes financials, contracts, insurance policies, meeting minutes, and correspondence.

Open meeting

A meeting of the board (or a committee) that owners are entitled to attend and observe. Chapter 718 requires board meetings to be open, properly noticed, and documented.

P

Pay application (pay app)

A contractor's periodic request for payment, documenting the percentage of work complete, the value of materials stored, and the net amount due after retainage. Industry-standard forms are AIA G702 and G703.

Phase 1 milestone inspection

The first stage of a milestone inspection under section 553.899. A licensed engineer or architect performs a visual assessment of the structural components of the building. If the Phase 1 identifies substantial structural deterioration, a Phase 2 is required.

Phase 2 milestone inspection

The second stage of a milestone inspection. Phase 2 may involve destructive or nondestructive testing at the inspector's direction and quantifies the extent of the deterioration identified in Phase 1. Phase 2 produces the scope of repair that owners and the board must act on.

Plaza deck

An occupied deck built over interior space (typically a parking garage or amenity space). Plaza decks have a waterproofing membrane beneath the topping surface. When the membrane fails the leak shows up in the space below and the topping above must be removed to reach it.

Ponding water

Standing water on a flat roof more than 48 hours after the rain event has ended. Ponding accelerates membrane failure and is a warning sign that the drainage system is not performing.

Post-tension

A reinforced concrete system in which steel tendons are tensioned after the concrete has cured. Post-tensioned decks are common on Florida parking structures and plaza decks. Failure of a tendon is a structural event.

Proxy

A written authorization for one person to vote on behalf of another at a members' meeting. Chapter 718 limits the topics on which general proxies may be used and prescribes the content and deadline for proxy solicitations.

Q

Quorum

The minimum number of members (owners) or directors whose presence is required for a meeting to take official action. Quorum percentages are set in the bylaws or, in their absence, in chapter 718.

R

Rebar

Reinforcing steel embedded in concrete. On Florida coastal buildings, chloride from salt air reaches the rebar through cracks and porosity in the concrete and causes corrosion. Corroded rebar expands and drives the spalling visible on the surface.

Re-piping

The replacement of a building's interior water supply or drain piping. Re-piping is a major capital project with significant owner disruption and is triggered when corrosion, recurrent leaks, or material obsolescence (cast iron drain, galvanized steel supply) reach the end of useful life.

Recall

The removal of a director by the membership before the end of the elected term. Chapter 718 specifies the recall process, including the required percentage of owner signatures and the timeframe for the board to act on the recall petition.

Reserve, statutory

A reserve account required by section 718.112(2)(f) for specified structural components. For associations subject to a structural integrity reserve study (buildings three habitable stories or taller), reserves for the components listed in section 718.112(2)(g) must follow the association's most recent SIRS.

Reserve study

A professional evaluation of the components of the property that require periodic replacement, together with the funding plan needed to meet that replacement schedule. A SIRS is the statutory reserve and funding study Florida law requires for residential condominium buildings three habitable stories or higher, subject to statutory exclusions; it must be performed or verified by a licensed engineer, a licensed architect, or a certified reserve specialist or professional reserve analyst, and a multicondominium association evaluates each building separately. See the SIRS entry for scope and how a SIRS differs from a milestone inspection.

Reserve waiver

A vote by the membership to reduce or waive reserve funding for the following fiscal year. SIRS-component reserves cannot be waived for budgets adopted on or after December 31, 2024. The narrow statutory paths are a vote to terminate the condominium under section 718.117, an approved alternative funding method for a multicondominium association, a temporary pause or reduction where a natural emergency has left the building uninhabitable, and the HB 913 (2025) milestone-repair pause, available under specified conditions for budgets adopted on or before December 31, 2028. Special assessments, loans, and lines of credit are funding sources, not reductions in the required amounts. NonSIRS reserves may still be waived or reduced by a majority vote of all voting interests.

Retainage

The percentage of each pay application that the association holds back until the work is substantially complete or complete. Typical retainage on a Florida restoration contract is 10 percent of each payment, held until the work is complete and accepted.

Roof replacement

The complete tear-off and replacement of a roof assembly at the end of its useful life. Typical cycles on Florida condominium flat roofs are 15 to 25 years; tile roofs may last longer but the underlayment beneath the tile drives the replacement.

Rules and regulations

Operating rules adopted by the board within the authority granted by the declaration and bylaws. Rules are the lowestranking governing document and must not conflict with any higher document.

S

SB 154 (2023)

A 2023 amendment that adjusted the milestone-inspection program, including removing the coastal-only trigger so that milestone inspections apply statewide to qualifying buildings at 30 years of age, with a local-agency option to require the first inspection at 25 years based on local conditions.

SB 360 (2023)

A 2023 amendment that revised the statute of repose under section 95.11 (now paragraph (3)(b)) to seven years for construction defect claims and moved the trigger to the earliest of the statutory completion dates, affecting both turnover litigation and defect discovery windows.

SB 4-D (2022)

The 2022 post-Surfside legislation that created the statewide milestone-inspection program under section 553.899 and the structural integrity reserve study requirement under section 718.112(2)(g).

Schedule of values

The portion of a construction contract that assigns a dollar value to each line item of the work. The schedule of values is the basis for every pay application and for the board's review of percent-complete billings.

Sealant

A flexible joint material used at construction joints, around penetrations, and at cladding interfaces to prevent water and air intrusion. Sealants are consumable, typically lasting seven to 20 years depending on type and exposure; common polyurethanes run toward the low end and premium silicone toward the high end.

SIRS (Structural Integrity Reserve Study)

A reserve study specifically focused on the structural components listed in section 718.112(2)(g): roof, load-bearing walls and primary structural members, fireproofing and fire protection systems, plumbing, electrical, waterproofing and exterior painting, windows and exterior doors, and any other item with a deferred maintenance expense or replacement cost exceeding the indexed statutory threshold ($25,675 for 2026) whose failure to be maintained or replaced would negatively affect one or more of those components, as determined by the required visual inspection. Required at least every 10 years for residential condominium buildings three habitable stories or higher, subject to statutory exclusions (for example, buildings under three stories and one- to four-family dwellings). It is a reserve and funding study, performed or verified by a licensed engineer or architect, a CAI Reserve Specialist, or an APRA Professional Reserve Analyst, and is distinct from the milestone safety inspection.

Spalling

The breaking away of concrete from a concrete surface. On Florida coastal buildings the most common cause is corrosion of the embedded rebar, though impact, thermal effects, chemical attack, and construction defects can also cause it. Spalling is the most visible symptom of the corrosion that milestone inspections target.

Special assessment, capital

See Assessment, special. Frequently used to fund an unbudgeted capital project when reserves are insufficient.

Specifications

The written instructions that accompany a construction scope and define materials, methods, warranties, and quality expectations. Good specifications let the board compare bids on equal terms.

Standpipe

A vertical pipe connected to the building's fire-suppression water supply with outlets on each floor for use by firefighters. Standpipes and their fire department connections are tested on a required schedule.

Statute of repose

A time limit that cuts off the right to bring a claim regardless of when the injury is discovered. Florida's statute of repose for construction defect claims is seven years from the earliest of the statutory trigger dates (issuance of a temporary certificate of occupancy, a certificate of occupancy, or a certificate of completion, or abandonment of construction) under section 95.11(3)(b). For actions belonging to a condominium association, section 718.124 provides that neither the statute of limitations nor the statute of repose begins to run until the unit owners have elected a majority of the board (repose tolling effective July 1, 2024; claims already expired were not revived).

Stucco

A cement-based exterior wall finish common on Florida condominium buildings. Stucco is typically applied over concrete block (direct-applied) or over metal lath on framed walls. Failures include map cracking, delamination, and hidden damage at windows and penetrations.

Sunshine requirements

The chapter 718 requirements that board meetings be open, properly noticed, and documented. Often referred to informally as sunshine even though Florida's Sunshine Law (chapter 286) technically applies to governmental bodies, not private associations. The underlying principle is the same.

Surfside (Champlain Towers South)

The 12-story condominium building in Surfside, Florida that partially collapsed on June 24, 2021, killing 98 people. The collapse prompted the broad post-Surfside legislative response that shapes Florida condominium law today.

T

TPO (thermoplastic polyolefin)

A single-ply roofing membrane made of a thermoplastic polymer. TPO is a common choice for flat-roof replacement on Florida condominium buildings.

Turnover

The transition of control of the association from the developer to the unit owners. Under section 718.301 turnover is triggered when the developer's interest falls below a specified threshold or after specific time periods. Turnover is the point at which defect, reserve, and financial review become critical.

Turnover inspection report

The report the developer must deliver at turnover, at the developer’s expense, under section 718.301(4)(p) and (q). It is prepared by a Florida-licensed engineer or architect, or by a CAI Reserve Specialist or an APRA Professional Reserve Analyst, and attests to the required maintenance, useful life, and replacement cost of the common elements. It does not replace the association’s own independent turnover evaluation.

U

Unit owner

The record owner of a condominium unit. Unit owners are members of the association, entitled to vote under the governing documents and chapter 718, and responsible for all obligations the declaration assigns to the unit.

Useful life

The period over which a building component is expected to remain in service under normal maintenance. Useful life drives both the reserve schedule and the replacement forecast.

W

Water intrusion

The uncontrolled entry of water into the building through a defective assembly. Water intrusion is the root cause of most maintenance expense on Florida condominium buildings and, when chronic, the root cause of most structural deterioration.

Waterproofing membrane

The material that keeps water out of a below-grade wall, a plaza deck, a balcony, or a shower pan. The waterproofing is almost always hidden beneath another layer and is expensive to replace because the cover material must come off to reach it.

Windstorm coverage

Insurance coverage for loss caused by windstorm, including hurricanes. On a Florida master policy windstorm is often written separately or with a separate deductible and limits.

Related guides

This guide is educational, not legal or engineering advice. Statutes change and every building and declaration is different. Confirm how the law applies to your association with your attorney and a licensed professional. Figures current as of July 2026.