On July 1, 2024, the Florida Legislature expanded the training and certification requirements for directors serving on the board of a Florida residential condominium association. As a result, all directors of residential condominium associations must now complete a 4-hour, division-approved educational curriculum within 90 days after being elected or appointed to the board. But what if you were elected or appointed to the board prior to July 1, 2024? Does the expanded training requirement apply to you? Yes, and your deadline to complete the 4-hour course is June 30, 2025.
Prior to July 1, 2024, newly elected or appointed directors of a residential condominium association had 90 days to certify, in writing, that they:
- have read the association’s declaration of condominium, articles of incorporation, bylaws, and current written policies;
- will work to uphold such documents and policies to the best of their ability; and
- will faithfully discharge their fiduciary responsibility to the association’s members.
Alternatively, board members could complete a division-approved educational curriculum. But now, board members must satisfy the certification requirement and the training requirement. Though the certification requirement has not materially changed, the training requirement has.
Under the amended statute, the educational curriculum must be at least 4 hours long and include instruction on milestone inspections, structural integrity reserve studies, elections, recordkeeping, financial literacy and transparency, levying of fines, and notice and meeting requirements. Directors must also complete at least one hour of continuing education annually to learn about recent changes to Florida’s Condominium Act or related administrative rules during the previous year.
Note that directors who fail to timely comply with the newly expanded certification and training requirements are suspended from service on the board until they achieve compliance. Board members must understand their certification and training requirements under the amended law to avoid potentially serious problems.
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