Plain-English summary
In Florida, a person who manages a community association for pay generally needs a Community Association Manager (CAM) license — but only when the association is big enough to matter: the licensing rules apply when the association (or associations) served have more than 10 units or an annual budget over $100,000.
"Community association management" is defined broadly. It includes things like controlling or disbursing association funds, preparing budgets or financial documents, helping notice or conduct meetings, determining how many days a statutory notice requires, calculating votes needed for a quorum or to pass something, collecting amounts due before a lawsuit, completing statutory or agency forms, and drafting meeting notices and agendas — when done for compensation for an association over those thresholds (§ 468.431). Doing these paid management activities without a license is unlicensed activity.
Companies that provide management are also regulated: a business that offers community-association management services must hold a CAM firm license, and CAMs are subject to discipline by DBPR for violations. Certain roles are carved out — for example maintenance/janitorial staff and some clerical work performed under a licensed manager's supervision.
What Ch. 468 Pt VIII says, section by section
| Section | Plain-English translation | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| § 468.431(2) | Defines "community association management": the listed practices (controlling/disbursing funds; preparing budgets/financial docs; assisting in noticing/conducting meetings; determining the number of days required for statutory notices; determining/collecting amounts due before suit; calculating votes required for a quorum or to approve a proposition/amendment; completing statutory/agency forms; drafting meeting notices and agendas) — when done for remuneration and the association(s) served have > 10 units or > $100,000 annual budget. | § 468.431(2) |
| § 468.431 (other defs) | Defines "community association," "manager," and related terms. | § 468.431 |
| § 468.432 | Licensure required: a person may not manage a community association (over the thresholds) for compensation without a CAM license; a business offering such services must hold a CAM firm license. | § 468.432 |
| § 468.4334 | Professional standards / good faith: a CAM/firm must discharge duties in good faith and with the association's best interests; contract-disclosure duties. | § 468.4334 |
| § 468.4337 | Continuing education: DBPR may not renew until the licensee proves completion of the requisite CE hours; the hour count, criteria and course content are set by council rule. ⚠ The statute sets only a CEILING — the council "may not require more than 10 hours of continuing education annually" (≤ 20 per biennium), so the 15-hour figure the product carries comes from the rule, not from here. Post-2024 (ch. 2024-221): a CAM providing services to a homeowners' association must biennially complete at least 5 HOA-specific hours, 3 of which must relate to recordkeeping — verbatim, and the one CE fact that IS statutory. | § 468.4337 |
| § 468.4338 | Reactivation CE is set by council rule and may not exceed one renewal cycle of CE. | § 468.4338 |
| § 468.432(2) | FIRM licensure — a management firm responsible for more than 10 units or a budget of $100,000 or greater must itself be licensed. ⚠ Firm licences expire September 30 of ODD-numbered years and renew every 2 years ((2)(d)) — a statutory date, unlike the individual anchor. A firm must notify the department within 30 days of any change to its application information ((2)(c)), and ⚠ its licence is CANCELLED AUTOMATICALLY whenever no individual active CAM member's licence is in force ((2)(f)). A CAM whose licence was revoked is barred from ownership or office in a firm for 10 years ((2)(h)). | § 468.432(2) |
| § 468.432(3) | ⚠ NEW (ch. 2025-175). Every licensee must create and maintain an online licensure account, and must identify on it the firm they manage for and each association where they are the designated onsite manager — updated within 30 days of any change. Firms must list the CAMs they employ. If a manager's licence is suspended or revoked, the department must give WRITTEN NOTICE to the firm AND to the association. | § 468.432(3) |
| § 468.4334(1) | Practice standards. A CAM/firm is the association's agent, must not knowingly perform an act that violates state or federal law, and must act "loyally, skillfully, and diligently; dealing honestly and fairly; in good faith; with care and full disclosure… accounting for all funds; and not charging unreasonable or excessive fees." ⚠ Where the association is subject to § 553.899 milestone or SIRS duties, the manager must comply with those sections as directed by the board ((1)(b)). Every management contract must carry a 12-point-type statement that the manager abides by Part VIII standards ((1)(c)), and the standards cannot be waived or limited by contract ((1)(d)). | § 468.4334(1) |
| § 468.4334(3) | Three affirmative duties: attend at least one member or board meeting annually, in person ((3)(a)); give members each assigned manager's name, contact information, hours of availability and duty summary — ⚠ which the ASSOCIATION must also post on its website or app if it is required to maintain official records online, updated within 14 BUSINESS days of any change ((3)(b)); and provide any member on request a copy of the management contract, which must be included in the association's official records ((3)(c)). | § 468.4334(3) |
| § 468.4334(4) | Records return on termination — 20 BUSINESS days. All official records in the manager's possession go back within 20 business days of termination or of a written request, whichever comes first; notice of termination goes by certified mail, return receipt requested (or as the contract requires). The manager may hold back, for up to 20 business days, only what is needed to complete an ending financial statement. Late return creates a rebuttable presumption of wilful non-compliance and carries licence suspension plus a civil penalty of $1,000 per day for up to 10 business days, running from the 21st business day. | § 468.4334(4) |
| § 468.4335 | Conflicts of interest. | § 468.4335 |
| § 468.4336 | Renewal is BIENNIAL by statute — the department renews on application, fee and proof of CE compliance, and "shall adopt rules establishing a procedure for the biennial renewal of licenses." ⚠ The statute fixes the cycle; the date is left to the rule. | § 468.4336 |
| § 468.436 | Grounds for discipline by DBPR (the Regulatory Council of Community Association Managers): fraud, violating the chapter/rules, gross misconduct, etc. | § 468.436 |
| § 468.4365 | Complaints, discipline records and proceedings remain open and available to the public, notwithstanding s. 455.225. | § 468.4365 |
| § 468.437 | Penalty: violating any provision of Part VIII is a second-degree misdemeanor. | § 468.437 |