Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Signs Bill Limiting HOA Rules, Fines

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida - Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law House Bill 1203 that puts limits on some homeowner's association rules and fines.

Garbage and Holiday Decorations

The bill prohibits homeowners’ associations from issuing a fine or suspension for:

Leaving garbage receptacles at the curb or end of the driveway less than 24 hours before or after the designated garbage collection day or time.

Leaving holiday decorations or lights up longer than indicated in the governing documents, unless such decorations or lights are left up for longer than one week after the association provides written notice of the violation to the parcel owner.

Vehicles and Parking

The bill also provides that homeowners’ associations may not prohibit a homeowner or others from parking:

A personal vehicle, including a pickup truck, in the property owner’s driveway or in any other area where they have a right to park.

A work vehicle, which is not a commercial motor vehicle, in the property owner’s driveway.

Their assigned first responder vehicle on public roads or rights-of-way within the homeowners’ association.

An HOA also cannot prohibit a homeowner operating a vehicle in conformance with state traffic laws, on public roads or rights-of-way or the property owner’s parcel, unless the vehicle is a commercial motor vehicle.

Homeowner's Right To Choose Contractor

In addition, the governing documents may not prohibit a property owner from:

Inviting, hiring, or allowing entry to a contractor or worker on the owner’s parcel solely because the contractor or worker is not on a preferred vendor list of the homeowners’ association or does not have a professional or occupational license.