Florida Community Associations and the Eight-Year Director Term Limit: Is Your Board Ready for your 2027?
Florida community associations may face an interesting election-season plot twist in 2026: the state’s eight-year director term limit is finally beginning to have a practical effect for many condominium and cooperative boards.
For years, the issue remained largely theoretical because the statutory clock did not begin running until July 1, 2018. Now, some longtime directors may be approaching the point where the restriction actually matters. Associations that have not reviewed board tenure in recent years may want to move that task higher on the pre-election checklist.
Why 2026 Matters
For residential condominiums, Section 718.112(2)(d), Florida Statutes, generally limits directors to eight consecutive years of service, with only service on or after July 1, 2018 counting toward that total. Similar term-limit provisions apply to residential cooperative associations under Chapter 719.
In practical terms, 2026 is the first election cycle in which some directors who have served continuously since the law took effect may begin reaching the eight-year threshold.
In other words, the statutory clock started ticking in 2018, and it did not come with a snooze button.
Condominiums and Cooperatives: Reaching Eight Years Does Not Automatically End a Director’s Service
Reaching the eight-year mark does not automatically disqualify a director. Florida law provides two exceptions that may allow a director to keep serving. First, the director may continue if the members approve it by a two-thirds supermajority, meaning an affirmative vote of two-thirds of all valid votes cast in the election. (Separately, at least 20% of eligible voters must cast a ballot for the election to be valid.) Second, the director may continue if there are not enough eligible candidates to fill the open board seats.
That second exception may sound familiar to many associations, where recruiting volunteers sometimes consists of asking, “Anyone? Anyone at all?” while everyone in the room suddenly becomes fascinated by the carpet.
What About Homeowners’ Associations?
Homeowners’ associations are a different story.
Unlike Chapters 718 and 719, Chapter 720 does not impose the same statewide eight-year director term limit on HOA board members. Instead, HOA boards should review their governing documents to determine whether their declaration, articles, or bylaws contain director term limits or other eligibility restrictions.
As a result, a director who may be approaching a statutory limit in a condominium or cooperative could face no comparable restriction in an HOA unless the association’s governing documents create one.
What Boards Should Be Doing Now
Whether your community is a condominium, cooperative, or homeowners’ association, election preparation should start well before nomination deadlines arrive.
Boards should consider:
- Reviewing each director’s service history beginning July 1, 2018.
- Confirming election dates, appointment dates, and any gaps in service.
- Identifying directors who may approach statutory term limits before the next election.
- Reviewing bylaws and other governing documents for additional restrictions.
- Determining whether election materials need to address any required member approval for continued service.
- Recruiting new candidates before election season begins in earnest.
Finding potential volunteers is rarely easier at the last minute.
Not Every Calculation Is Straightforward
As with most things in community association governance, the analysis is not always as simple as counting years on a calendar.
Resignations, board appointments, interrupted service, vacancies, and unusual election histories can affect the calculation. The application of the law may also vary depending on the type of association and the specific facts involved.
The Bottom Line
For condominium and cooperative associations, 2026 may be the year when Florida’s eight-year director term limit becomes more than an interesting statutory footnote. For homeowners’ associations, the focus should be on what the governing documents require rather than on a statewide statutory cap. Either way, boards should not treat the issue as a future problem. Review the roster, count carefully, and plan ahead.
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