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How Do I See My HOA's Written Architectural Guidelines?
Use the free tool — ARC Request Builder
What "Written Architectural Guidelines" Actually Means
Before you submit a request, most committees are supposed to be judging it against a written standard — a document that says what materials, colors, setbacks, or styles are allowed. If you've never seen that document, you're not alone. Many homeowners never get shown it unless they ask.
Why the Written Guidelines Are the Real Limit on the Committee
Under Fla. Stat. 720.3035, a Florida homeowners' association's authority to review the location, size, type, or appearance of what you build is permitted only to the extent that authority is specifically stated or reasonably inferred in the governing documents. A committee cannot invent a standard that isn't written down somewhere. That means the actual written guidelines — not whatever a committee member prefers that day — are supposed to be what limits your request.
How You Get Them: Fla. Stat. 720.303
Fla. Stat. 720.303 gives you the right to inspect the association's official records. This is how you get the written architectural standards the committee is applying to you.
- Ask the association, in writing, for the official records that contain the architectural standards.
- Keep a copy of your request and whatever they send back.
What the Statute Doesn't Tell You
The material here doesn't say how many days the association has to produce records, what format they must use, or what happens if written guidelines don't actually exist. Your own declaration and bylaws may set their own process on top of this. Read those documents yourself, or ask the association directly, and confirm the specific steps with them or with a professional — don't guess.
If You Live in a Condo, Not an HOA Neighborhood
This page is about Chapter 720, Florida homeowners' associations. Condominiums, cooperatives, timeshares, and mobile home parks are governed by different statutes — condominiums specifically by Chapter 718. Don't rely on anything here if that's your situation.
What to Do Next
ARC Request Builder is a free tool that reads your own project description — what you want to build, where, and what it's made of — and writes an architectural request the way committees expect to receive one, using the same limits described above. It costs $4.99 for one project, or $29 a month on the Contractors plan. It cannot tell you what your own declaration prohibits, and it is not legal advice. If your request becomes contested, talk to a Florida community association attorney.
ARC Request Builder reads what you type and explains Florida Chapter 720 in plain language. It can be wrong, it is not legal advice, and it is not a substitute for reading your community's own declaration and bylaws, and your declaration may prohibit the project outright regardless of how well the request is written. For anything contested, talk to a Florida community association attorney.