Powers and duties of Division

Common Elements summary — Section 719.501 vests the Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes (within DBPR) with regulatory authority over Florida cooperatives. The Division has the power to investigate complaints, issue subpoenas, impose civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation, and refer matters for criminal prosecution. Its jurisdiction extends to developer disclosure violations, association governance violations, and disputes between members and the association that fall within enumerated categories. The Division's arbitration program is mandatory for many cooperative disputes — including recall disputes, election challenges, and members' records requests — before a member or the association can file in circuit court. The arbitrator's decision is binding unless either party files a de novo civil action within 30 days. For practitioners: the Division's online complaint portal is the first stop for any member who feels stonewalled. It's also where boards learn the practical limits of their authority — a Division investigator showing up to ask about a records request is a much faster education than a year of litigation. Treat any Division correspondence as the priority on the desk that day.

Not legal advice. Click through to the official source for statutory text.