County recording office
Palm Beach Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
301 N Olive Ave, West Palm Beach, FL 33401 (opens in Google Maps)
Opening the clubhouse
Florida owner portal law applies here
HOAs with 100+ parcels follow § 720.303 (Jan 1, 2025). Condos with 25+ units follow § 718.111 (Jan 1, 2026). Password-protected portals, statutory documents, and meeting notice deadlines.
County recording office
Palm Beach Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
301 N Olive Ave, West Palm Beach, FL 33401 (opens in Google Maps)
Florida HOAs (100+ parcels) and condos (25+ units) must maintain password-protected owner portals with statutory documents and meeting notices posted on time.
Board checklist
Municipal trash schedules, curb placement, and code enforcement pathways.
Boca Raton's Sanitation Division runs a four-area weekly system: Areas 1 and 3 get garbage Monday and Thursday, Areas 2 and 4 get it Tuesday and Friday, and each area gets one weekly recycling, vegetation, and bulk-item pickup on a fixed day tied to its area number — check the city's collection map rather than guessing from a neighbor's schedule. Bulk items over 2 cubic yards need a paid "Pay for Pickup Option" arranged through the Sanitation Dispatcher (561-416-3367), starting at $161.71. Everything must sit curbside by 7 a.m. and at least 5 feet from other containers or obstructions.
Florida HOAs with 100 or more parcels must maintain a password-protected owner portal under Fla. Stat. § 720.303(4)(b) (effective Jan 1, 2025). Condominiums with 25 or more units follow § 718.111(12)(g) (effective Jan 1, 2026), including a 30-day posting rule for required records. See kindhoa.com/compliance/florida and the KindHOA blog guides for Chapter 720 and Chapter 718. Educational, not legal advice.
State-level guidance — confirm current city ordinances with local officials.
Late fee estimator
Enter your typical monthly assessment to see how local caps may apply. KindHOA can automate notices and fee schedules once your board defines the rules.
Estimated legal ceiling
$25.00
Many associations cannot assess late fees until accounts are at least 30 days past due and proper notice has been sent. You entered 15 days past due.
Tell us about your community. We'll show you how KindHOA automates dues, late fees, and resident communication — free for self-managed HOAs.
No per-door fees. No enterprise bloat. Just the tools your neighbors need to run Boca Raton with confidence.
A volunteer board guide for Boca Raton: understand where municipal code ends, where your HOA covenants begin, and how to comply with Florida Statutes Chapters 720 (HOAs) & 718 (condominiums).
The quick answer
Boca Raton treats any rental under six months as a prohibited use in every single-family zoning district under Zoning Code Chapter 28, Article IX — there's no city STR permit to get. Fences run 4 ft in front yards, 6 ft in side/rear yards, and sanitation follows a four-area weekly cycle for garbage, recycling, and bulk items.
Late fees (Florida): Max $25 or 5%. Confirm against your declaration and current statute.
Reviewed by the KindHOA Editorial Team · Last reviewed July 25, 2026
Boca Raton anchors southern Palm Beach County with a dense mix of gated golf communities, country-club subdivisions, and mid-rise beach condominiums, so its HOAs sit on top of some of the state's most active municipal zoning and licensing enforcement. Florida Chapter 720 covers assessments, meetings, and board procedure, but city zoning — not the association — decides whether a rental, fence, or addition is legal in the first place, and Boca Raton's Development Services staff have been vocal that short stays simply aren't a permitted land use in most residential zones.
Local rules board members use
City-specific answers for Boca Raton — sourced to municipal code and official city pages. Educational, not legal advice.
Boca Raton doesn't run a short-term-rental registration program because the underlying zoning already forecloses the use: Chapter 28, Article IX's permitted-use lists for the city's single-family districts (R-1 through R-1-D, governed by Sec. 28-344) do not include transient or vacation rentals, and city planning staff have confirmed that any stay under six months in those zones is treated as a prohibited use rather than a licensed one. Transient lodging is only allowed as a conditional use in select multi-family or commercial districts. Owners renting legally for six months or longer still need a city Business Tax Receipt (Chapter 17) and, if the unit meets Florida's transient-lodging definition, a DBPR license under F.S. 509.241 — an HOA rental cap does not substitute for either.
Primary source: Boca Raton municipal code / city ordinances
Section 28-1356 of the Zoning Code sets Boca Raton's fence rules: 4 feet maximum in a required front yard, 6 feet in side and rear yards, with height measured from the ground level at the lowest grade within 3 feet of the fence. Corner lots can go taller than 4 feet along the side-street line only if the fence sits at least 5 feet off that plot line behind a maintained shrub buffer, and the city's traffic engineer can still reject any fence, wall, or buffer judged to block sightlines for drivers, cyclists, or pedestrians. A city permit is required regardless of HOA architectural sign-off.
Primary source: Boca Raton municipal code / city ordinances
Boca Raton's Sanitation Division runs a four-area weekly system: Areas 1 and 3 get garbage Monday and Thursday, Areas 2 and 4 get it Tuesday and Friday, and each area gets one weekly recycling, vegetation, and bulk-item pickup on a fixed day tied to its area number — check the city's collection map rather than guessing from a neighbor's schedule. Bulk items over 2 cubic yards need a paid "Pay for Pickup Option" arranged through the Sanitation Dispatcher (561-416-3367), starting at $161.71. Everything must sit curbside by 7 a.m. and at least 5 feet from other containers or obstructions.
Primary source: Boca Raton municipal code / city ordinances
Boca Raton issues building permits based on what the Florida Building Code and zoning code require for the specific project, not a single citywide dollar figure — a roof, pool, addition, or many exterior changes will need a permit even after an HOA architectural committee has already signed off. Development Services (200 NW 2nd Ave) reviews plans against the applicable zoning district's setback, height, and wind-load standards before issuing a permit, so boards should treat their design approval letters as conditional on the owner separately securing whatever city permit the work triggers.
Primary source: Boca Raton municipal code / city ordinances
Boca Raton's coastal Palm Beach County setting brings full hurricane exposure, tidal flooding in low-lying pockets, and constant salt-air wear on roofing, railings, and screen enclosures — pressures that show up in both the city's building code and covenant maintenance standards. A large share of the city's HOA inventory dates to 1970s–90s development, so reserve funding for storm hardening and re-roofing is a recurring board topic. Liens and CC&R amendments record with the Palm Beach County Clerk & Comptroller.
Primary source: Boca Raton municipal code / city ordinances
Summaries below are for board orientation. Verify requirements in the official Boca Raton municipal code (opens in a new tab).
Boca Raton municipal code
Boca Raton doesn't run a short-term-rental registration program because the underlying zoning already forecloses the use: Chapter 28, Article IX's permitted-use lists for the city's single-family districts (R-1 through R-1-D, governed by Sec. 28-344) do not include transient or vacation rentals, and city planning staff have confirmed that any stay under six months in those zones is treated as a prohibited use rather than a licensed one. Transient lodging is only allowed as a conditional use in select multi-family or commercial districts. Owners renting legally for six months or longer still need a city Business Tax Receipt (Chapter 17) and, if the unit meets Florida's transient-lodging definition, a DBPR license under F.S. 509.241 — an HOA rental cap does not substitute for either.
HOA governing documents
HOAs enforce recorded use restrictions (minimum lease terms, guest limits, parking) when consistent with applicable city licensure and state law. Covenant enforcement requires notice, cure periods, and uniform application.
Zoning & building code
Section 28-1356 of the Zoning Code sets Boca Raton's fence rules: 4 feet maximum in a required front yard, 6 feet in side and rear yards, with height measured from the ground level at the lowest grade within 3 feet of the fence. Corner lots can go taller than 4 feet along the side-street line only if the fence sits at least 5 feet off that plot line behind a maintained shrub buffer, and the city's traffic engineer can still reject any fence, wall, or buffer judged to block sightlines for drivers, cyclists, or pedestrians. A city permit is required regardless of HOA architectural sign-off.
Permit thresholds
Boca Raton issues building permits based on what the Florida Building Code and zoning code require for the specific project, not a single citywide dollar figure — a roof, pool, addition, or many exterior changes will need a permit even after an HOA architectural committee has already signed off. Development Services (200 NW 2nd Ave) reviews plans against the applicable zoning district's setback, height, and wind-load standards before issuing a permit, so boards should treat their design approval letters as conditional on the owner separately securing whatever city permit the work triggers.
HOA architectural control
HOAs review fences and additions through architectural committees under CC&Rs. Municipal compliance alone does not satisfy HOA design or notice requirements.
State / local protections
Florida Statute §163.04 prohibits deed restrictions that prohibit solar equipment, though reasonable location rules may apply. Xeriscaping and Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ standards are encouraged; HOAs should not ban drought-tolerant plants that meet municipal water rules.
What HOAs may still regulate
HOAs may adopt reasonable design rules that meet statutory tests (location, color, timeline). Associations cannot impose outright bans where state law voids them.
Florida associations need pre-season communication plans, vendor contacts, and post-storm architectural guidance.
Board checklist
Milestone inspections and reserve studies affect long-term assessments. Document findings and funding plans clearly.
Board checklist
Communities near waterways need clear drainage maintenance duties and FEMA disclosure workflows for resales.
Board checklist
Mediation, courts, and state resources when board actions are challenged.
Florida disputes may go to county court, arbitration if required by covenants, or DBPR Division of Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes for certain condominium disputes. Small claims limits follow Florida Statute §34.01—verify with the Palm Beach County clerk.
Boca Raton doesn't run a short-term-rental registration program because the underlying zoning already forecloses the use: Chapter 28, Article IX's permitted-use lists for the city's single-family districts (R-1 through R-1-D, governed by Sec. 28-344) do not include transient or vacation rentals, and city planning staff have confirmed that any stay under six months in those zones is treated as a prohibited use rather than a licensed one. Transient lodging is only allowed as a conditional use in select multi-family or commercial districts. Owners renting legally for six months or longer still need a city Business Tax Receipt (Chapter 17) and, if the unit meets Florida's transient-lodging definition, a DBPR license under F.S. 509.241 — an HOA rental cap does not substitute for either.
Section 28-1356 of the Zoning Code sets Boca Raton's fence rules: 4 feet maximum in a required front yard, 6 feet in side and rear yards, with height measured from the ground level at the lowest grade within 3 feet of the fence. Corner lots can go taller than 4 feet along the side-street line only if the fence sits at least 5 feet off that plot line behind a maintained shrub buffer, and the city's traffic engineer can still reject any fence, wall, or buffer judged to block sightlines for drivers, cyclists, or pedestrians. A city permit is required regardless of HOA architectural sign-off.
Boca Raton's Sanitation Division runs a four-area weekly system: Areas 1 and 3 get garbage Monday and Thursday, Areas 2 and 4 get it Tuesday and Friday, and each area gets one weekly recycling, vegetation, and bulk-item pickup on a fixed day tied to its area number — check the city's collection map rather than guessing from a neighbor's schedule. Bulk items over 2 cubic yards need a paid "Pay for Pickup Option" arranged through the Sanitation Dispatcher (561-416-3367), starting at $161.71. Everything must sit curbside by 7 a.m. and at least 5 feet from other containers or obstructions.
Boca Raton issues building permits based on what the Florida Building Code and zoning code require for the specific project, not a single citywide dollar figure — a roof, pool, addition, or many exterior changes will need a permit even after an HOA architectural committee has already signed off. Development Services (200 NW 2nd Ave) reviews plans against the applicable zoning district's setback, height, and wind-load standards before issuing a permit, so boards should treat their design approval letters as conditional on the owner separately securing whatever city permit the work triggers.
Florida Statute §163.04 prohibits deed restrictions that prohibit solar equipment, though reasonable location rules may apply. Xeriscaping and Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ standards are encouraged; HOAs should not ban drought-tolerant plants that meet municipal water rules.
Florida disputes may go to county court, arbitration if required by covenants, or DBPR Division of Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes for certain condominium disputes. Small claims limits follow Florida Statute §34.01—verify with the Palm Beach County clerk.
Sources
KindHOA is educational software for self-managed boards, not a law firm, and this guide is not legal advice. State statutes, local ordinances, and your community’s recorded CC&Rs control and change over time — confirm liens, amendments, and enforcement with association counsel and the official sources above.
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