Part ofstatute of limitations →

HB 705FLORIDA · STATEWIDESession 2026Died in Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee

Changes to Legal Deadlines for Construction Defect Lawsuits

Original title: Causes of Action Based on Improvements to Real Property

December 9, 2025

Companion · SB 1592same policy, Senate version

statute of limitations construction law real estate legal liability building codes limitations

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

Where This Stands

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Signed

Currently Died in Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Procedural history

6 actions

Jan 13, 2026HouseIntroduced
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
Dec 16, 2025House
Now in Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee
Dec 16, 2025HouseCommittee
Referred to Judiciary Committee
Dec 16, 2025HouseCommittee
Referred to Housing, Agriculture & Tourism Subcommittee
Dec 16, 2025HouseCommittee
Referred to Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee
Dec 9, 2025HouseIntroduced
Filed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

Property owners, contractors, and design professionals face new, standardized timelines for when they can initiate or be held liable for construction-related legal claims, potentially shortening or extending the window for litigation depending on project certification dates.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Property owners

The bill changes the legal deadlines for when they can initiate lawsuits against contractors or designers for construction defects.

Contractors and design professionals

The bill defines the specific dates that trigger the start of their legal liability for construction projects.

What changed

Current stage: Died in Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Summary

This bill updates the rules for how long property owners have to file lawsuits regarding the design, planning, or construction of real estate improvements. It clarifies exactly when the 'clock' starts ticking for these legal deadlines and defines specific milestones for project completion.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have to sue for a construction defect under this bill?

Generally, you have four years from the earliest date of project completion, contract termination, or abandonment, with an absolute cutoff of seven years.

Does fixing a defect under warranty give me more time to sue?

No, the bill explicitly states that the correction or repair of defects does not extend the time period for commencing an action.

Why It Matters

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Connected Entities

organizationCivil Justice & Claims Subcommittee“Committee responsible for reviewing claims”Map →

organizationJudiciary Committee“Committee responsible for reviewing claims”Map →

organizationHousing, Agriculture & Tourism Subcommittee“Committee responsible for reviewing claims”Map →

Sources

Open source document

openstates.org

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy40
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz10
Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools