Were resident social-membership fees exempt when homeowners paid a separate country club rather than their homeowners' association?

Short answer No. The governing documents did not clearly require every homeowner to hold the club's social membership, and the club was neither incorporated nor qualified in substance as a homeowners' association because nonresident social and golf members had equal voting rights. The resident social fees were taxable admissions.
State
FL
Ruling
TAA 98A-063
Tax type
Sales and Use Tax
Issued
1998-08-18
Issued by
Florida Department of Revenue
Requested by
A redacted not-for-profit country club serving a residential community

Apply this to your situation

This page answers the general question as of 1998. Ask about yours and see what current Florida tax law says, with citations.

Currency note: this ruling is from 1998
Subsequent statutory amendments, regulation changes, court decisions, or later rulings may have changed the analysis. Treat this page as historical context, not current tax advice. Verify current law before relying on any specific rule, rate, or position mentioned here.
Disclaimer: This Florida Technical Assistance Advisement applied 1998 admissions-tax law to one redacted community's separate homeowners' association and country club, their governing documents, membership classes, voting rights, and social fees. Under section 213.22, it binds the Department only for that requester and those facts. Mandatory status, payee identity, owner control, nonresident rights, common areas, liens, and later law can change the result.
About this page: The plain-English summary, reader guidance, and Q&A below were written by Ezel based on the official state tax ruling. The original ruling (linked on this page as a PDF) is the authoritative source for any reliance.
View original ruling (PDF)

Subject

Social Membership Fees Paid to a Country Club

Plain-English summary

The resident social-membership fees were taxable because the country club did not qualify for Florida's mandatory homeowners' association-dues exception. The club was a separate not-for-profit corporation, not the community's homeowners' association, and it included nonresident social and golf members with voting rights.

The governing documents also did not clearly establish that every homeowner had to be a “Social Member.” The homeowners' declaration required a “Founder Membership,” but neither entity's documents explained whether that was the same as the club's social-membership class. The club's bylaws said social memberships were issued at the board's discretion.

Even if mandatory social membership could have been proven, the exemption still failed. A de facto association under the cases had to be owned and controlled entirely by unit owners, serve only those owners, and administer property for their exclusive benefit. This club served and gave voting rights to nonresidents, so it was not a homeowners' association in form or substance.

What this means for you

When a community uses separate legal entities for property governance and recreation, payments to the recreational club do not inherit the homeowners' association's tax status. The recorded declaration, bylaws, membership definitions, voting constituency, ownership, and facility rights all need to line up with the narrow exception.

Common questions

Q: Was homeowner membership in some form clearly required? Yes, the declaration required a Founder Membership, but the documents did not show that every owner had to be a Social Member whose dues were at issue.

Q: Could the club qualify as a de facto association? No. Nonresident members had voting and facility rights, so the club was not entirely owner-controlled or operated solely for owners.

Q: Did the club's lien language make the dues exempt? No. Mandatory payment and enforcement rights did not cure the failure to pay a qualifying association.

Citations and references

  • Fla. Stat. §§ 212.02(1), 212.04(1) — recreational club dues as taxable admissions
  • Fla. Admin. Code r. 12A-1.005(5)(d)2.d. — mandatory association-dues exception
  • Fla. Stat. § 617.301(1), (2), (7) — assessments, common areas, and homeowners' associations
  • Downey v. Jungle Den Villas Recreational Association, Inc., 525 So. 2d 438 (Fla. 5th DCA 1988)
  • Department of Business Regulation v. Siegel, 479 So. 2d 112 (Fla. 1985)
  • Fla. Stat. § 213.22 — Technical Assistance Advisements

Source

Original ruling text

SUMMARY

A Country Club (Club) incorporated as a Florida not-forprofit corporation but not as a homeowners' association seeks a determination that social membership dues paid by its resident Social Members to the Club are exempt from sales tax. The Club argues that the dues are exempt because the resident Social Members are required by the Declaration of a separate homeowners' association to pay the social membership dues to the Club. Dues paid to homeowners' associations are exempt from the tax on admissions only when the following four requirements are met: (1) the dues must be mandatory; (2) they must be paid to a condominium association, homeowners' association, or cooperative association; (3) they must be required to be paid as a condition of the ownership of real property; and (4) the club facilities must be part of the common elements or common areas of the real property.

Contrary to the Club's assertion, it is unclear whether resident social members are required by the Declaration of the homeowners' association to pay social membership dues to the Club. Thus, the first requirement has not been shown to be met. Yet even if the Country Club could show that the resident Social Members are required to pay the social membership dues, Country Club is not incorporated as a homeowners' association. Nor does the Country Club qualify as a de facto association. Country Club is not entirely owned and controlled by owners of real property in the community, but has non-resident social and golf members with voting rights equal to those granted resident Social Members. Accordingly, the second requirement is not met. The social membership fees are taxable.


Aug 18, 1998

Re: Technical Assistance Advisement 98A-063 Sales and Use Tax

Social Membership Fees Paid to a Country Club Rule 12A-1.005(5)(d)2.d., F.A.C. XXX (Country Club) XXX (Homeowners Association)

Dear:

This response to your letter of May 11, 1998, constitutes a Technical Assistance Advisement (TAA) issued in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 12-11, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), and pursuant to the authority granted by s. 213.22, Florida Statutes (F.S.).

FACTS

Country Club is a not-for-profit Florida Corporation incorporated under the Florida Not-for-Profit Corporation Act codified in Chapter 617, F.S. In its letter, Country Club sets forth the facts it believes to be relevant as follows:

The Club has five categories of membership: (1) Golf members, (2) Non-Resident Golf members, (3) Social members, (4) Limited Golf members and (5) Non-Resident Social members. When an individual purchases a residence (real property) in the community, [he or she is] required to obtain at least a Social membership in the Club. Additionally, when an individual purchases such real property, the Club can not deny admission of a Social membership status [sic] to the purchaser. Golf and Limited Golf categories of membership are optional and can only be acquired based upon availability. All homeowners in the community are charged an equal, annual amount for social membership dues. As previously mentioned, the Club does allow for Non-Resident Social and Golf memberships at its discretion based upon availability. No new Non-Resident Golf memberships shall be issued and this category will eventually be eliminated via attrition. (Letter, p. 2; emphasis in original).

The membership voting rights are found in Article IV, page 5[,] of the By-Laws. All property owners in the [Country

Club] Community are at least Social members and[,] as such, receive one vote[,] and... membership is canceled if such person sells [his or her] property and moves out of the
[Country Club] Community. Furthermore, all equity members, whether Resident or Non-Resident, who purchase an optional Golf or limited Golf membership, maintain their single vote status. Social equity members, whether Resident or NonResident, who have not purchased one of the optional Golf memberships can not vote on matters which specifically relate to golf. (Letter, p. 2; emphasis in original).

The Board of Directors of the Club adopts an annual budget sufficient to maintain and operate the club and to fulfill the obligations of the Club. Upon such adoption of the annual budget, the Board of Directors sets forth the annual dues rates for each respective membership category charged to each member of the club. No Resident equity member may waive or otherwise escape liability for the amounts charged each resident of the club by non-use of the facilities or abandonment of his or her parcel. This is achieved in accordance with [the] Article 3.4 "Bankruptcy Clause" which provides for, among other things, the Resident members granting a secured lien in the form of an encumbrance on each respective member's real property situated in the
[Country Club] Community. (Letter, p. 3).

In addition to the preceding statement of facts, Country Club provides copies of its own Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, as amended, along with the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and Declaration of Covenant, Conditions and Restrictions (Declaration) of a separate entity, Homeowners Association.

A review of Country Club's Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws reveals that, although Country Club is a Florida Not-ForProfit corporation, it is not incorporated as a homeowners' association. (See Country Club Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, Article I, Section 1.1). Country Club has several classes of members: (1) Golf Members, (2) Non-Resident Golf Members, (3) Limited Golf Members, (4) Social Members, (5) NonResident Social Members, and (6) Honorary Members. (Country Club Bylaws, Article III, Sections 3.1.1-3.1.7; see also, Id. at

Article III, Sections 3.1.8(creating a "Special Foundation Membership" class for a specific individual)). All social members, whether regular Social Members (residents) or NonResident Social Members, are "entitled to one vote on the election of directors and on any other matters except for those matters affecting golf course assessments, operation, and programs." Id. at Article IV, Section 4.1.2. Similarly, Golf Members, Non-Resident Golf Members, and Limited Golf Members are all "entitled to one vote on all matters at any meeting or election." Id. at Article IV, Section 4.1.1.

The Declaration of the separate Homeowners Association provides that a homeowner in the community may sell his or her residential lot or condominium unit only to "an individual designated by the owner..., subject to the designated individual qualifying, under the criteria established for membership admission as a Founder Member of [Country Club]." (Declaration, Article VII, Section 5). The Declaration further provides its "intention... to require, except as otherwise specifically set forth herein, that one separate Founder Membership in [Country Club] be held in conjunction with the ownership of each Residential Lot or Condominium Unit in [the community]." Id.

Although the Declaration of Homeowners Association requires each homeowner to be a "Founder Member" of Country Club, it is unclear whether a "Founder Member" is, as Country Club implies in its TAA Request, equivalent to a "Social Member" as defined in Country Club's Articles and Bylaws. The Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation of Homeowners Association also fail to describe the relationship, if any, between Social Members of Country Club and Founder Members of Country Club. (See Homeowners Association Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation). Country Club's Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation are similarly devoid of any guidance regarding the relationship between these two types of members. Furthermore, Country Club's Bylaws provide that "Social Memberships will be issued at the discretion of the Board [of directors]." Contrary to Country Club's assertion, then, no controlling document of either Country Club or Homeowners Association requires all homeowners in the community to be "at least [s]ocial members." (Letter, p. 2; emphasis omitted).

Pursuant to the Declaration of Homeowners' Association, all homeowners are clearly required to be members of Homeowners Association. (Declaration, Article III, Section 1). A homeowner's failure to pay assessments imposed by Homeowners Association subjects the homeowner's property to a lien. Id. at Article VII, Section 7. The Declaration does not impose a lien on a homeowner's property for the homeowner's failure to pay dues and fees imposed by Country Club. Nevertheless, Country Club's Bylaws, provide that:

all resident members, as a condition precedent to membership in the Club, shall grant the Club a lien for any and all charges, dues, assessments, or any other amount... which they may owe the Club at the time bankruptcy in their name or affecting such property is adjudicated. Said lien shall be an encumbrance on their real property situated in
[the community].... Further, all members waive any provision of the Florida Homestead Act with regard to the enforcement of the lien so created." (Country Club Bylaws, Article III, Section 3.4).

Finally, all dues, fees, and assessments imposed upon members of Country Club are due and payable when the member receives the billing. Id. at Article V, Section 5.5. If these charges become delinquent and remain unpaid after Country Club sends the member a notice of delinquency, Country Club may file an action in a court of law to recover the amounts due. Id.

ISSUE

Are social membership fees paid by resident Social Members of Country Club, a Florida Not-For-Profit Corporation that is not incorporated as a condominium association, homeowner's association, or a cooperative association, subject to sales tax?

TAXPAYER'S POSITION

Country Club takes the position summarized below:

[T]he mandatory Resident Social membership dues are

specifically exempt from sales tax under Florida Department of Revenue Rule 12A-1.005 because (1) the fee is mandatory, (2) the fee is paid to a qualifying association, (3) the fee is required to be paid as a condition of ownership and (4) the club facilities are part of the common elements or common areas of the real property. Social membership status in the Club is required when purchasing real property in the... community. We agree that the incremental golf membership dues are subject to sales tax based upon their optional nature with regard to occupancy of real property within the... community for Resident members and we also agree that all dues charged to NonResident Equity members are taxable since no real property is obtained within the community that can be liened. (Letter, p. 2; emphasis in original).

In support of its position, Country Club argues as follows:

Rule 12A-1.005(5)(d)2.d., F.A.C., states that a fee is not a taxable admission where such fee is:

1.[ ]mandatory;
2.[ ]paid to a[n] association;
3.[ ]required to be paid as a condition of ownership; and 4.[ ]the club facilities are part of the common elements or common areas of the real property (Letter, p. 3)
...
1.[ ]Are the fees mandatory? Yes. See Articles 3, 5.2. and 5.5 of the ByLaws entitled "MEMBERSHIP", "ANNUAL DUES" and "PAYMENT TERMS" which collectively state that all residential lot or condominium unit owners must be [] member[s] of the Club, dues are established annually based upon the member approved budget and all legal remedies, including enforcement of the lien on real property, are available for collection purposes, respectively. (Letter, p. 3-4). 2.[ ]Are the fees paid to a[n] "association"? Yes. Section 617.301(7), F.S., states in part: "Homeowners' Association" or "Association" means a Florida Corporation responsible for the operation of a community.... in which membership is a mandatory condition of parcel ownership, and which is

authorized to impose assessments that, if unpaid, may become a lien on the parcel. In Downey v. Jungle Den Villas Recreational Assn.[,] Inc., 525 So.2d 438 (Fla. 5th DCA 1988), the Fifth District Court of Appeal held that a recreational association (or Club) which was organized to provide an entity for ownership, operation, and management of recreational facilities for the use of all present and future unit owners was, in substance and in function, acting as a condominium association. In other words, the club was deemed a "defacto" association even though the recreation association/club held title to property in its own name. Since all members who purchase real property in the [Country Club] community must be... member[s] of both the... Homeowner[s] Association and... Country Club and the Club is no more than a separate "recreational association", the "Club" is in substance and in function an "Association" as supported by the finding of the cited case. We have attached as Exhibit D a copy of the... Declaration of Covenants [of the Homeowner's Association] as reference. This document intrinsically governs the entire... Community including the Club (recreational association) entity. (Letter, p. 4; emphasis in original). 3.[ ]Are the fees required to be paid as a condition of ownership? Yes. See also answer to question #1. See Article II - "MEMBERSHIP - No residential lot or condominium unit shall be owned by or conveyed to any individual or individuals or to any entity unless an individual designated by such owner or proposed owner is a member of... Country Club...." (Letter, p. 4).

Are the club facilities, and particularly the social membership related recreational facilities, part of the common elements or common areas of the real property? Yes. In Downey v. Jungle Den Villas Recreational Assn.[,] Inc., 525 So.2d 438 (Fla. 5th DCA 1988), the Fifth District Court of Appeal also found that the real property to be used for the recreation facilities, the legal title of which was in the entity created to own, operate and manage the recreation facilities, was actually a "common element" or "an appurtenance to the association". Therefore, the nonoptional social related recreational amenities such as the

restaurant, fitness, clubhouse and other social membership accessible related facilities may be viewed as part of the common elements or common areas of the... Homeowners Association in accordance with the facts of the cited case. (Letter, p. 4).

RELEVANT STATUTORY AND ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY

Section 212.04(1), F.S., sets forth the legislative intent regarding admissions, and provides in pertinent part:

(1)(a) It is hereby declared to be the legislative intent that every person is exercising a taxable privilege who sells or receives anything of value by way of admissions. (b) For the exercise of such privilege, a tax is levied at the rate of 6 percent of sales price, or the actual value received from such admissions, which 6 percent shall be added to and collected with all such admissions from the purchaser thereof, and such tax shall be paid for the exercise of the privilege as defined in the preceding paragraph....

Section 212.02(1), F.S., in turn, provides in part that the term "admissions":

... means and includes... all dues and fees paid to private clubs and membership clubs providing recreational or physical fitness facilities, including, but not limited to, golf, tennis, swimming, yachting, boating, athletic, exercise, and fitness facilities, except physical fitness facilities owned or operated by any hospital licensed under chapter 395. (Emphasis supplied).

Rule 12A-1.005(5)(d)2.d., F.A.C., interprets the statutes imposing the tax on admissions and, with regard to mandatory dues paid to condominium associations, homeowners' associations, or cooperative associations, provides in part:

  1. The following payments made to private clubs or
    membership clubs are not "fees" which are subject to tax on admissions....

d. Mandatory dues and fees paid to a condominium association, homeowners' association, or cooperative association when they are required to be paid as a condition of ownership or occupancy of real property and the club facilities are part of the common elements or common areas of the real property. (Emphasis supplied).

Section 617.301(2), F.S., defines "common area" as:

... [A]ll real property within a community which is owned or leased by an association or dedicated for use or maintenance by the association or its members, including, regardless of whether title has been conveyed to the association: (a) Real property the use of which is dedicated to the association or its members by a recorded plat; or (b) Real property committed by a declaration of covenants to be leased or conveyed to the association.

Section 617.301(7), F.S., provides, in relevant part, that a "homeowners' association" is:

... [A] Florida corporation responsible for the operation of a community in which the voting membership is made up of parcel owners or their agents, or a combination thereof, and in which membership is a mandatory condition of parcel ownership, and which is authorized to impose assessments that, if unpaid, may become a lien on the parcel.... (emphasis supplied).

Section 617.301(1), F.S., defines an "assessment" as:

... [A] sum or sums of money payable to the association, to the developer or other owner of common areas, or to recreational facilities and other properties serving the parcels by the owners of one or more parcels as authorized in the governing documents, which if not paid by the owner of a parcel, can result in a lien against the parcel.

ANALYSIS

Under Florida law, admissions are taxable unless specifically exempt. Section 212.04(1), F.S. Moreover, dues and fees paid to private clubs providing recreational or physical fitness facilities are taxable admissions. Sections 212.02(1), F.S., and 212.04, F.S. A narrow exception from this general rule is provided for dues paid to condominium associations, homeowners' associations, and cooperative associations. Rule 12A-1.005(5)(d)2.d., F.A.C. The exception applies only when all of the following four requirements are met: (1) the dues must be mandatory; (2) they must be paid to a condominium association, homeowners' association, or cooperative association; (3) they must be required to be paid as a condition of the ownership of real property; and (4) the club facilities must be part of the common elements or common areas of the real property.

Country Club's Bylaws require all members to pay dues and fees to the association. (Country Club Bylaws, Article V, Section 5.1, 5.2). Unpaid membership fees become a continuing lien against a homeowner's dwelling unit. Id. at Article III, Section 3.4. Additionally, Country Club is entitled to file an action in a court of law to recover delinquent dues and fees. Id. at Article V, Section 5.5. Therefore, it is evident that the dues are mandatory for all homeowners who are Golf Members or Social Members. Id. at Article III, Sections 3.1.1-3.1.7 (setting forth the classes of members, and providing two classes, Golf Members and Social Members, that appear to be reserved for residents of the community).

Even so, no controlling document of either entity requires all homeowners in the community to be Social Members. (See Declaration, Article VII, Section 5 (providing that "one separate Founder Membership in [Country Club] [must] be held in conjunction with the ownership of each Residential Lot or Condominium Unit in [the community]"); Country Club Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation (failing to explain the relationship, if any, between Social Members and Founder Members.)) Country Club is correct in stating that "Article[] 3... of the Bylaws... state[s] that all residential lot or condominium owners must be
[] members of the Club." (Letter, p. 3). What class of members the homeowners must join, however, is unclear.

It appears that the homeowners may be either Golf Members or Social Members. (See Country Club Bylaws, Article III, flush language (stating that "[t]here may be a number of Resident Social Members equal to the difference between the actual number of Golf Members (Resident and Limited) and the number 634")). Because there is no provision that all homeowners must be Social Members, the dues imposed upon Social Members by Country Club have not been shown to be mandatory for all homeowners in the community.

Yet there is an even more basic reason that Country Club's argument that the fees are exempt under Rule 12A1.005(5)(d)2.d., F.A.C., must fail. Even assuming Country Club could produce documentation proving that each homeowner was required, as a result of owning real property in the community, to be a Social Member, the social membership fees would not be exempt from tax because Country Club clearly fails to meet the second requirement of Rule 12A-1.005(5)(d)2.d., F.A.C. This second requirement is that the dues must be paid to a condominium association, homeowners' association, or cooperative association.(FN 1)

Although Homeowners Association is incorporated as a homeowners' association, Country Club is not. Section 617.301(7), F.S., defines a "homeowners' association" as: "... a Florida corporation responsible for the operation of a community in which the voting membership is made up of parcel owners or their agents, or a combination thereof, and in which membership is a mandatory condition of parcel ownership, and which is authorized to impose assessments that, if unpaid, may become a lien on the parcel...." (emphasis added).

Not only did Country Club fail to incorporate as a homeowners' association, but Country Club's voting membership is made up of a number of non-resident members, who are clearly persons other than "parcel owners or their agents, or a combination thereof." (See Country Club Bylaws, Article IV, Section 4.1.2 (establishing that all social members, whether regular Social Members (residents) or Non-Resident Social Members, are "entitled to one vote on the election of directors

and on any other matters except for those matters affecting golf course assessments, operation, and programs.") and Article IV, Section 4.1.1 (providing that Golf Members, Non-Resident Golf Members, and Limited Golf Members are all "entitled to one vote on all matters at any meeting or election."). Simply put, Country Club is not a homeowners' association within the meaning of Section 617.301, F.S.

Nevertheless, Country Club relies on Downey v. Jungle Den Villas, 525 So.2d 438 (Fla. 5th DCA 1988), for the proposition that it is a "de[ ]facto association." In Downey, the Fifth District Court of Appeal considered whether a recreation association created by several condominium associations "to provide an entity for the ownership, operation, and management of recreation facilities for the use of all present and future condominium unit owners," should be treated "as an entirely independent corporation not for profit or as a de facto condominium association subject to Chapter 718, Florida Statutes." Id. at 439-40. Pursuant to Section 718.110(4), F.S. (1985), a condominium association could not make a material alteration to a condominium without unanimous approval of all unit owners. Id. at 440. The recreation association was attempting to build a swimming pool, and to assess each owner a
$450.00 charge for its construction, with the approval of a slim majority of unit owners. Id. Because the recreation association in Downey held legal title to the property "for the use and benefit of unit owners of all phases in Jungle Den Villas," the court held it was a de facto condominium association. Id. The association was thus required to obtain the unanimous consent of the unit owners before building the swimming pool or imposing an assessment for it. Id. at 441.

In determining that the master recreation association should be treated as a condominium association, the court applied the "constituency test." According to the court, the essential inquiry of the constituency test is whether the membership of the recreation association is composed "`only of condominium unit owners, and only condominium unit owners have rights in the property administered by the Association...'" Id. at 440. (quoting Siegel v. Division of Florida Land Sales and Condominiums, Department of Business Regulation, 453 So.2d 414,

417 (Fla. 3d DCA 1984), quashed, 479 So.2d 112 (Fla. 1985).) The court's determination that the recreation association was a de facto condominium association hinged upon the fact that: (1) the recreation association was "entirely owned and controlled by the unit owners," (2) the "property titled in the recreation association's name... [was] expressly held for the use and benefit of the condominium unit owners and no one else," (3) the "recreation association exist[ed] solely to serve the[] unit owners," and (4) the members of the recreation association were "[o]nly unit owners, and never non-unit owners." Id. at 441 (emphasis supplied).

In the instant case, on the other hand, Country Club is not entirely owned and controlled by the unit owners. While Country Club has resident social members with voting rights, Country Club also has non-resident social and golf members with voting rights. Nor is the property titled in Country Club's name held solely for the use and benefit of the unit members and "no one else." Again, Country Club's membership includes non-resident social and golf members with the same rights as resident social and golf members. Country Club exists to serve all of its members, not just homeowners and unit owners.

In Dept. of Business Regulation, Division of Land Sales v. Siegel, 479 So.2d 112 (Fla. 1985), the Florida Supreme Court found that a homeowners' association was not a condominium association under the provisions of Chapter 718, F.S., because it was "unrefuted that the membership of th[e] homeowners' association might eventually be comprised of non-condominium dwellers." (emphasis supplied). Both Downey and Siegel undermine Country Club's argument that it is a de facto association. Country Club already has nonresident members with voting rights. Accordingly, Country Club is not a homeowners' association.

State agencies must adhere to the law established by the legislature in the Florida Statutes; agencies are not permitted to enlarge, modify, or contravene statutory provisions. See Department of Business Regulation v. Salvation Ltd., 452 So.2d 65 (Fla. 1st DCA 1984); Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services v. McTigue, 387 So.2d 454 (Fla. 1st DCA 1980); 4245

Corp. v. Division of Beverage, 371 So.2d 1032 (Fla. 1st DCA 1978); Florida Growers Coop, Transport v. Department of Revenue, 273 So.2d 142 (Fla. 1st DCA 1973), cert. denied, 279 So.2d 33 (Fla. 1973). The Florida Department of Revenue is not empowered to create additional varieties of homeowners' associations.

Country Club clearly fails to meet the requirement of Rule 12A-1.005(5)(d)2.d., F.A.C., that it be a homeowners' association. Consequently, there is no need to discuss the other requirements set forth in the rule, and the social membership fees are subject to tax.

DETERMINATION

Because Country Club is not a homeowners' association under the Florida Statutes, the social membership fees are subject to tax.

This response constitutes a Technical Assistance Advisement under s. 213.22, F.S., and is binding on the Department only under the facts and circumstances described in the request for this advice as specified in s. 213.22, F.S. Our response is predicated on those facts and the specific situation summarized above. You are advised that subsequent statutory or administrative rule changes or judicial interpretations of the statutes or rules upon which this advice is based may subject similar future transactions to a different treatment from that expressed in this response.

You are further advised that this response and your request are public records under Chapter 119, F.S., which are subject to disclosure to the public under the conditions of s. 213.22, F.S. Your name, address, and any other details which might lead to identification of the taxpayer must be deleted by the Department before disclosure. In an effort to protect confidential information, we request you notify the undersigned in writing within 15 days of any deletions you wish made to the request or this response.

Should you have any questions concerning this Advisement, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Newton-Clarke
Attorney
Technical Assistance and
Dispute Resolution
(850) 488-9669

RNC/
Control No. 34314


Footnote 1: Country Club does not argue that it qualifies as a chapter 718, F.S., condominium association or as a Chapter 719, F.S., cooperative association. Nor do the provisions of Chapter 718 or 719, F.S., apply to Country Club. Thus, this TAA will not discuss the requirements of these chapters.

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