Florida Condo Milestone Inspections: A Buyer's Guide to Milestones, SIRS and County Recertification

What is a condo milestone inspection in Florida?

Shop for a condo in Florida today and the phrase "milestone inspection" shows up everywhere: in listings, in seller disclosures, in association newsletters and in conversations about monthly fees. A condo milestone inspection is a structural review of an entire building, required by Section 553.899 of the Florida Statutes. The statute describes its job as attesting to life safety and structural adequacy and assessing the general structural condition of the building. It is called a milestone because it is tied to age: the first one arrives around the building's 30th year, and another follows every 10 years for the rest of the building's life.

The Legislature created the statewide program in 2022 and amended it in 2023, 2024 and 2025. The statute opens with a finding that keeping buildings structurally sound throughout their lives is paramount. Long before that, South Florida already had local rules: Miami-Dade has run a building recertification program since 1975, and Broward has its own building safety program. The state law took the idea statewide for condos and co-ops.

Which buildings need one

The law covers condominium and cooperative buildings that are three or more habitable stories tall, including buildings where only part of the property is under condo ownership. Single-family homes and two-, three- and four-family dwellings with three or fewer habitable stories above ground are exempt. In practice, a mid-rise or high-rise tower is inside the program, while a two-story garden complex usually is not. If you are not sure, ask. Resale contracts signed after December 31, 2024 must say, in conspicuous type, whether the association is required to have a milestone inspection and a SIRS, and must flag any that are required but not yet done.

What it is not

A milestone inspection is not a code-compliance review. The statute says outright that its purpose is not to determine whether an existing building meets the current Florida Building Code or fire safety code. A building finished in the 1980s will not be judged against today's code. The question is whether the structure that holds it up is sound.

It is also not an inspection of your unit. The architect or engineer focuses on the major structural components of the building, things like foundations, columns, beams, floor slabs, load-bearing walls and balconies, and on the conditions that can damage them. Whether the dishwasher drains or the air handler in your closet is near the end of its life is outside the scope.

One more point to make clear from the start: Global Home Inspectors does not perform milestone inspections, structural integrity reserve studies or county recertifications. Florida law assigns them to licensed architects and engineers (and, for the reserve study, to certain certified reserve professionals) working for the association. What we do is inspect the condo unit you are buying, which none of those reports covers. The last part of this guide explains how the pieces fit together.

Who arranges it and who pays

The condominium or cooperative association is responsible for arranging the inspection and for making sure the building complies, together with the owner of any part of the building that is not under condo ownership. The association pays for the portions it is responsible for maintaining under its governing documents. That cost does not come from nowhere: it is a common expense, so every owner shares it through regular or special assessments. As a buyer, you are stepping into that shared responsibility on the day you close.

When is a milestone inspection due? The 30-year and 25-year rules

The clock starts with the building's certificate of occupancy. The first condo milestone inspection is due by December 31 of the year the building reaches 30 years of age, and the next ones follow every 10 years. If the certificate of occupancy date cannot be found, the law uses the occupancy date shown in the local building official's records.

The local enforcement agency, meaning the city or county building department, can move the first inspection up to 25 years when local circumstances justify it, and the statute names proximity to salt water as an example. That option matters in South Florida, where many condo towers stand a short walk from the ocean or the Intracoastal Waterway. A building that falls under a local 25-year rule then repeats every 10 years from there.

Older buildings had catch-up deadlines

Buildings that had already passed 30 years before July 1, 2022 had to complete their first milestone inspection before December 31, 2024. Buildings that turned 30 between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2024 had until December 31, 2025. Both of those dates have passed, so an older building with no phase one report on file is a question you should raise early.

There are two legitimate reasons the timing can look different. The building department may extend the first deadline for good cause, for example when the association has signed a contract with an architect or engineer but the work cannot reasonably be finished in time. And the department may accept a structural inspection report prepared before July 1, 2022 if it substantially complies with the statute; that report then counts as the milestone inspection, and the next one is due 10 years after it.

How the process unfolds

1. Notice from the building department. The local enforcement agency sends the association written notice that a milestone inspection is required, by certified mail with a return receipt.
2. Owners are told. Within 14 days of receiving that notice, the association must notify the unit owners, including the date by which the inspection must be completed.
3. Phase one. It must be completed within 180 days after the owners receive the notice. It counts as complete once the inspector has submitted the report to the building department.
4. Phase two, only if needed. If phase one identifies substantial structural deterioration, phase two follows, and within 180 days after the phase one report the department must receive a progress report and a timeline for completing it.
5. Report and summary. The inspector sends a signed and sealed report, plus a summary, to the association and the building official. Within 45 days of receiving it, the association must deliver the summary to every owner, post it in a conspicuous place on the property and, if the association has a website, publish the full report and summary there.
6. Repairs. Repairs for substantial structural deterioration found in phase two must begin within 365 days after the building department receives the phase two report. If proof is not provided, the department must decide whether the building is unsafe for occupancy.

Phase one and phase two: what the engineer actually does

The two phases are a filter. Phase one is a look at everything that can be seen. Phase two is a closer investigation of whatever phase one flagged. Most of the confusion buyers have about milestone reports comes from not knowing which phase a building went through and why.

Phase one: a visual examination

The statute describes phase one as a visual examination of habitable and nonhabitable areas of the building, including the major structural components, and a qualitative assessment of the structure's condition. That means the architect or engineer walks the building and looks, including places owners rarely see, such as the roof, the garage levels, stairwells and mechanical spaces, as well as balconies and exterior walls. If the inspector finds no signs of substantial structural deterioration, phase two is not required and the report is filed.

The key phrase is "substantial structural deterioration". The law defines it as substantial structural distress or weakness that negatively affects the building's general structural condition and integrity. Surface imperfections, such as cracks, sagging or signs of leakage, do not count on their own unless the architect or engineer concludes they are a sign of that deterioration. So a report that mentions hairline cracks in stucco is not the same as a report that finds deterioration in the structure.

Phase two: testing where it is needed

Phase two may involve destructive or nondestructive testing at the inspector's direction, and its scope can be as broad or as narrow as needed to fully assess the areas of distress. Depending on what phase one found, that can mean removing small samples of concrete, opening up a finish to see what is behind it or scanning to locate reinforcing steel. The statute asks that test locations be the least disruptive and most easily repaired spots that still represent the structure.

What the report must contain

Whatever the phase, the report carries the inspector's seal and signature and, at a minimum:

• the manner and type of inspection that was performed;
• any substantial structural deterioration, how far it extends and the repairs recommended for it;
• whether unsafe or dangerous conditions were observed;
• recommended remedial or preventive repairs for items that are damaged but are not substantial structural deterioration;
• any items that require further inspection.

Alongside the report, the inspector prepares a separate summary of at least the material findings and recommendations. That summary is the document most buyers see. Note what is missing from the law: there is no pass or fail grade and no color rating. You have to read the words.

How to read a milestone inspection report as a buyer

You will usually receive the summary first. Ask for the full report as well. If the association has a website, the statute requires the full report and summary to be published there. Then read it with these questions in mind.

• Which phase did the building reach? A phase one with no substantial structural deterioration is the simplest outcome. A phase two means the engineer saw enough to investigate further. That alone does not mean the building is unsafe: the report states separately whether unsafe or dangerous conditions were observed.
• What repairs were recommended, and where do they stand? For phase two findings, repairs must begin within 365 days. Ask whether permits were pulled, whether a contractor was hired, whether work has started and how it is being paid for.
• What needs further inspection? Items flagged for further inspection are open questions. Ask whether the follow-up happened and what it showed.
• How old is the report? A report filed years ago describes the building as it was then. Ask whether anything has been done or discovered since.
• Who is doing the repairs? An inspector who intends to bid on the recommended repairs must disclose that in writing, and a contractor with an undisclosed interest in the inspecting firm can have its contract voided. A simple question to the board about who holds the repair contract is fair.

Engineering reports are written for engineers and building officials, not for buyers. If the findings are hard to follow, a Florida real estate attorney can tell you what the documents mean for your contract, and a licensed engineer you hire can explain the technical side. What you should not do is skip the report because the summary sounds reassuring, or panic because it mentions concrete repair. Both reactions miss what matters: what was found, what is being done and who pays.

What is a SIRS? Florida's structural integrity reserve study

The milestone inspection asks how the building is doing now. The structural integrity reserve study, almost always shortened to SIRS, asks what is coming: how long the major parts of the building will last, what replacing or repairing them will cost and how much the association has to set aside each year to be ready. It is required by Section 718.112(2)(g) of the Florida Statutes, the condominium law.

Which condo associations need a SIRS

A residential condominium association must have a SIRS for each building on the property that is three habitable stories or higher, as determined by the Florida Building Code, and the study must be done at least every 10 years after the condominium's creation. Buildings under three stories are excluded, as are single-family, two-, three- and four-family dwellings with three or fewer habitable stories, and portions of the property not under condo ownership or maintained by someone other than the association.

What the study must cover

The SIRS has to address the structural integrity and safety of the building, and the statute lists the components it must include:

• the roof;
• the structure, including load-bearing walls and primary structural members and systems;
• fireproofing and fire protection systems;
• plumbing;
• electrical systems;
• waterproofing and exterior painting;
• windows and exterior doors;
• any other item with a deferred maintenance expense or replacement cost above $25,000 (or the inflation-adjusted figure the state publishes each year) if its failure would harm the items above.

Who prepares it

The study, including its visual inspection portion, must be performed or verified by a Florida-licensed engineer or architect, or by a person certified as a reserve specialist by the Community Associations Institute or as a professional reserve analyst by the Association of Professional Reserve Analysts. It has two parts. The visual inspection looks at the condition of each component. The financial part estimates remaining useful life and replacement cost and sets a reserve funding schedule. That schedule has to be based on a baseline funding plan that keeps the reserve cash balance above zero, although the study may offer other funding options as long as they meet the association's obligations.

SIRS deadlines after the 2025 changes

The original deadline for existing buildings was pushed back by House Bill 913 in 2025. Today, an association that existed on or before July 1, 2022 and is controlled by its unit owners must have completed its SIRS by December 31, 2025. If that association also has a milestone inspection due by December 31, 2026, it may complete the SIRS at the same time as the milestone, but in no case after December 31, 2026. Other rules give associations some flexibility: a milestone inspection performed within the previous five years can stand in for the visual inspection portion of the SIRS if it meets the study's requirements, and after a milestone inspection an association may delay a required SIRS for up to two consecutive budget years to focus its money on repairs.

How you can check that one exists

Within 45 days of receiving the completed study, the association must give each owner a copy or notice that it is available, and must file a statement with the Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes, part of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), confirming the study was completed. DBPR publishes a SIRS reporting database that lists associations that have filed, displayed exactly as submitted. It is worth a look before you make an offer. Officers and directors must also sign an affidavit acknowledging they received the study, and willfully failing to have one done is a breach of their fiduciary duty to the owners.

Reserves and special assessments: what the new rules mean for your costs

For a buyer, the SIRS matters most because of what it does to the budget. In the past, Florida condo owners could vote each year to waive or reduce reserves, keeping fees lower and leaving big repairs for later. For the items covered by the SIRS, that option is largely gone.

Reserves for SIRS items can no longer be waived

For budgets adopted on or after December 31, 2024, the members of an association controlled by its unit owners may not vote to provide no reserves, or less than the required reserves, for SIRS items. The exceptions are narrow, such as a vote to terminate the condominium. Money reserved for those items may be used only for their repair, replacement or deferred maintenance, and it can be pooled only with other SIRS items. Any proxy question about waiving reserves has to carry a warning, in capital letters, that waiving reserves may result in unit owner liability for unanticipated special assessments.

How shortfalls get funded

Reserves for SIRS items may be funded through regular assessments, special assessments, lines of credit or loans. Using a special assessment, a line of credit or a loan for that purpose requires approval by a majority of the total voting interests of the association. An association that waived reserves in earlier years has to close that gap through one or more of these routes, so look for them in the budget and the minutes.

There is one temporary relief valve tied to the milestone inspection. For budgets adopted on or before December 31, 2028, an association that completed a milestone inspection within the previous two calendar years may, with approval of a majority of the total voting interests, pause or reduce reserve contributions for up to two consecutive annual budgets to pay for the repairs the inspection recommended. A SIRS must be performed before contributions resume. Developer-controlled associations, associations that have been in owner control for less than a year and associations controlled by bulk buyers cannot use it. If you see a paused reserve line in the budget, this is probably why, and you should ask when contributions restart.

Special assessments: what to know before closing

When an association levies a special assessment, it must send each owner written notice of its specific purpose, and the money may be used only for that purpose. Any excess left after the work is done becomes common surplus, which the board may return to owners or credit toward future assessments.

Two other rules affect buyers directly. Under Section 718.116, a new owner is jointly and severally liable with the previous owner for unpaid assessments that came due up to the transfer of title, though the buyer can seek reimbursement from the seller. And before closing, the association issues an estoppel certificate within 10 business days of a request, valid for 30 days when delivered electronically or by hand and 35 days when mailed. It itemizes what is owed on the unit and what is scheduled to come due during that period. A large assessment the board is still discussing will not appear there, which is why the minutes and meeting notices matter.

Who pays an assessment approved before you buy, but billed after, depends on your contract and your negotiation. That is a question for your attorney and agent, not for an inspector. This guide explains how the law works. It is not legal or financial advice.

The "40-year inspection": Broward and Miami-Dade recertification

Many people still search for a "40-year inspection" in Florida. The name comes from South Florida's county programs, which used to begin when a building reached 40 years. Broward's program was long called the 40-year inspection, and the old name still turns up on some city pages and forms. Both counties now start earlier, and both run their programs alongside the state milestone law.

Broward County: the Building Safety Inspection Program

Broward's program is set by the county's Board of Rules and Appeals in its Policy 05-05, and each city's building department administers it. The first inspection is due when a building reaches 25 years of age, with more every 10 years after that. Unlike the state milestone law, it is not limited to condos: it reaches most buildings of that age, and it requires both a structural and an electrical safety report from a licensed engineer or registered architect. Exemptions include one- to four-family dwellings of three or fewer habitable stories, minor structures under 3,500 square feet and government buildings.

Timelines are set locally. Fort Lauderdale, for example, says owners receive notice by certified mail between June 1 and August 31, the safety report is due within 180 days of that notice, and any required repairs are due within 180 days of the report date unless the building official sets a different schedule. The city also says the program complies with the state requirements adopted in 2023.

Miami-Dade County: building recertification

Miami-Dade's program, under Section 8-11(f) of the county code, begins at 30 years and repeats every 10 years. Condo and co-op buildings of three or more stories within three miles of the coastline start at 25 years, and older buildings in both groups had a catch-up deadline at the end of 2024. The owner must submit structural and electrical reports from a Florida-registered engineer or architect certifying that the building is safe for continued occupancy, and the electrical review includes infrared thermography on systems rated at 400 amperes or more. Single-family homes, duplexes and small buildings with an occupant load of 10 or less and no more than 2,000 square feet are exempt.

The county's online recertification portal shows the status of buildings in unincorporated Miami-Dade. Many cities inside the county have their own building officials, so for a tower in Miami Beach or Aventura, for example, ask that city's building department instead.

Palm Beach County and the overlap

Palm Beach County condo buildings follow the state milestone law, and a local building department can still adopt the 25-year start near salt water. Check with the city or the county building division before assuming a schedule. In Broward and Miami-Dade, a tower may answer to both a county program and the state law, and the reports may be combined or coordinated. Ask the association which program its latest report was filed under and whether the building official accepted it.

Buying a coastal condo in South Florida

South Florida's condo towers are typically built of reinforced concrete, and concrete near the ocean lives in a harsh environment. Salt carried in the air and in water slowly works its way into the concrete until it reaches the steel reinforcing bars. Once the steel starts to rust, it expands, cracks the concrete around it and can push pieces off the surface. Engineers call that spalling, and balcony slabs, slab edges, railing posts and parking garage decks are common places to see it. It helps explain why the milestone law names proximity to salt water as grounds for a 25-year start, and why Miami-Dade starts its coastal condos earlier.

As a buyer walking a coastal building, you may notice rust stains under balconies, fresh concrete patches, balconies closed off for repair or temporary shoring posts in the garage. None of those are automatic reasons to walk away, and none of them is something a buyer can judge by eye. They are reasons to read the milestone report closely, ask what repairs are planned or under way, and check how those repairs are being funded.

We inspect condo units across Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties, from beachfront towers to inland mid-rises. If you are buying near the water, see our pages on condo inspections in Hollywood and condo inspections in Miami, or pick your city below.

Documents to request before you buy a Florida condo

Florida's condo law gives resale buyers a real tool. Under Section 718.503, a unit owner who is not the developer must provide the buyer, at the seller's expense, a current copy of the declaration of condominium, the articles of incorporation, the bylaws and rules, the annual financial statement and annual budget, the inspector-prepared summary of the milestone inspection report if one applies, the most recent SIRS or a statement that the association has not completed one, a turnover inspection report where one applies, and the state-required Frequently Asked Questions and Answers sheet. The buyer is also entitled to a governance form published by the state.

Your 7-day review window

The contract must include clauses that let you cancel by written notice within 7 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, after you sign and receive these documents. Any attempt to waive that right has no effect. If you request it in writing, you may extend closing by up to 7 days of the same kind after you receive the documents. The right to cancel ends at closing. If the association is required to have a milestone inspection or a SIRS and has not completed it, the contract must say so in conspicuous type, and a contract that does not follow these rules is voidable by the buyer before closing.

Seven days goes quickly. Start reading the day the documents arrive, note the date you received them, and have a Florida real estate attorney review the package and your contract. Beyond the documents the law requires, it is reasonable to ask for more:

• The full milestone inspection report, not only the summary, plus any phase two report and progress reports.
• The complete SIRS, including its funding schedule, and the date the association filed its completion statement with DBPR.
• The current budget and the proposed budget for next year, so you can compare reserve lines.
• Board and owner meeting minutes for the past year or more, where repairs, loans and assessments are usually discussed first.
• Any special assessment notices, approved or proposed, with the amount per unit and the payment schedule.
• The terms of any line of credit or loan the association has taken or is considering.
• In Broward or Miami-Dade, the status of the county recertification and any letter accepting it.
• The master insurance policy declarations, so you and your insurance agent know where the association's coverage ends and your HO-6 policy begins.
• The section of the declaration that says who maintains windows, sliding doors, balconies, A/C equipment and pipes.

Questions to ask the condo association

Documents tell you what was written down. The association's manager or board can tell you what has happened since. These are the questions we suggest buyers send in writing, grouped by topic.

How a condo unit inspection fits with the building reports

The milestone inspection, the SIRS and the county recertification answer one question: is the building sound, and is the association ready to pay for keeping it that way? None of them answers the question you will face the week after closing: what condition is the space you now own? In most Florida condos, the declaration makes the owner responsible for many things inside the unit, and those are exactly the things a building report skips. A condo unit inspection fills that gap.

What we look at inside the unit

• Electrical: the breaker panel and its labeling, GFCI protection in the kitchen, baths and other wet areas, a sample of outlets and switches, and smoke alarms.
• Water heater: its age, installation, drain pan and any sign of leaking, since a failed tank in a condo can damage the units below.
• Air conditioning: the air handler and its condensate drain, tested in operation, and the condenser serving the unit where we can reach it.
• Plumbing: supply lines and shutoff valves, drains, toilets, tubs, showers and sinks, with a moisture meter wherever a leak is suspected.
• Ceilings and shared walls: stains, moisture and thermal imaging patterns that can point to water coming from the unit above or next door.
• Windows and sliding doors: operation, locks, seals, signs of water getting in and any visible impact labels.
• Balcony: the visible surface, the railing and the door threshold. We note cracks or rust staining so the association's engineer can evaluate them. Structural evaluation of the balcony is outside our scope.
• Kitchen and finishes: built-in appliances, cabinets, interior doors, floors and walls.

Water from above and next door

Water moving between units is one of the most common problems in condo living. A failed supply line, an overflowing A/C drain pan or a leaking toilet seal upstairs can stain your ceiling or soak a shared wall before anyone notices. Finding moisture before you close means the question of who caused it and who fixes it is asked while you still have leverage. If there are signs of past water damage, a mold inspection can be added to the same visit, and our guide to the signs of mold in Florida homes explains what to look for.

Insurance for the unit

Some HO-6 carriers want a 4-point inspection before they will insure an older unit, and some owners want a wind mitigation report to document openings such as impact windows and sliders. Many items on the wind mitigation form describe the building rather than the unit, so ask your agent what your insurer actually wants before booking. Our guide to 4-point and wind mitigation inspections explains when each one is requested. We can combine them with the unit inspection in one visit.

A condo buyer's timeline, from listing to closing

The building reports, the contract deadlines and the unit inspection all compete for the same few weeks. Putting them in order keeps you from running out of time.

1. Before you make an offer. Search the DBPR SIRS reporting database for the association. Check the county recertification portal or the city building department in Broward and Miami-Dade. If the condo has 25 or more units, look at the association's website: those associations have been required to post key documents online since January 1, 2026.
2. When you sign. Read the milestone and SIRS statement in the contract and confirm the 7-day cancellation clauses are there. Your attorney should review the contract before you sign if possible.
3. When the documents arrive. Write down the date. Read the milestone summary, the SIRS and the budget first, then the rest. Send your questions to the association in writing.
4. Early in your inspection period. Book the unit inspection as soon as the contract is signed. Our reports arrive within 24 hours, which leaves time to talk with your agent about repairs or credits.
5. Insurance. Get HO-6 quotes early. If an insurer asks for a 4-point or wind mitigation report, it can usually be done during the unit inspection visit. Our guide to what a 4-point inspection records covers how it applies to condo units.
6. Before closing. The estoppel certificate shows what is owed and what is scheduled to come due. Compare it with what the board told you about assessments. Your right to cancel under the condo disclosure rules ends at closing.

For the inspection itself, our Florida home inspection checklist covers what to prepare and what to bring, and how our inspections work explains booking, the visit and the report.

Common misunderstandings about milestone inspections

• "The building passed its milestone inspection." There is no pass or fail. The report records what the architect or engineer observed, what needs repair and what needs more investigation at that moment.
• "Phase two means the building is unsafe." Phase two means phase one found substantial structural deterioration worth investigating. Whether unsafe or dangerous conditions were observed is stated separately in the report.
• "My home inspector can do the milestone inspection." No. It must be performed by a licensed architect or engineer, or a team under one, hired by the association.
• "The milestone covers my unit." It covers the structure. Your A/C, water heater, plumbing fixtures and appliances are not part of it, which is why a buyer's own inspection is worth it.
• "A funded SIRS means there will never be a special assessment." Reserves are based on estimates, and repairs found by a milestone inspection can arrive sooner than a study expected. A healthy reserve lowers the risk; it does not remove it.
• "Florida still has a 40-year rule." The state milestone starts at 30 years, or 25 if the local agency requires it. Broward starts at 25, and Miami-Dade at 30, or 25 for coastal condo and co-op buildings.

The bottom line

A Florida condo milestone inspection tells you whether the building's structure has problems, the SIRS tells you whether the association is saving enough to keep it sound, and in Broward and Miami-Dade the county recertification adds a review of the electrical systems. Read all three before your 7-day window closes, ask the association what has changed since they were written and have an attorney review the contract and documents. Then inspect what you will own yourself: the unit. If you are buying in Broward, Miami-Dade or Palm Beach County, send us a request or call (954) 297-0317, seven days a week. You will get a firm price before anything is scheduled and the report within 24 hours.

About the author

Peter Lemos, Certified Master Inspector®

Owner and lead inspector of Global Home Inspectors in Hollywood, FL. Peter holds InterNACHI certifications in wind mitigation, 4-point and mold inspection and has served Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties since 2008.