At a glance
| Law | s. 553.899, Florida Statutes |
|---|---|
| Applies to | Condo and co-op buildings 3+ habitable stories |
| First due | By December 31 of year 30 (or 25 locally) |
| Repeats | Every 10 years |
| Repairs start | Within 365 days of phase two report |
Who is required to have a milestone inspection in Florida?
Section 553.899, Florida Statutes, applies to every building that is three or more habitable stories high under the Florida Building Code and is wholly or partly owned as a residential condominium (chapter 718) or residential cooperative (chapter 719). Mixed-ownership buildings are included. Single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes with three or fewer habitable stories above ground are exempt, as are rental apartment buildings and HOA communities that are not condos or co-ops.
The 30-year rule
The first inspection is due by December 31 of the year the building turns 30, counted from the date its certificate of occupancy was issued, and every 10 years after that. If the certificate date is unknown, the local building official can use another record of occupancy.
The local 25-year option
A local enforcement agency, usually the county or city building department, may require the first inspection at 25 years instead, if local conditions such as nearness to salt water justify it. Check with the building department for any building near the coast.
Buildings that were already old in 2022
A building that turned 30 before July 1, 2022 had to complete its first inspection before December 31, 2024. One that turned 30 between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2024 had until December 31, 2025. The local agency can extend an initial deadline for good cause, for example when an engineer is under contract but cannot finish in time.
Worked examples: when a building's inspection is due
These examples apply the statute's dates to sample certificate of occupancy (CO) years. The next inspection falls 10 years after the first; where an earlier report was accepted, the 10-year clock runs from that inspection instead.
| Certificate of occupancy | Reaches age trigger | First milestone inspection due | Next due (10 years on) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Before July 1, 2022 | Before December 31, 2024 | 2034 |
| November 1993 | November 2023 | Before December 31, 2025 | 2035 |
| March 2000 | 2030 | December 31, 2030 | 2040 |
| March 2000, local 25-year rule | 2025 (25 years) | December 31, 2025 | 2035 |
For the last row: 2000 + 25 = 2025, so a building in a county that adopted the 25-year option would owe its first inspection by December 31, 2025 rather than 2030.
How the inspection works, step by step
1. Notice from the building department
The local enforcement agency sends written notice of the required inspection by certified mail to the association and any other owner of part of the building. The association must tell unit owners within 14 days, including the deadline, by mail, email for owners who consented, or on its website.
2. Phase one: visual inspection
A Florida-licensed architect or engineer examines habitable and non-habitable areas, including major structural components, and gives a qualitative assessment. Phase one must be completed within 180 days of the notice, which means the report has been submitted to the building department. If there are no signs of substantial structural deterioration, the inspection ends here.
3. Phase two: testing if deterioration is found
If phase one finds substantial structural deterioration, phase two follows. It can include destructive or non-destructive testing, chosen to be the least disruptive while still representative. Within 180 days of the phase one report, the inspector must file a phase two progress report with a timeline for finishing.
4. The report
The architect or engineer sends a sealed report, with a separate summary of the material findings and recommendations, to the association, other owners and the building official.
5. Telling the owners
Within 45 days of receiving the report, the association must send the inspector-prepared summary to every unit owner, post it in a conspicuous place on the property, and publish the full report and summary on its website if it must have one.
6. Repairs
Counties and cities must adopt an ordinance setting a timeframe for repairs found in a phase two report, and repairs must begin within 365 days of receiving it. If the owners cannot show that repairs are scheduled or under way, the building official must review whether the building is unsafe to occupy. DBPR adds that once repairs are done, a professional reinspects and issues an amended report.
What is a Florida milestone inspection report?
It is the sealed document the inspector files after phase one or phase two. It is not a building code compliance check; the statute says the purpose is to attest to life safety and the adequacy of the structure. At a minimum it must:
- carry the seal and signature of the licensed engineer or architect;
- state the manner and type of inspection;
- identify any substantial structural deterioration, describe how extensive it is and recommend repairs;
- say whether unsafe or dangerous conditions under the Florida Building Code were observed;
- recommend remedial or preventive repairs for damaged items that are not substantial deterioration; and
- identify items that need further inspection.
"Substantial structural deterioration" means distress or weakness that harms the building's overall structural condition. Surface cracks, sagging, leaks or peeling finishes do not count unless the inspector decides they are a sign of it.
Milestone inspection vs structural integrity reserve study
The two are often confused because both came from SB 4-D in 2022 and both apply to condo buildings three stories or higher. One asks whether the building is structurally sound today; the other asks whether the association is saving enough to keep it that way.
| Milestone inspection | Structural integrity reserve study (SIRS) | |
|---|---|---|
| Law | s. 553.899 | s. 718.112(2)(g) |
| Purpose | Structural safety of the building now | Reserve funding for future repairs and replacement |
| When | At 30 years (or 25), then every 10 years | At least every 10 years; final first-SIRS deadline December 31, 2026 |
| Who does it | Licensed architect or engineer | Licensed engineer or architect, or certified reserve specialist or professional reserve analyst |
| Output | Sealed report and summary to building official and owners | Useful life, replacement cost and a funding plan for each item |
| Enforced by | Local building department | DBPR |
How they work together
A milestone inspection done in the past five years that meets the SIRS requirements can replace the visual part of the SIRS. After completing a milestone inspection, an association may delay its SIRS for up to two consecutive budget years to put its money into the repairs the inspection found. An association with a milestone inspection due by December 31, 2026 may do the SIRS at the same time. For the reserve rules themselves, see our Florida condo law guide.
What chapter 718 requires around milestone inspections
Disclosure to buyers
A condo seller must give the buyer the inspector-prepared summary of any milestone inspection, and a resale contract signed after December 31, 2024 must say whether the association is required to have a milestone inspection and whether it has been completed.
Official records
Milestone inspection reports are official records, and an association with 25 or more units must post them on its website.
Director education
New condo directors' required four-hour course must include milestone inspections and SIRS.
Conflicts of interest
An architect or engineer bidding on the inspection must disclose in writing if they intend to bid on the repairs, and a contractor bidding on the repairs may not have an undisclosed interest in the inspection firm. A contract that breaks this rule is voidable by the association.
What happens when deadlines are missed
Local penalties
Section 553.899 lets each local enforcement agency set its own timelines and penalties for compliance. Penalties therefore vary by county and city, which is one more reason to ask the building department about a specific building.
Statewide reporting
By December 31 each year, starting in 2025, every local enforcement agency must report to DBPR how many buildings need a milestone inspection, how many finished phase one and phase two, how many received extensions, the permits filed for phase two repairs, and a list of buildings found unsafe or uninhabitable. DBPR passes this to the Legislature's research office, OPPAGA.
Directors who skip the SIRS
Under chapter 718, officers or directors who willfully and knowingly fail to complete a required SIRS breach their fiduciary duty to owners. An officer or director must sign an affidavit acknowledging receipt of the completed study, and the association must send owners a copy, or notice that it is available, within 45 days.
Local rules: check your county or city
The building department handles notices, deadlines, extensions and penalties, and many have added their own procedures. Pinellas County, for example, adopted Ordinance 24-18 to administer the process and runs an online registration for milestone reports in unincorporated areas and participating cities. Ask the building department that covers the address for its registration steps, whether it uses the 25-year option, and the status of the building's filings. City pages such as Boca Raton condos and Cape Coral condos point to the local departments.
Questions to ask before buying a unit
- Has the building had its milestone inspection, and did it need phase two?
- What repairs were recommended, have they started, and are they inside the 365-day window?
- How will the repairs be paid: reserves, a special assessment or a loan? Has a vote been held?
- Is the SIRS done, and does its funding plan already include these repairs?
- When is the next milestone inspection due?
- Does your lender have any concerns about the building? Our condo buying guide covers financing.
Common questions
Who is required to have a milestone inspection in Florida?+
Owners of any building three or more habitable stories high that is wholly or partly a residential condominium or cooperative. The first inspection is due by December 31 of the year the building turns 30 (or 25 where the local agency requires it) and every 10 years after. One- to four-family dwellings of three or fewer habitable stories are exempt.
What is a Florida milestone inspection report?+
It is the sealed report a licensed architect or engineer files after a milestone inspection. It must identify any substantial structural deterioration and recommended repairs, say whether unsafe conditions were seen, and list items needing more inspection. The association must send the inspector's summary to every owner within 45 days and post it on the property.
What is the difference between a milestone inspection and a SIRS?+
A milestone inspection checks whether the building is structurally safe now and is overseen by the local building department. A structural integrity reserve study checks whether the association is saving enough to repair and replace key components such as the roof, structure and plumbing, and is enforced by DBPR. A recent milestone inspection can replace the SIRS visual inspection.
What are the requirements for a milestone inspection under Florida Statutes 718?+
The inspection itself is in section 553.899, but chapter 718 adds duties: sellers must give buyers the inspector-prepared summary, resale contracts must state whether an inspection is required and done, reports are official records posted on websites of associations with 25 or more units, and directors must be trained on milestone inspections.
How long does an association have to make repairs after a milestone inspection?+
Repairs for substantial structural deterioration found in a phase two report must begin within 365 days of receiving the report, and local ordinances may set a shorter timeframe. If the association cannot show repairs are scheduled or under way, the building official must review whether the building is unsafe for occupancy.
Who pays for a milestone inspection?+
The condominium or cooperative association pays for the parts of the building it is responsible for maintaining, and any owner of a non-condo portion of the building shares responsibility for its part. Ask the association how the cost was budgeted if you are buying a unit.
Sources
- Florida Statutes s. 553.899: Mandatory structural inspections for condominium and cooperative buildings
- Florida Statutes, Chapter 718 (2026): Condominiums (s. 718.112(2)(g), s. 718.503)
- DBPR Condominium Information & Resources: Inspections (milestone inspections and SIRS)
- DBPR Condominium Information & Resources: Timeline
- Pinellas County: Condo Milestone Inspections