Florida milestone inspections: which buildings, when, and what owners receive
How s. 553.899 works: three-story condo buildings, the 30-year deadline, phase one and phase two, owner notices and what buyers get.
After the 2021 collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida created a statewide structural inspection program for older condominium and cooperative buildings. It is called the milestone inspection, and it is set out in section 553.899 of the Florida Statutes. If you own, manage or are buying in a condominium building of three or more stories, here is how it works.
Which buildings
The law applies to a building "three habitable stories or more in height" that is subject, in whole or in part, to condominium or cooperative ownership as a residential condominium or cooperative. It does not apply to single-family, two-family, three-family or four-family dwellings with three or fewer habitable stories above ground (s. 553.899(4)). Low-rise garden condominiums of one or two stories are outside it.
When
An inspection is due by December 31 of the year the building reaches 30 years of age, based on the date its certificate of occupancy was issued, and every 10 years after that (s. 553.899(3)(a)). The statute set transition dates for older buildings: if a building reached 30 before July 1, 2022, its first inspection was due before December 31, 2024; if it reached 30 between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2024, before December 31, 2025.
A local enforcement agency (the building department) may require the inspection at 25 years where local circumstances, including proximity to salt water, call for it. It may also extend a deadline for good cause if the association has hired an architect or engineer and the inspection cannot reasonably be finished in time. An inspection done before July 1, 2022 may be accepted if it substantially complies.
Who does it, and the two phases
A milestone inspection is performed by a Florida-licensed architect or engineer. It is not a building code compliance review; its purpose is to attest to the life safety and adequacy of the structural components and determine any necessary maintenance, repair or replacement.
- Phase one is a visual examination of habitable and nonhabitable areas, including the major structural components, with a qualitative assessment. If the inspector finds no signs of substantial structural deterioration, phase two is not required. Phase one must be completed within 180 days after the association receives the building department's notice (s. 553.899(6)).
- Phase two is required if phase one finds substantial structural deterioration. It may involve destructive or nondestructive testing, as extensive as needed to confirm the building is safe and to recommend a repair program. The inspector must submit a phase two progress report within 180 days after the phase one report.
"Substantial structural deterioration" means substantial structural distress or weakness that negatively affects the building's general structural condition. Cracks, sagging, leaks or peeling finishes are not included unless the engineer or architect determines they are a sign of it.
Notices to owners
The building department notifies the association in writing when an inspection is required, and the association must tell unit owners within 14 days. Within 45 days of receiving the inspection report, the association must distribute 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 (s. 553.899(9)).
Who pays
The association arranges the inspection and pays the costs attributable to the parts of the building it maintains under its governing documents. Repairs that come out of the report are usually funded through reserves, special assessments or, for associations that need them, a loan or line of credit. The structural integrity reserve study, a separate requirement, is meant to make sure those repairs are planned for in the reserves.
Why it matters to buyers
A resale buyer is entitled to the inspector-prepared summary of the milestone inspection report, if applicable (s. 718.503(2)(a)5). And if the association was required to complete a milestone inspection and has not, contracts signed after December 31, 2024 must say so conspicuously.
Read the summary for three things: whether phase two was required, what repairs were recommended and on what timeline, and whether the association has a plan and money for them.
Questions to ask the association
- Has the building department sent a milestone inspection notice, and when?
- Was phase one completed, and did it find substantial structural deterioration?
- If phase two was required, what repairs were recommended, at what estimated cost, and on what schedule?
- How will the repairs be paid for: reserves, a special assessment or a loan?
- When is the next 10-year inspection due?
Ask for the answers in writing, along with the inspector-prepared summary.
Estimating where a building stands
On this site each condominium shows the date its declaration was recorded with DBPR. That is the date the condominium was legally created, which is often close to completion for new construction but can be years later for a conversion. The milestone clock runs from the certificate of occupancy, which the local building department holds. DBPR's file also does not record the number of stories. Treat our recorded date as a rough guide and ask the association or building department for the actual inspection deadline.
Where to look next
- The association: the notice, the summary and the full report.
- The county or city building department: the certificate of occupancy date and the inspection status.
- The Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares and Mobile Homes: guidance and complaints for unit owners.
General information only, current as of the date above. The information on Florida Condo Lookup is not a recommendation or a guarantee of anyone's work. A license record shows registration status on the date shown, not workmanship, insurance coverage at the time of your job, or suitability for your project. Confirm license, insurance and permits directly before you hire. Rules and programs change; check the official sources linked in this guide.