Florida Milestone Inspection: When Is It Due and What Comes Next?

A Florida milestone inspection is a structural inspection of a condominium or cooperative building, required when the building reaches a certain age and every 10 years after that. It exists because of the Champlain Towers South collapse in Surfside in 2021, and it is now one of the two documents, along with the structural integrity reserve study, that shape how Florida condo boards plan and budget.

I work on the software side of reserve studies, so I see how milestone inspections feed into the funding plans that follow them. This guide explains when the inspection is due, what each phase involves, what the deadlines are for repairs, and how it connects to your reserves.

Here is what matters most:

• Condo and co-op buildings three or more habitable stories tall need a milestone inspection when they reach 30 years old, and every 10 years after. Local building officials can require it at 25 years based on environmental conditions.
• The first deadlines for older buildings have passed: buildings that reached 30 before July 1, 2022 had until December 31, 2024, and buildings reaching 30 by the end of 2024 had until December 31, 2025.
• Phase one is a visual inspection by a licensed architect or engineer. Phase two, a more detailed inspection, is required only if phase one finds substantial structural deterioration.
• Under HB 913, effective July 1, 2025, repairs identified in a phase two report must begin within 365 days.
• The milestone inspection tells you what condition the structure is in. Your structural integrity reserve study tells you what it will cost to maintain it over time. You need both.

Which buildings need a milestone inspection

The requirement applies to condominium and cooperative buildings that are three or more habitable stories in height. HB 913 clarified the habitable stories wording, which matters for buildings with parking or storage levels.

When it is due. The first inspection is due by December 31 of the year the building reaches 30 years of age, based on the date the certificate of occupancy was issued, and every 10 years after that. Before SB 154 in 2023, buildings within three miles of the coast had a 25-year trigger. That automatic rule was removed, but local enforcement agencies can still require inspections at 25 years based on local environmental conditions, so check with your local building department.

The first-round deadlines. For buildings that had already reached 30 years before July 1, 2022, the first inspection had to be completed by December 31, 2024. For buildings reaching 30 between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2024, the deadline was December 31, 2025. Local building officials can grant extensions in some situations, for example when the association has contracted with a qualified professional and the inspection cannot practically be finished on time.

Phase one: the visual inspection

Phase one is performed by a Florida-licensed architect or engineer. It is a visual examination of the habitable and non-habitable areas of the building, including the major structural components, to assess its general structural condition.

The inspector looks for signs of substantial structural deterioration: cracking, spalling concrete, corrosion, deflection, water intrusion and similar warning signs. If none are found, phase one is complete and the report says so. If any are found, phase two is required.

Phase two: when deterioration is found

Phase two is a more detailed inspection of the areas where deterioration was found. It can include destructive or non-destructive testing to understand the extent of the problem. The phase two report recommends repairs, and may say whether the building can safely be occupied while they happen.

Under HB 913, effective July 1, 2025, repairs identified in a phase two report must be commenced within 365 days. The phase two report also often becomes the starting point for a large construction project, a special assessment or a loan, and an update to the association's structural integrity reserve study.

What associations must do with the report

The association must distribute a summary of the inspection report to unit owners and post it as the law requires, and the local building department receives the report. Boards should treat the report as a project plan: what needs to be fixed, by when, and how it will be paid for.

This is where the milestone inspection meets your reserves. HB 913 allows owners, by vote, to pause or reduce reserve contributions for up to two consecutive budget years after a milestone inspection that recommends repairs, so money can go to the repairs first. The structural integrity reserve study must then be updated before regular reserve funding resumes. Ask your attorney and reserve preparer whether that option fits your building.

How much a milestone inspection costs

Pricing depends on the building's size, height, age, construction type and accessibility, and phase two costs depend heavily on what phase one finds. Get proposals from several licensed firms, and ask each one exactly what phase one includes, how they price phase two if it is needed, and how quickly they can deliver the report.

The bigger cost is usually what comes after: the repairs a phase two report recommends. That is why the reserve plan matters.

Milestone inspection vs SIRS vs reserve study

These three are easy to confuse.

• Milestone inspection: a structural inspection by a licensed architect or engineer at 30 years (or 25 locally) and every 10 years. It describes the building's condition now.
• Structural integrity reserve study (SIRS): a reserve study for structural and life-safety items, required at least every 10 years for buildings three or more habitable stories tall. It sets the funding plan for those items. See our guide to the Florida SIRS report.
• Full reserve study: covers every component the association must replace, including pools, paving, amenities and interiors, with a funding plan for all of them.

Many associations coordinate all three, and Florida law allowed associations to coordinate the first SIRS with a milestone inspection due around the same time.

What boards should do now

1. Confirm the building's milestone date from the certificate of occupancy and check whether your local building department uses a 25-year trigger.
2. If phase two found deterioration, confirm repairs started or will start within 365 days of the report.
3. Update the SIRS and full reserve study to reflect the repairs and the new condition of the building.
4. Run your 30-year cash flow with the repair costs included. Our free HOA reserve fund calculator shows the year your reserve balance runs short and the contribution that avoids it.
5. Put the next milestone date on the calendar, 10 years after the last inspection.

Frequently asked questions

When is a milestone inspection required in Florida?

For condominium and cooperative buildings three or more habitable stories tall, by December 31 of the year the building reaches 30 years old, and every 10 years after. Local building officials may require it at 25 years based on environmental conditions.

Who can perform a Florida milestone inspection?

A Florida-licensed architect or engineer. Phase one is a visual inspection; phase two is a more detailed inspection required if phase one finds substantial structural deterioration.

What happens if a milestone inspection finds problems?

If phase one finds substantial structural deterioration, a phase two inspection follows with repair recommendations. Under HB 913, those repairs must begin within 365 days of the phase two report. Owners may also vote to temporarily pause or reduce reserve contributions for up to two budget years to fund the repairs.

Is a milestone inspection the same as a SIRS?

No. The milestone inspection assesses the building's structural condition now. The SIRS is a reserve study that sets how much the association must save to maintain structural items over time. Most buildings that need one also need the other.

For engineering and reserve firms

If your firm performs milestone inspections and SIRS reports, the inspection is rarely the bottleneck; the report writing is. Our engine turns field notes and photos into a structured inventory, funding schedules and a branded draft for your licensed professional to review. See AI reserve study software.