What is a milestone inspection in Florida, and when is it due?

Which buildings need a milestone inspection?

Florida's milestone inspection law, section 553.899 of the Florida Statutes, applies to buildings that are three or more habitable stories tall under the Florida Building Code and that are, in whole or in part, a residential condominium (chapter 718) or a residential cooperative (chapter 719). The building's age is counted from the date its certificate of occupancy was issued.

A Florida-licensed architect or engineer performs it, checking structural soundness and identifying needed repairs; it is not a building-code compliance review. Single-family, two-family, three-family and four-family dwellings with three or fewer habitable stories above ground are excluded.

The association arranges the inspection and pays the costs tied to the parts of the building it maintains; any owner of a non-condominium portion shares that responsibility.[1][2]

When is the milestone inspection due? (as of 2026)

Under the 2026 edition of section 553.899:

• First inspection: by December 31 of the year the building reaches 30 years of age, then every 10 years after that.
• 25-year option: the local enforcement agency (the city or county building department) may require the first inspection by December 31 of the year the building turns 25, based on local circumstances such as proximity to salt water.
• Older buildings: a building that turned 30 before July 1, 2022 needed its first inspection before December 31, 2024; a building that turned 30 on or after July 1, 2022 and before December 31, 2024 needed it before December 31, 2025.
• Extensions: the local agency may extend the first deadline for good cause, such as a signed contract with an architect or engineer who cannot reasonably finish in time.
• Earlier reports: the local agency may accept a structural inspection report completed before July 1, 2022 if it substantially complies with the statute; the next 10-year deadline then runs from that report's date.[1][2]

What happens in phase one, phase two and repairs?

The local enforcement agency sends written notice by certified mail, and the association must tell unit owners within 14 days, including the completion date. Phase one, a visual examination, must be completed within 180 days after the association receives the notice.

If phase one finds substantial structural deterioration, a phase two inspection is required, which may include destructive or nondestructive testing. A phase two progress report with a completion timeline is due within 180 days after the phase one report is submitted.

Local ordinances set repair timelines, but repairs for substantial structural deterioration must begin within 365 days after the local agency receives the phase two report. If the association can't show repairs are scheduled or underway, the local agency must review whether the building is fit for human occupancy.[1]

How do owners and buyers see the results?

Within 45 days after receiving the report, the association must send the inspector-prepared summary to every unit owner (whatever the findings), post it in a conspicuous place on the property, and publish the full report and summary on its website if it is required to have one. Condominium associations with 25 or more units must post milestone and other structural inspection reports on their websites.

On a resale, the buyer is entitled to the inspector-prepared summary of the milestone inspection report, if applicable, and contracts signed after December 31, 2024 must disclose whether a required milestone inspection has been completed. For a building's status, contact the local building department, and ask a licensed engineer or Florida real-estate attorney what a report means for you.[1][3][4]