Florida condo law · plain English

Milestone inspections and SIRS, explained

What Florida’s condo safety laws require, what buyers should ask for, and what lenders look at before they’ll finance a unit.

How the laws came about

2021: the Champlain Towers South collapse in Surfside.
2022, SB 4-D (chapter 2022-269): created statewide milestone inspections (s. 553.899) and structural integrity reserve studies (s. 718.112(2)(g)).
2023, SB 154 (chapter 2023-203): revised the timelines and details.
2024 and 2025: further amendments (chapters 2024-244 and 2025-175). The rules below are from the statutes as published for 2025.

Which buildings: condo and co-op buildings three habitable stories or more.
When: by December 31 of the year the building turns 30 (from its certificate of occupancy), then every 10 years. A local building department may require it at 25 years, for example near salt water.
Phase one: a visual inspection by a Florida-licensed architect or engineer, due within 180 days of the local notice.
Phase two: required only if phase one finds substantial structural deterioration. It can include testing and leads to a repair plan.
Repairs: repairs for substantial structural deterioration found in phase two must start within 365 days of the report.
Owners see it: within 45 days of receiving the report, the association must send owners the inspector’s summary, post it on the property and put the full report on its website if it’s required to have one.

Which buildings: condo buildings three habitable stories or more. It must be redone at least every 10 years.
What it covers, at minimum: roof; structure and load-bearing walls; fireproofing and fire protection; plumbing; electrical; waterproofing and exterior painting; windows and exterior doors; and other items over $25,000 (inflation-adjusted) whose failure would affect those.
What it produces: each item’s remaining useful life and replacement cost, and a reserve funding plan that at minimum keeps the reserve balance above zero each year.
Who does it: a licensed engineer or architect, or a certified reserve specialist or professional reserve analyst.
Deadline: associations that existed on or before July 1, 2022 had to complete one by December 31, 2025, or alongside a milestone inspection due by December 31, 2026 at the latest.
Reserves can’t simply be waived: for budgets adopted on or after December 31, 2024, owners in a building that needs a SIRS generally can’t vote to waive or cut reserves for SIRS items. After a milestone inspection, the association may delay the SIRS for up to two budget years to focus money on the inspection’s repairs.
Owners see it: within 45 days, the association must send owners the study or a notice that it’s available.

The latest milestone inspection summary (phase one, and phase two if any) and whether repairs are done, under way or still being planned.
The SIRS and the current budget: are reserves funded to the plan, or is a special assessment or loan coming?
Board meeting minutes from the past year: they often mention repairs, assessments and insurance before anything is final.
Any special assessment: the amount per unit, what it pays for, and whether it’s paid in full or in installments.

Fannie Mae: if a structural or mechanical inspection was done within 3 years, the lender must get and review it. Projects that need critical repairs are ineligible, including a failed mandatory inspection or unfunded repairs over $10,000 per unit due within 12 months (repairs funded by a special assessment are treated differently).
Special assessments: lenders ask what they’re for, the amount and what’s left to pay; your share counts in your monthly budget if you’re paying it.
Reserves and budget: lenders review the budget and reserve funding as part of the condo questionnaire.
FHA and VA: the building itself must be approved, or approvable, for those loans.

Send me the address. I’ll tell you early what the lender will ask for and whether the building looks financeable.