‍Updated 21 August 2025.

This hub gives Florida condo and co op communities a clear path to complete milestone inspections and building recertification. It is educational, not legal advice. Use it to understand triggers, deadlines, and the steps from Phase 1 to closeout.

When you are ready for scope development and execution, our teams in Tampa Bay and South Florida support repair planning and delivery through concrete restoration and structural repair and related services. To coordinate with your engineer or request scheduling, contact the Fortify team.

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Who This Guide Is For

• HOA and condo boards responsible for buildings with three or more stories.
• Property managers coordinating inspections, bids, and phased work.
• Building owners and operators planning capital projects tied to recertification.
• Communities in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, and Deerfield Beach.

Use it to understand triggers, deadlines, responsibilities, and the sequence from inspection to closeout.

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What Changed and Why It Matters in 2025

Florida’s post-Surfside framework created mandatory “milestone inspections” for condos and co-ops at 30 years of age, then every 10 years. A 2024 update clarified timelines, including a key December 31, 2025 catch-up date for certain buildings that hit 30 years between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2024. The Florida Building Code Florida Supplement outlines how Phase 1 and Phase 2 inspections proceed and how reinspection after repairs works. See the statute text in Florida Statutes section 553.899 and the inspection process in ICC Florida Supplement, Chapter 18.

Local programs still apply. Miami-Dade and the City of Miami run long-standing recertification programs that interact with state law. Start with the county’s building recertification program overview for forms and scope guidance, then check your city portal if applicable.

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Do You Need A Milestone Inspection

Use this quick screen before you call vendors.

• Building type. Condominium or cooperative. Three or more stories.
• Age. Has your building reached 30 years in calendar years, or is it in a local coastal zone with earlier thresholds.
• Location overlays. In Miami-Dade, the county recertification program triggers at 30 years inland and 25 years for coastal buildings, then every 10 years. Confirm whether your property is mapped as coastal or inland. See the county’s recertification portal details.

If you meet the type and story count, and you are at or near the age trigger, you should plan now. Your next steps are to line up a licensed engineer or architect for Phase 1, prepare access and records, and pencil in time for a potential Phase 2 if substantial structural deterioration is suspected under Chapter 18.

Mini checklist

• Pull the original certificate of occupancy date and any prior recertification reports.
• Confirm whether your jurisdiction treats your site as coastal, which may change timing.
• Identify one qualified engineer or architect to lead Phase 1, and pre-vet a second in case schedules slip.
• Prepare recent repair records, balcony and garage incident logs, and known leak histories.

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Key Deadlines at A Glance

These are the most common timing scenarios. Always verify with your local building department.

• Buildings that reached 30 years before July 1, 2022. Initial milestone inspection by December 31, 2024.
• Buildings that reached 30 years on or after July 1, 2022 and before December 31, 2024. Initial milestone inspection by December 31, 2025.
• After the initial inspection, reinspect every 10 years, unless your local program sets an earlier check. See Florida Statutes 553.899.

County overlays you should know

• Miami-Dade County. Recertification at 30 years for inland buildings and 25 years for coastal properties, then every 10 years. Forms, checklists, and templates are on the county page for recertification.
• City of Miami. City portal for how to get a building recertification, including contacts and steps.
• Broward County. Board of Rules and Appeals maintains program materials, including a 2024 Building Safety Inspection Program brochure. Coordinate with your city’s building department for your specific timeline.

Budget and reserves link up with inspections. Association boards must complete and report a Structural Integrity Reserve Study and maintain qualified reserves on covered components. The Florida DBPR explains 2025 reporting and account setup on its SIRS reporting page.

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Roles and Responsibilities for Boards and Managers

Assign clear ownership early, then track each step.

Board and manager tasks

• Calendar the trigger date and deadline, including any county specific cadence.
• Engage a Florida licensed engineer or architect for Phase 1. Plan access, lifts, and unit notifications.
• Review the Phase 1 report in a noticed board meeting. If substantial structural deterioration is indicated, authorize Phase 2.
• If repairs are required, commission a sealed repair scope and permit set.
• Bid the work. For structural and waterproofing items, prequalify firms with high rise experience and manufacturer certifications.
• Execute repairs, then complete reinspection and acceptance per your local agency.
• Update your reserve study and project plan to reflect findings and new service life projections.

Helpful references for the process are in ICC Florida Supplement Chapter 18, which outlines Phase 1 and Phase 2, reporting, and reinspection after permitted repairs. For common repair scopes tied to findings, review Fortify’s concrete restoration and structural repair capabilities, and keep our contact page handy for scheduling or coordination with your engineer.

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Step by Step Path from Notice to Closeout

Follow these steps to move from the first notice to a clean closeout without surprises.

1. Confirm your trigger and deadline
   Pull the certificate of occupancy date, last recertification report if any, and your local program’s trigger. For Miami Dade, inland buildings trigger at 30 years, coastal at 25 years, then every 10 years. Use the county Building Recertification Portal to understand program rules.

2. Engage the design professional
   Hire a Florida licensed engineer or architect to conduct Phase 1. Ask for sample reports, proof of similar high rise work, and familiarity with Chapter 18 of the Florida Building Code. The Florida Building Commission’s recent milestone inspection fact sheet explains required notices and report submittals.

3. Prepare the building for Phase 1
   Notify residents. Stage roof, garage, and balcony access. Gather leak logs, prior repair records, and structural drawings if available.

4. Review Phase 1 findings
   If the report indicates substantial structural deterioration, authorize Phase 2. Align scope with Chapter 18 reporting and reinspection language. See ICC Florida Supplement, Chapter 18 for what the amended report must include after repairs.

5. Translate findings into a permitted repair plan
   Have your engineer develop sealed drawings and specifications. Typical repairs include spall, delamination, and corrosion mitigation, plus waterproofing corrections.

6. Bid and award
   Prequalify firms for high rise work, bonding capacity, and manufacturer certifications. Keep a realistic schedule for noise, access, and weather windows.

7. Execute repairs with quality control
   Require mock ups, shore where directed, and capture daily photos. Log unforeseen conditions and change orders promptly.

8. Reinspection and acceptance
   When repairs are complete, bring your engineer back to re inspect the affected areas and issue the amended report. Submit to the local agency and archive with your records. Chapter 18 specifies this reinspection and amended report step.

Helpful handoff

For scopes tied to milestone findings, coordinate early with a contractor that lives this work every week. See Fortify’s concrete restoration and structural repair page and keep Contact Fortify handy for scheduling and phasing.

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Common Findings That Drive Scope and Cost

Patterns we see most often on Florida high rise and coastal properties.

• Spalling and rebar corrosion. Edge beams, slab perimeters, and balconies where chloride ingress and ponding occur. See ACI’s current Field Guide to Concrete Repair Application Procedures for repair sequencing and substrate prep.
• Post tension tendon issues. Strand corrosion or grout voids, often revealed during invasive testing in Phase 2.
• Garage slab cracking and joint failure. Water intrusion from above and failed joints accelerate deterioration.
• Façade and sealant failures. Window perimeters, stucco delamination, and failed control joints are frequent leak sources. ASTM’s Guide for waterproofing repair by chemical grout injection is a useful reference when injection is appropriate.
• Roof system end of life. Saturated insulation, membrane shrinkage, and failed flashings. Align replacement with code, wind design, and manufacturer details. For design considerations, see NRCA’s research note on roof slope guidelines.

Mini checklist for scoping

• Require chloride ion testing where rebar corrosion is suspected.
• Inspect balcony edges, handrail embeds, and window perimeters as a set.
• Probe roofs for wet insulation before deciding on recover vs tear off.
• Specify repair materials and coatings compatible with the coastal environment.

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Budgeting, Reserves, and Phasing

Inspections change budgets. Plan for both the work and your reporting duties.

• Tie findings to reserves. Florida requires Structural Integrity Reserve Studies and reporting for condo and co op buildings three stories or more. Use DBPR’s SIRS reporting page and keep a copy of your latest SIRS with your milestone file.
• Phase for occupancy. Sequence by stack, elevation, or deck to reduce closures. Align noisy work with daytime windows and publish weekly look aheads.
• Combine scopes where smart. Waterproofing and façade repairs often bundle with balcony and garage work to reduce mobilizations.
• Build contingencies. Carry allowances for hidden deterioration discovered during demolition.
• Document for reinspection. Keep as built photos, batch tickets, and inspection logs ready for your engineer’s amended report.

Mini checklist for boards

• Update the reserve schedule using the engineer’s remaining useful life projections.
• Adopt a communications plan for residents and staff.
• Track contracts, pay apps, and warranties in a central folder.
• Revisit insurance to confirm coverage during construction.

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Regional Nuances You Should Know

Miami Dade

The county program continues with age triggers at 25 years for coastal buildings and 30 years for inland buildings, then every 10. Review forms and program rules on the Building Recertification Portal. Coordinate milestone documentation with your county submittals.

City of Miami

Use the city’s guide to get a building recertification to understand steps, contacts, and required forms.

Broward County and Fort Lauderdale

Broward’s Board of Rules and Appeals publishes an up to date Building Safety Inspection Program brochure that explains how BSIP dovetails with milestone inspections. The City of Fort Lauderdale maintains its Building Safety Inspection Program page with submittal and resubmittal instructions.

Tampa Bay

Many associations here are tackling envelope work as part of hurricane hardening. Build schedules that consider summer storms and material lead times for openings and roof systems.

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How Fortify Executes After Your Engineer’s Report

We work as the restoration partner once an engineer defines the scope.

• Structural repairs. Demo, rebar treatment, patching, patch curing, and protective coatings per specification.
• Waterproofing corrections. Injection, joint replacement, membrane systems, and balcony edge rebuilds selected for the site. ASTM D8109 and ACI repair guides are typical references in specs.
• Roofing replacement or recover. We align with manufacturer details and local approvals. Example, Sika Sarnafil PVC systems hold current Miami Dade NOA acceptance for recover assemblies, which helps with approvals in high velocity wind zones.
• Closeout and reinspection. We support punch, warranty registration, and documentation for your engineer’s amended report per Chapter 18.

Next steps when you are ready

• Share your Phase 1 or Phase 2 report and any drawings.
• Ask us to propose sequencing that minimizes unit downtime.
• See our concrete restoration and structural repair approach or contact our team to coordinate with your engineer.

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FAQ

• Do past 40 year or 25 year recertifications count toward milestone?
  They inform the current condition, but you still need to follow today’s milestone schedule and process. Local programs like Miami Dade BSIP integrate with state law, see the county brochure for how they align.
• Can we request an extension?
  Local building officials control extensions. Ask early, show your signed engineering agreement and scheduled site dates. The Florida Building Commission fact sheet outlines notice timing and submittals for milestone inspections.
• What is substantial structural deterioration?
  Your engineer determines this under Chapter 18. It is deterioration that negatively affects structural integrity and requires repair or shoring. See ICC Chapter 18.
• Can we combine milestone work with façade or waterproofing projects?
  Yes. Many associations bundle balcony edge, façade sealant, and garage repairs with waterproofing and roof scopes to reduce mobilizations.
• Do we have to fund new reserves after the inspection?
  If your SIRS shows shortfalls on covered components, you must fund those reserves. See DBPR’s SIRS reporting page.
• Who submits the milestone report?
  Your engineer provides the signed and sealed report to the local enforcement agency and the association. After repairs, the engineer issues an amended report. Chapter 18 explains the reinspection step.
• How should we plan for unit access and resident communication?
  Post a simple schedule by stack or elevation. Use weekly emails and lobby signage. Provide a hotline or shared inbox for access coordination.‍
• When do we need to vacate areas?
  If the engineer identifies unsafe conditions, they will specify shoring or limited closures. Follow their direction and the building official’s orders.