HomeMilestone inspection law
Florida's milestone inspection law
A residential condo building of three or more habitable stories needs a structural milestone inspection by December 31 of the year it turns 30, counted from its certificate of occupancy (CO), and again every 10 years (s. 553.899(3)(a), F.S.). A building that reached 30 before July 1, 2022 had until December 31, 2024. One that reaches 30 between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2024 has until December 31, 2025. The local building official sends the notice and can set a 25-year clock instead.
Statute text read October 5, 2026 · s. 553.899, F.S. · history: ch. 2022-269, ch. 2023-203, ch. 2024-244, ch. 2025-175
Who it covers
Any building three habitable stories or more in height, as the Florida Building Code determines, that is subject in whole or in part to the condominium form of ownership under chapter 718 or the cooperative form under chapter 719 (s. 553.899(3)(a)). Single-, two-, three- and four-family dwellings with three or fewer habitable stories above ground are outside the law (s. 553.899(4)). Condo buildings of one or two stories fall below the three-story line.
The association arranges the inspection, and so does any owner of a part of the building that isn't condominium property. The association pays for the parts it maintains under its governing documents (s. 553.899(4); s. 718.112(2)(h)).
When the first inspection is due
The clock runs from the CO issue date. If no CO date is available, it runs from the date of occupancy in any record of the local building official (s. 553.899(3)(a)). The state registry doesn't carry CO dates or story counts, so the table assumes the CO came in the year a building was built or declared.
| CO year | First milestone inspection due | Florida communities with 25+ units (our data) |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 or earlier | December 31, 2024 | 8,655 |
| 1992 | December 31, 2024 or 2025, depending on the month of the CO | 105 |
| 1993 to 1995 | December 31, 2025 | 345 |
| 1996 | December 31, 2026 | 158 |
| 1997 to 2001 | December 31 of the year it turns 30, 2027 to 2031 (earlier only if the local building official set a 25-year clock) | 867 |
| 2002 or later | Not before 2032 | 2,750 |
Dates: s. 553.899(3)(a), F.S. Counts: DBPR condo file Oct 3, 2026, year built from county tax rolls and DBPR's SIRS database where we have them, otherwise the year the declaration was recorded. Buildings under three habitable stories are outside the law, so these counts are an upper bound.
Work out your own dates with the deadline calculator.
The 25-year option, extensions and earlier inspections
- 25 years. The local enforcement agency may decide that local circumstances, including environmental conditions such as proximity to salt water, require the inspection by December 31 of the year the building reaches 25 (s. 553.899(3)(b)). It's the local official's call. It isn't a 3-mile rule.
- Extension. The agency may extend the initial deadline for good cause when the owners have a contract with an architect or engineer and the inspection can't reasonably be completed in time (s. 553.899(3)(c)).
- Earlier inspection. The agency may accept a structural inspection performed before July 1, 2022 that substantially complies. The next 10-year inspection then runs from the accepted inspection's date (s. 553.899(3)(d)).
- Local timelines. A local agency may prescribe timelines and penalties for compliance (s. 553.899(10)). Each county and city also reports to DBPR by December 31 each year (s. 553.899(13)).
What happens after the notice
- The local enforcement agency sends written notice by certified mail. The association tells unit owners within 14 days (s. 553.899(5)).
- Phase 1, a visual examination by a licensed architect or engineer, is due within 180 days of the notice (s. 553.899(6), (7)(a)). If there are no signs of substantial structural deterioration, the inspection ends there.
- Phase 2 applies if Phase 1 finds substantial structural deterioration. It can involve destructive or nondestructive testing, with a progress report due within 180 days of the Phase 1 report (s. 553.899(7)(b)).
- The inspector sends a sealed report and a separate summary to the association and the building official, and states whether dangerous conditions as the Florida Building Code defines them were observed (s. 553.899(8)).
- Within 45 days of getting the report, the association gives every unit owner the summary, posts it on the property and, if it must have a website, publishes the report and summary there (s. 553.899(9)).
- Repairs for substantial structural deterioration must be scheduled or started within a period set by local ordinance, and no later than 365 days after the agency receives the Phase 2 report (s. 553.899(11)).
Where Florida stands
OPPAGA's report 26-04 (August 2026) counted 11,657 Phase 1 inspections required across 2024 and 2025 and 8,736 completed. DBPR received reports from 71% of 389 local jurisdictions for 2024 and 64% for 2025, so those totals are floors. Source: OPPAGA Report 26-04.
There is no statewide list of which buildings have finished an inspection. The local building official keeps that record: find your city or county for its building department and any lookup portal we could verify.
Questions
Who needs a milestone inspection in Florida?
An owner of a building three or more habitable stories tall, in whole or in part a residential condominium or cooperative, must have a milestone inspection by December 31 of the year the building turns 30, counted from its certificate of occupancy, and every 10 years after (s. 553.899(3)(a), F.S.).
Is the 25-year coastal rule still in effect?
Not statewide. The local enforcement agency may decide that local conditions, such as proximity to salt water, require the inspection at 25 years (s. 553.899(3)(b), F.S.). The automatic 25-years-within-3-miles trigger was removed in 2023 (ch. 2023-203).
How long does the association have for Phase 1?
Phase 1 must be completed within 180 days after the owners receive the local enforcement agency's written notice (s. 553.899(6), F.S.).
Related: the structural integrity reserve study, what HB 913 changed, what inspections cost. This page isn't legal or engineering advice; the local building official sets notices and deadlines.