If you are buying a condominium in Miami-Dade County, you need to understand two requirements that now shape every condo transaction in Florida: milestone structural inspections and Structural Integrity Reserve Studies (SIRS). These requirements, enacted after the 2021 Champlain Towers South collapse in Surfside, affect building eligibility for certain types of financing, the size of association reserves, and the risk of special assessments. Understanding them before you commit to a purchase protects your investment and prevents surprises at closing.
What Are Milestone Structural Inspections?
Florida Statute § 553.899 requires a milestone structural inspection for any building that is three habitable stories or taller and that includes a condominium or cooperative. The initial inspection is generally required when the building reaches 30 years of age, based on the date of the certificate of occupancy (FL § 553.899).
For buildings within three miles of the coastline, the local enforcement agency may require the initial inspection at 25 years, under FL § 553.899(3)(b). This earlier timeline applies to many buildings in Miami Beach, Sunny Isles Beach, Key Biscayne, and other coastal communities.
The inspection has two phases under FL § 553.899. Phase 1 is a visual examination of habitable and non-habitable areas by a licensed engineer or architect. If the Phase 1 inspection reveals substantial structural deterioration, a Phase 2 inspection with testing and analysis is required. After the initial milestone inspection, subsequent inspections are required every 10 years.
Source: Florida Statute § 553.899 (2025); originally enacted as part of SB 4-D (2022), with amendments in SB 154 (2024), HB 1021 (2024), and HB 913 (2025).
What Is a Structural Integrity Reserve Study?
A Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS) is required under Florida Statute § 718.112(2)(g) for condominium buildings three habitable stories or taller. The SIRS estimates the remaining useful life and replacement cost of specific structural components, including:
- Roofing
- Load-bearing walls and primary structural members
- Floor systems
- Foundation
- Fireproofing and fire protection systems
- Plumbing
- Electrical systems
- Waterproofing and exterior painting
- Windows and exterior doors
- Any other item with a deferred maintenance or replacement cost exceeding $25,000 (raised from $10,000 by HB 913 (2025), effective July 1, 2025, and adjusted annually for inflation)
Associations must fund reserves based on the SIRS. Under FL § 718.112(2)(g), associations generally may not vote to waive SIRS-identified reserves, with a narrow exception added by HB 913: an association that completed its milestone inspection in the prior two years may vote, by a majority of the total voting interests, to pause or reduce those reserve contributions for up to two consecutive annual budgets (through budgets adopted on or before December 31, 2028) to fund repairs the inspection identified, and must then complete a SIRS before resuming full funding. This is a significant change from the law in effect before 2022, which had allowed associations to fully waive reserves by vote.
What changed under HB 913 (2025): in addition to raising the reserve-item threshold to $25,000 and creating the two-budget-year pause described above, HB 913 extended the deadline for associations to complete their initial SIRS from December 31, 2024 to December 31, 2025; clarified that the three-story threshold for both milestone inspections and SIRS means three habitable stories; and allows a board to pause reserve contributions, without a unit-owner vote, if the local building official has declared the building uninhabitable. Buyers should ask whether a building has used any of these options and, if so, what its funding plan looks like once the pause ends.
Source: Florida Statute § 718.112(2)(g) (2025); HB 913 (2025)
How Do These Requirements Affect Your Condo Purchase?
These requirements affect condo buyers in three ways:
Financing eligibility
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, VA, and portfolio lenders each apply their own separate project-eligibility standards to condo buildings — they are not one shared checklist. The Fannie Mae Selling Guide requires a lender to determine that a project meets Fannie Mae's eligibility requirements before delivering a loan secured by a unit in it — a review the Guide treats as distinct from the borrower's own credit approval. These project reviews may consider the building's structural inspection status, reserve funding level, insurance adequacy, and litigation exposure. Because each program sets its own standard, a building that does not meet one program's criteria is not necessarily ineligible under another — ineligibility for one loan program does not mean ineligibility for all programs. Confirm project eligibility with your specific lender.
Special assessment risk
If a building needs structural repairs and reserves are insufficient, the association may levy a special assessment on unit owners. Under FL § 718.116(10), the association must state the specific purpose of a special assessment in the written notice sent to unit owners, and the funds collected may be used only for that stated purpose. The size of an assessment instead depends on the scope of the required work and the number of units sharing the cost — the SIRS and the association's current reserve balance are the best indicators of potential future assessments. Reviewing the association's current reserve balance, the SIRS, and any pending or anticipated assessments is essential before purchasing.
Insurance costs
Buildings with structural concerns or deferred maintenance may face higher insurance premiums or difficulty obtaining coverage. Rising insurance costs in South Florida are reflected in association fees, which directly affect your monthly carrying costs as a unit owner.
What Documents Should You Review Before Buying?
Florida Statute § 718.503 requires sellers to provide buyers with specific association documents. At a minimum, request and review:
- The most recent milestone structural inspection report (Phase 1 and Phase 2 if applicable)
- The most recent Structural Integrity Reserve Study
- The current year's association budget and reserve schedule
- Board meeting minutes from the past two years (look for discussions of repairs, assessments, litigation, and insurance)
- Any pending or recently levied special assessments
- The building's insurance declarations page
For a detailed list of specific questions to ask, see our questions-to-ask guide. For understanding special assessments and how to identify exposure, see our assessment risk guide.
Source: Florida Statute § 718.503 (2025)
Important
This guide is for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Florida condo law is complex and subject to change. Buyers should consult their own attorney for legal guidance and their own lender for financing questions specific to their situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a milestone structural inspection in Florida?
A milestone structural inspection is required under Florida Statute § 553.899 for condominium and cooperative buildings that are three habitable stories or taller. The initial inspection is generally required when the building reaches 30 years of age, with subsequent inspections every 10 years. Buildings within three miles of the coastline may be required to have their first inspection at 25 years, as determined by the local enforcement agency.
Source: Florida Statute § 553.899 (2025)
What is a Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS)?
A SIRS is a reserve study required under Florida Statute § 718.112(2)(g) that estimates the remaining useful life and replacement cost of specific structural components, including roofing, load-bearing walls, floor systems, foundation, fireproofing, plumbing, electrical systems, waterproofing, windows, and any component with a replacement cost exceeding $25,000 (a threshold set by HB 913, effective 2025, and adjusted annually for inflation). Associations must maintain reserves based on the study, and Florida law limits when associations may pause or reduce that funding.
Sources: Florida Statute § 718.112(2)(g) (2025); HB 913 (2025)
Can a condo association waive structural reserves in Florida?
Generally, no. Following the enactment of SB 4-D in 2022 and subsequent amendments, including HB 913 in 2025, condo associations are generally prohibited from waiving reserves for items identified in the SIRS. HB 913 does allow a limited, temporary exception: an association that has completed its milestone inspection in the prior two years may vote, by a majority of the total voting interests, to pause or reduce SIRS reserve contributions for up to two consecutive annual budgets (for budgets adopted on or before December 31, 2028) in order to fund repairs the milestone inspection identified, and it must complete a SIRS before resuming full reserve funding. This is narrower than the full waiver that Florida law allowed before 2022.
Sources: Florida Statute § 718.112(2)(g) (2025); HB 913 (2025)
How do milestone inspections affect condo financing?
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, VA, and portfolio lenders each apply their own separate project-eligibility standards to condo buildings, which may consider the building’s structural condition, inspection status, insurance adequacy, reserve funding, and litigation exposure. Because each program has its own criteria, a building that does not meet one program’s standards is not necessarily ineligible for all of them. A building that has not completed a required inspection, or that has unresolved structural findings, may face restrictions with certain types of financing. Buyers should confirm project eligibility with their lender early in the process.
Should I hire my own inspector when buying a Miami condo?
Yes. A buyer’s own inspection evaluates the individual unit’s condition. The milestone inspection and SIRS evaluate the building’s common elements and structure. These are complementary — one does not replace the other. Your agent can help you coordinate both.