Structural Integrity Reserve Study vs. Milestone Inspection: Essential Guidance for Florida Condo Boards in 2025

As a board member or property manager of a Florida condominium or cooperative association, you’re responsible for safeguarding your community’s safety, financial health, and regulatory compliance amid evolving laws and environmental challenges. With Florida’s unpredictable weather—hurricanes, coastal erosion, and flooding—combined with post-Surfside mandates, the goal is proactive management that avoids surprises like insurance denials, emergency repairs, or resident disputes. Achieving this requires clear understanding of key requirements to ensure long-term resilience and peace of mind.

Challenges for Florida Condo Leaders in 2025

Florida’s regulatory landscape, shaped by the tragic 2021 Surfside collapse, continues to evolve. Senate Bill 4-D (2022) established the statewide framework for milestone inspections and Structural Integrity Reserve Studies (SIRS), launching the most significant condo-safety reforms in decades. Senate Bill 154 (2023) followed with critical clarifications on inspection procedures, SIRS requirements, and compliance timelines, while House Bill 1021 (2024) added further refinements related to governance, reporting, and reserve-funding obligations. Most recently, House Bill 913 (effective July 1, 2025) adjusts deadlines, funding rules, and implementation details to ease compliance while maintaining safety standards. These measures are far more than regulatory checkboxes—they directly shape building safety, long-term financial planning, and association responsibility.

• Regulatory Pressures: In Florida, condominium and cooperative buildings must undergo milestone inspections only if they contain three or more habitable stories, meaning floors intended and used for living space rather than parking, storage, or mechanical functions. The initial milestone inspection must be completed in the year the building reaches 30 years of age—or 25 years if local coastal conditions justify an earlier review—and within 180 days of receiving written notice from the local enforcement agency, with subsequent inspections required every 10 years. These inspections must be performed by a licensed architect or licensed engineer, beginning with a Phase 1 visual, non-invasive assessment of the building’s structural condition; if substantial structural deterioration is identified, the process advances to a Phase 2 inspection, which may include destructive or other invasive testing to evaluate the severity of the issues and necessary repairs. In addition to milestone inspections, affected buildings must also complete a Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS)—a comprehensive evaluation and funding plan for critical structural components—at least once every 10 years, with initial completion deadlines set for December 31, 2024 (extended to December 31, 2025 for some associations). A SIRS must be performed by a licensed architect, licensed engineer, reserve specialist with a CAI credential (RS), or a professional reserve analyst with an APRA credential (PRA), and must provide estimated useful lives, replacement costs, and required reserve funding levels for essential structural elements. Importantly, any building with fewer than three habitable stories—such as a structure with two residential levels over a non-habitable parking floor—is exempt from both milestone-inspection and SIRS requirements.
• Operational Stressors: Questions like “How do we integrate milestone inspection findings into reserves?” or “Will this require special assessments?” create anxiety. Hidden defects could result in costly emergencies, while underfunding erodes trust and invites complaints.
• Broader Concerns: Navigating this shouldn’t be overwhelming. Dedicated leaders deserve accessible, up-to-date resources to protect communities without excessive burden.