Florida Condo Milestone Inspections & SIRS: Buyer and Seller Guide
Quick answer: Florida condominiums three or more stories tall now need periodic structural "milestone" inspections, and associations must fund reserves based on a structural integrity reserve study (SIRS) instead of voting to skip them. That is good for building safety and hard on some owners' wallets. If you are buying or selling a condo in St. Petersburg, Clearwater or Tampa, these documents now drive price, financing and how long a sale takes.
Which buildings are covered
The milestone inspection rules apply to residential condominium and cooperative buildings with three or more habitable stories. Parking garages and mechanical floors do not count toward that. Low-rise villas and townhome-style condos usually fall outside the milestone requirement, though reserve rules still matter for any association.
How the milestone inspection works
Timing. The first inspection is due when a building reaches 30 years from its certificate of occupancy, and every 10 years after that. Local officials can require it earlier — at 25 years — for buildings near salt water.
Phase 1. A licensed engineer or architect does a visual inspection. Owners are notified, and the association has a limited window to get it done.
Phase 2. If Phase 1 finds substantial structural deterioration, a more detailed Phase 2 inspection follows, with a repair plan.
Repairs. Required repairs have to begin within a set period after the local building department receives the Phase 2 report.
The reserve study and why assessments went up
The structural integrity reserve study looks at major components — roof, structure, fireproofing, plumbing, electrical, waterproofing, windows and doors — and sets how much the association must save for their replacement. For budgets adopted after December 31, 2024, associations cannot waive or underfund those required reserves. There is limited, temporary flexibility for associations spending money on milestone repairs, but it requires owner approval.
For many older buildings that had been deferring reserves for years, the result has been higher monthly dues, special assessments, or both. That is the single biggest reason older coastal condos are selling more slowly than single-family homes right now.
If you are buying a Florida condo
Ask for, and actually read, these before your inspection period ends:
The milestone inspection reports — Phase 1, and Phase 2 if there was one.
The structural integrity reserve study and the current budget showing reserves are funded.
Special assessments — adopted, proposed, or being discussed. Board meeting minutes are where you find the ones that are not official yet.
Repair schedule and permits for any required work, and how it is being paid for, including any association loan.
The association's insurance and what it costs, because that flows into your dues.
A completed inspection is not a clean bill of health. It tells you what the building needs; the budget and assessments tell you who is paying for it. Talk to your lender early as well — lenders look closely at deferred maintenance, reserves and pending assessments, and some buildings are harder to finance than others.
If you are selling a Florida condo
Get the documents first. Assemble the inspection reports, SIRS, budget and assessment history before you list. Buyers and their lenders will ask, and delays kill deals.
Price for the assessment reality. If a large special assessment is coming, buyers will discount for it. Decide early whether you will pay it, credit it, or price around it.
Tell the story clearly. A building that has completed its inspection, funded its reserves and finished its repairs is a selling point. Say so in the listing.
Expect a longer runway. Plan for more questions and a longer escrow than a single-family sale.
For the other costs of a Florida sale — doc stamps, title and the flood and insurance questions buyers ask — see selling a house in St. Petersburg. For where the overall market stands, read whether Tampa Bay is a buyer's or seller's market.
Talk it through
If you own or are looking at a condo in Pinellas or Hillsborough and want help reading the association documents against the price, reach out. If you are ready to sell, our 1% listing fee keeps more of the sale in your pocket — see how it works.
General information, not legal advice. Condominium law in Florida has changed several times since 2022 and continues to change — confirm current requirements with the association, a Florida community association attorney or your closing agent. In Florida, Zack DeCaro is a licensed sales associate with Dalton Wade Real Estate Group.
