Milestone Inspections

Font Size: + -

Feedback Print

Per Florida Statute 553.899, the Legislature finds that maintaining the structural integrity of a building throughout the life of the building is of paramount importance in order to ensure that buildings are structurally sound so as to not pose a threat to the public health, safety, or welfare. As such, the Legislature finds that the imposition of a statewide structural inspection program for aging condominium and cooperative buildings in this state is necessary to ensure that such buildings are safe for continued use.

By City Code of Ordinances, the City determines that local circumstances, including environmental conditions such as proximity to salt water, require a residential condominium association under chapter 718, Florida Statutes, and a cooperative association under chapter 719, Florida Statutes, to conduct a Milestone Inspection for each building that is three (3) stories or more in height by December 31 of the year in which the building reaches twenty-five (25) years of age, based on the date the certificate of occupancy for the building was issued, and every ten (10) years thereafter. This does not apply to a single-family, two-family, or three-family dwelling with three (3) or fewer habitable stories above ground.

If a building reached twenty-five (25) years of age before July 1, 2022, the building's initial Milestone Inspection must be performed before December 31, 2024.
If a building reaches twenty-five (25) years of age on or after July 1, 2022, and before December 31, 2024, the building's initial Milestone Inspection must be performed before December 31, 2025.

Certified letters will be mailed to condominium and cooperative associations with notification that a Milestone Inspection report is due. Reports are due within 180 days of receipt of the letter.

Milestone Inspections must be performed by a licensed architect or engineer authorized to practice in this state. Upon completion of a Milestone Inspection, the architect or engineer who performed the inspection must submit a sealed copy of the inspection report with a separate summary of the material findings and recommendations in the inspection report to the condominium association or cooperative association, and to the Building Official of the City. The report must meet the minimum requirements set forth in section 553.899, Florida Statutes, and be accompanied by the filing fees established by City resolution.

What is a Milestone Inspection?

"Milestone Inspection" means a structural inspection of a building, including an inspection of load-bearing elements, walls and the primary structural members and primary structural systems as those terms are defined in section 627.706, Florida Statutes, by an architect licensed under chapter 481, Florida Statutes (a "Licensed Architect"), or engineer licensed (a "Licensed Engineer") under chapter 471, Florida Statutes, authorized to practice in this state for the purposes of attesting to the life safety and adequacy of the structural components of the building, and to the extent reasonably possible, determining the general structural condition of the building as it affects the safety of such building, including a determination of any necessary maintenance, repair, or replacement of any structural component of the building.

The purpose of such inspection is not to determine if the condition of an existing building is in compliance with the Florida Building Code or the Fire Safety Code.

The milestone inspection services may be provided by a team of professionals with an architect or engineer acting as a registered design professional in responsible charge with all work and reports signed and sealed by the appropriate qualified team member.

What is the difference in a Phase One and Phase Two inspection?

1. For phase one of the Milestone Inspection, a licensed architect or engineer authorized to practice in this state shall perform a visual examination of habitable and nonhabitable areas of a building, including the major structural components of a building, and provide a qualitative assessment of the structural conditions of the building. If the Licensed Architect or Engineer finds no signs of Substantial Structural Deterioration to any building components under visual examination, phase two of the inspection is not required.

2. Phase two of the Milestone Inspection must be performed if any Substantial Structural Deterioration is identified during phase one. A phase two inspection may involve destructive or nondestructive testing at the inspector's direction and may require a demolition permit for exploratory reasons from the Building Official. The inspection may be as extensive or as limited as necessary to fully assess areas of structural distress in order to confirm that the building is structurally sound and safe for its intended use and to recommend a program for fully assessing and repairing distressed and damaged portions of the building. When determining testing locations, the inspector must give preference to locations that are the least disruptive and most easily repairable while still being representative of the structure.

What is Substantial Structural Deterioration?

Substantial Structural Deterioration means substantial structural distress or substantial structural weakness that negatively affects a building's general structural condition and integrity. The term does not include surface imperfections such as cracks, distortion, sagging, deflections, misalignment, signs of leakage, or peeling of finishes unless the licensed engineer or architect performing the phase one or phase two inspection determines that such surface imperfections are a sign of substantial structural deterioration.

What are the fees for filing a Milestone Inspection report?

How do I submit a Milestone Inspection Report?

Upon completion of a phase one or phase two Milestone Inspection, the architect or engineer who performed the inspection must submit a sealed copy of the inspection report with a separate summary of, at a minimum, the material findings and recommendations in the inspection report to the condominium association or cooperative association, and to the Building Official of the City.

All reports must be submitted by the licensed engineer or architect who performed the inspection by e-mail, United States Postal Service, or commercial delivery service.

You can use our online form here to submit Milestone Inspection reports.

The report must meet the minimum requirements set forth in section 553.899, Florida Statutes, and be accompanied by the filing fees established by City resolution.

The phase one report must be submitted to the Building Official within 180 days of receipt of the notice from the Building Official. If a phase two inspection is required, within one hundred eighty (180) days after submitting a phase one inspection report, the architect or engineer performing the phase two inspection must submit a phase two progress report to the Building Official with a timeline for completion of the phase two inspection. The final phase two report must be received no later than two hundred fifty (250) days after the phase one report.

Is a Milestone Inspection Report the same as a Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS)?

Milestone Inspection Report Submittal