What are Florida Milestone Inspections

Effective May 26, 2022, mandatory structural inspections are required for condominium and cooperative association buildings three (3) stories or taller.  These Milestone Inspections must be performed by a licensed architect or engineer, authorized to practice in the state of Florida. 

Applicable buildings must have a Milestone Inspection once the building reaches a certain age, then every 10 years thereafter.

• Within three (3) miles of saltwater: 25 years of age
• More than three (3) miles to saltwater: 30 years of age
• Buildings 25 or 30 years of age before July 1, 2022; December 31, 2024
• Buildings 25 or 30 years of age between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2024; December 31, 2025 

Exemptions: These requirements do not apply to a single-family, two-family, three-family, or four-family dwelling with three or fewer habitable stories above ground.

For more information see:   

• Florida Statute 553.899

Milestone inspections are structural inspections of a building, including an inspection of load-bearing elements, the primary structural members, and primary structural systems by an Architect or a Professional Engineer licensed in Florida.  The purpose of the inspection is to verify 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. 

A milestone inspection consists of two phases:

(a) For phase one milestone inspection, a licensed architect or engineer authorized to practice in this state shall perform a visual examination of habitable and non-habitable 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 architect or engineer finds no signs of substantial structural deterioration to any building components under visual examination, phase two of the inspection, as provided in paragraph (b), is not required. An architect or engineer who completes a phase one milestone inspection shall prepare and submit an inspection report that is written building department approved forms.

(b) A phase two 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. 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. An inspector who completes a phase two milestone inspection shall prepare and submit an inspection report that is written building department approved forms.

 Per Florida Building Code - Existing Building, Chapter 18, Milestone Inspection Reports must be on building department approved forms.

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 minimum, the material findings and recommendations in the inspection report to the condominium association or cooperative association, and to the building official of the local government which has jurisdiction.

The inspection report must, at a minimum, meet all of the following criteria:

• Bear the electronic signature, digitally signed with either a self-certified seal for architects or a third-party vender for engineers as stated by Statute for the respective design professional requirements.

• Indicate the manner and type of inspection forming the basis for the inspection report.

• Identify any substantial structural deterioration, within a reasonable professional probability based on the scope of the inspection, describe the extent of such deterioration, and identify any recommended repairs for such deterioration.

• State whether unsafe or dangerous conditions, as those terms are defined in the Florida Building Code, were observed.

• Recommend any remedial or preventive repair for any items that are damaged but are not substantial structural deterioration.

• Identify and describe any items requiring further inspection.