Florida SIRS and milestone inspection requirements have reshaped how condo boards think about building safety, reserve funding, and long-term budgeting. Since the Champlain Towers South collapse in 2021, the legislature has passed multiple rounds of structural safety mandates, and the rules have continued to shift through HB 913 in 2025. Most of the information available online is written by engineers selling inspection services or attorneys explaining statutes. Very little of it answers the question boards are actually asking: what does this mean for our building, our reserves, and our next budget cycle?
This guide is written for the board table. It covers what Florida SIRS and milestone inspections require, which buildings are subject to the law, the deadlines your board needs to track, and what to do once the reports land.
What Is a SIRS, and How Is It Different From a Milestone Inspection?
A milestone inspection is a structural assessment of a building's physical condition. A structural integrity reserve study (SIRS) is a financial plan that determines how much the association must set aside in reserves to maintain and replace the structural components identified during that assessment. One diagnoses; the other funds.
These are companion requirements under Florida law, not the same thing. Both were established after the Champlain Towers collapse through SB 4-D in 2022 and have been refined by subsequent legislation, most recently HB 913, which took effect July 1, 2025.
The simplest way to think about it at the board level: the milestone inspection tells you what condition the building is in. The SIRS report tells you whether your reserves are adequate to address what that inspection found. A building could pass its milestone inspection with no substantial structural deterioration and still have a SIRS that reveals a significant reserve funding gap. Boards that understand this distinction are better positioned to plan ahead, because the structural findings and the financial requirements flow together but carry separate obligations under Chapter 718.
Which Florida Buildings Must Comply?
Both the milestone inspection and SIRS requirements apply to condominium and cooperative associations with buildings three or more habitable stories in height. "Habitable stories" is a clarification introduced by HB 913: floors used exclusively for parking, storage, or mechanical equipment generally do not count toward the three-story threshold.
The age trigger for milestone inspections is 30 years from the building's original certificate of occupancy. Under the Florida condo inspection law, local enforcement agencies may require the first inspection at 25 years rather than 30 based on environmental conditions, including proximity to salt water. This is not automatic statewide. It is at the discretion of the local jurisdiction, which is especially relevant for boards in coastal markets like Sarasota and Venice. Check with your local building department to confirm which timeline applies to your building.
HOA communities governed by Chapter 720 are not subject to the same milestone inspection requirements. However, all associations should understand whether their buildings fall within the scope of Florida Statute 553.899 and the SIRS provisions under Chapter 718.
Key Deadlines Boards Need to Know
Deadlines for Florida SIRS and milestone inspections have shifted with each round of legislation. Here is where things stand as of 2026.
- SIRS completion (general deadline): December 31, 2025 for most existing associations with qualifying buildings. This sirs deadline in Florida has passed. Associations that have not yet completed their study should engage a qualified engineer immediately.
- SIRS completion (extended deadline): Associations required to complete a milestone inspection on or before December 31, 2026 may complete the SIRS simultaneously, with an absolute deadline of December 31, 2026. Under no circumstances may the SIRS be completed after that date.
- Milestone inspection: Due by December 31 of the year the building reaches 30 years of age (or 25, where the local jurisdiction requires it). Buildings reaching that threshold in 2026 face a December 31, 2026 deadline.
- Recurrence: Both the milestone inspection and the SIRS must be repeated every 10 years.
- Reserve funding: For budgets adopted on or after December 31, 2024, SIRS reserve fund requirements cannot be waived by a membership vote. Associations must fund their SIRS reserves in accordance with the study.
Missing these deadlines carries real consequences. The association may face enforcement action from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), and estoppel letters will flag non-compliance, which can delay or block unit sales. For boards in buildings where owners are actively buying and selling, that alone should make the deadline a priority.
What to Do After the Reports Come In
The milestone inspection report and the SIRS report are the beginning of the board's work, not the end. Boards that treat these as filing obligations rather than planning tools are the ones that end up issuing emergency special assessments two years later.
Once both reports are in hand, the board needs to take three steps.
First, review the findings with the association's management team and legal counsel. The milestone inspection report may identify areas of structural concern that require follow-up, and the SIRS will include a baseline funding plan with specific reserve recommendations. Both documents carry compliance obligations, and both need to be understood before the board makes budgeting decisions.
Second, adjust the reserve fund and annual budget to align with the SIRS funding plan. Under current Florida law, SIRS reserves must be fully funded for the eight mandatory structural components. The board cannot vote to waive or reduce funding for these line items. If the SIRS reveals a gap between current reserves and what is needed, the board must determine how to close it: through regular assessment increases, a special assessment, or a line of credit, all of which require proper approval.
Third, develop a capital project timeline for any structural repairs identified in the milestone inspection. If the Phase 1 inspection triggers a Phase 2 investigation, the association must commence repairs within 365 days of receiving the Phase 2 report. Coordinating between the engineer, the association's attorney, the reserve analyst, and the board is where the process either runs smoothly or stalls. Boards that start sequencing this work early have more options and lower costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a SIRS and a milestone inspection in Florida?
A milestone inspection evaluates the structural condition of the building. A structural integrity reserve study determines how much the association needs to set aside in reserves to fund the structural components the law requires. The milestone inspection diagnoses; the SIRS funds. Both are required under Chapter 718 for condominiums and cooperatives with buildings three or more habitable stories, and they work together as part of Florida's post-2022 structural safety framework.
What is a milestone inspection in Florida?
A milestone inspection is a structural inspection required for Florida condominiums and cooperatives with buildings three or more habitable stories. The first inspection is triggered at 30 years from the building's certificate of occupancy (or 25 years in jurisdictions that require earlier inspection based on coastal proximity). The requirement is codified under Florida Statute 553.899 and recurs every 10 years.
Is a structural integrity reserve study required in Florida?
Yes. A SIRS is required for all condominium and cooperative associations with buildings three or more habitable stories. The study must cover eight specific structural components defined in the statute, including roof, load-bearing structure, fire protection, plumbing, electrical systems, waterproofing, and windows. SIRS reserve funding cannot be waived by a membership vote, which is a significant change from prior law.
What happens if a Florida condo board misses the SIRS deadline?
The association may face enforcement action from the DBPR, and the estoppel letter issued during unit sales will flag the non-compliance. That can delay closings and create legal exposure for the board. Boards should treat every Florida SIRS milestone inspection deadline as a firm obligation, not a target.