Florida Milestone Inspection & SIRS: A 2026 Guide for Condo and Co-op Boards

A milestone inspection is a structural inspection of a building's load-bearing elements performed by a licensed Florida engineer or architect. It applies to condominium and cooperative buildings that are three stories or more.

The inspection is required when a building reaches 30 years of age (or 25 years if located within three miles of the coastline), measured from the certificate of occupancy, and then on a recurring 10-year cycle afterward.

It happens in two phases. Phase One is a visual inspection. If the engineer finds signs of substantial structural deterioration, a more detailed Phase Two inspection follows. The association must provide a summary of the report to owners and to the local building official.

A Structural Integrity Reserve Study is a study that identifies the major structural components of a building and estimates the reserve funds required to maintain and replace them. Like the milestone inspection, it applies to condominium and cooperative buildings of three stories or more, and must be completed at least every 10 years.

A SIRS must, at minimum, study these components:

• Roof
• Load-bearing walls and other primary structural members
• Floor and foundation
• Fireproofing and fire protection systems
• Plumbing and electrical systems
• Waterproofing and exterior painting
• Windows and exterior doors
• Any other item with a deferred maintenance or replacement cost exceeding $10,000 that could affect the items above

The biggest practical change is that boards can no longer waive or underfund reserves for the structural items covered by a SIRS. Reserves for those components must be funded based on the study, removing the option many associations relied on to keep dues low.

For boards, that means budgeting conversations now start from the SIRS numbers — and owners need clear, board-ready records showing where funding stands against each component.

Deadlines depend on each building's age and location, so confirm specifics for every building in your portfolio. In general:

• Buildings that have reached their 30-year (or coastal 25-year) milestone trigger a milestone inspection on a defined schedule set with the local building official.
• Existing condominium and cooperative associations were required to complete their initial SIRS, and subsequent studies run on a 10-year cycle.
• Reserve budgets adopted for 2026 must reflect the funding levels identified in a completed SIRS.

Because the dates differ building by building, the real risk for a management firm is tracking them all at once — which is exactly what LodestarIQ is built to do.