A property management company takes on three Miami-Dade assets in the same quarter:

• a 1994 rental apartment building in Kendall

• a 1999 oceanfront condominium in Sunny Isles

• a 12-unit condo in Coral Gables

Each has a different inspection deadline, set by a different combination of county and state rules. Missing required deadlines can lead to enforcement action, unexpected repair costs and, in serious cases, action affecting a building's occupancy 

Most buildings in Miami-Dade County must be recertified by a Florida-licensed engineer or architect when they reach 30 years of age and every 10 years after. Condominium and cooperative buildings three stories or taller within three miles of the coastline start at 25 years. Separately, Florida Statute §553.899 requires a milestone inspection for condo and co-op buildings three or more habitable stories tall. Florida Statute §718.112(2)(g) requires those condominium buildings to complete a Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS) at least every 10 years. Single-family homes, duplexes and minor structures are exempt from county recertification.

The program is still widely called the "40-year recertification," but Miami-Dade shortened the timeline in 2022, after the Surfside collapse. Deadlines depend on the building's age, use, height and distance from the coast. Confirm each building's schedule with the applicable Building Official before planning inspections or budgets.

Must Read: Florida Landlord-Tenant Law: What Property Managers Must Know Under Chapter 83

Here is what this guide covers:

1. The three requirements at a glance

2. Miami-Dade building recertification: who is covered and when

3. Florida milestone inspections under §553.899

4. Phase one, phase two and the repair deadline

5. Structural Integrity Reserve Studies (SIRS)

6. What applies to rental apartment buildings vs. condominiums

7. Property manager and CAM responsibilities

8. A compliance checklist

9. Penalties and consequences

Miami-Dade Recertification, Milestone Inspections and SIRS at a Glance

Miami-Dade Building Recertification: Who Is Covered and When

Miami-Dade County has run a building recertification program since 1975. It amended the program on June 1, 2022, shortening the first recertification from 40 years to 30. The program sits in Section 8-11(f) of the Code of Miami-Dade County. Municipal building departments, including those in Miami Beach, Coral Gables and Sunny Isles Beach, administer it within their jurisdictions.

According to the Miami-Dade County recertification program, the schedule depends on when the building was built:

The 90-day window. Once the building department issues a Notice of Required Recertification, the recertification report must be submitted within 90 days. That is a short window to engage an engineer, complete structural and electrical inspections and prepare a report, so plan well before the notice arrives.

Recertification covers both structural and electrical safety. For Miami-Dade recertification purposes, threshold buildings include:

• buildings greater than three stories or 50 feet in height

• certain assembly-occupancy buildings exceeding 5,000 square feet with an occupant content greater than 500 persons

For threshold buildings, the structural certification must be performed by a Florida-licensed structural engineer, and the electrical certification by a Florida-licensed electrical engineer. Non-threshold buildings may use a Florida-licensed architect or engineer.

Reports are submitted through the applicable local building department. For properties in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, the county provides an online recertification portal. Properties inside a municipality, such as Coral Gables or Sunny Isles Beach, go through that municipality's building department.

If repairs are needed, the building does not simply fail. Under the county process, the engineer or architect provides periodic letters confirming the building can remain safely occupied while repairs are underway. An amended report is filed once repairs are complete.

Florida Milestone Inspections Under §553.899

The state milestone inspection applies only to condominium and cooperative buildings. It is required for any building three or more habitable stories tall that is subject, in whole or in part, to condominium or cooperative ownership.

Key rules under Florida Statute §553.899:

• First inspection: By December 31 of the year the building reaches 30 years of age, based on its certificate of occupancy. A local enforcement agency may require the first inspection at 25 years based on local circumstances, including environmental conditions such as proximity to salt water. The inspection repeats every 10 years.

• Notice: The local enforcement agency sends written notice to the association by certified mail. The association must notify unit owners within 14 days.

• Who pays: The association pays for the portions of the building it is responsible for maintaining. Owners of any non-condominium portions share responsibility.

• Extensions: The local agency may extend the initial deadline for good cause if the association has already contracted an architect or engineer.

• Owner distribution: Within 45 days of receiving the report, the association must send the inspector's summary to every unit owner and post it on the property. Associations required to have a website must also publish the full report there.

In Miami-Dade, the county aligned its recertification ages with the state milestone thresholds of 30 years inland and 25 years for coastal condo and co-op buildings. For qualifying condominium buildings, confirm with the Building Official how the milestone inspection and county recertification are coordinated for that building.

Phase One, Phase Two and the Repair Deadline

A milestone inspection has two phases, and each has its own deadline.

Any architect or engineer who bids on a milestone inspection must disclose in writing whether they also intend to bid on the repair work. The statute also restricts undisclosed financial or family ties between the inspection firm and repair contractors. If the required disclosure is missing, the association can void the contract.

Structural Integrity Reserve Studies (SIRS)

A SIRS is the reserve-planning component of the same building-safety framework. It identifies covered structural and building components, estimates their remaining useful lives and costs, and establishes a reserve funding plan. It applies to residential condominium buildings three or more habitable stories tall and must be completed at least every 10 years.

Key deadlines under 2025 HB 913, according to the DBPR Division of Condominiums:

• Initial SIRS: Unit owner-controlled associations existing on or before July 1, 2022 had to complete a SIRS by December 31, 2025.

• Combined option: An association with a milestone inspection due on or before December 31, 2026 may complete the SIRS at the same time, but no later than December 31, 2026.

• Reporting: Associations confirm SIRS completion through their DBPR online account.

Florida law also permits an association that has completed a milestone inspection to delay a required SIRS for up to two consecutive budget years, subject to the statutory conditions. The delay lets the association focus financial resources on the repairs and maintenance the milestone inspection recommended.

For unit-owner-controlled associations, reserve funding for SIRS-covered components is subject to statutory restrictions. These include limits on using those reserves for anything other than the covered replacement or deferred-maintenance costs.

Also Read: HOA Management Accounting: 2026 Guide for Community Managers

Rental Apartment Buildings vs. Condominiums

This is where Miami-Dade portfolios are most often misclassified.

• Rental apartment buildings. A building held by a single owner and rented to tenants is not a condominium or cooperative. The state milestone inspection and SIRS do not apply to it. County recertification does, at 30 years and every 10 years after, unless the building is exempt as a single-family home, duplex or minor structure.

• Condominium and cooperative buildings. A condo or co-op three or more habitable stories tall may face all three requirements: county recertification, the state milestone inspection and SIRS. A coastal building within three miles of the shoreline starts at 25 years.

• Mixed ownership. When part of a building is condominium and part is owned separately, the association and the other owners share responsibility for the milestone inspection.

State landlord-tenant preemption does not eliminate separate building-safety requirements. Rental properties remain subject to applicable local building and safety requirements, including Miami-Dade's recertification program.

Property Manager and CAM Responsibilities

Structural compliance is now part of a community association manager's professional duties. Under Florida Statute §468.4334, a manager or management firm under contract with an association that is subject to milestone inspection or SIRS requirements must comply with those requirements as directed by the board.

For management companies, that means:

• tracking each building's certificate of occupancy date, coastal status and recertification cycle

• forwarding notices to the board immediately, because the 14-day owner-notice clock and the 90-day recertification window both start on receipt

• scheduling engineers early enough to meet the 180-day phase one deadline

• distributing inspection summaries to owners within 45 days

• building SIRS funding and any repair assessments into the budget

• keeping reports, letters and submissions on file for the next 10-year cycle

Miami-Dade Building Compliance Checklist for Property Managers

For each building, track:

• Ownership type (rental, condominium, cooperative or mixed)

• Jurisdiction (unincorporated Miami-Dade or a specific municipality)

• Certificate of occupancy date

• Number of habitable stories and threshold building status

• Distance from the coastline (within 3 miles or not)

• Next county recertification due date and 90-day submission deadline

• Next milestone inspection due date and the date the notice was received

• Phase one submission date and outcome

• Phase two progress report and completion dates, if required

• Repair commencement date and 365-day deadline

• SIRS completion date, DBPR confirmation and next update

• Engineer disclosures and contracts on file

• Owner notices and summary distribution dates

These deadlines run on 10-year cycles, so the person who handled the last inspection is often gone by the next one. Tracking them alongside the building's maintenance planning and scheduling keeps inspection, repair and reserve timelines in the same place as the work they require.

Penalties and Consequences

Common Mistakes

1. Treating the program as a 40-year requirement.
Miami-Dade's first recertification is now at 30 years, or 25 years for coastal condo and co-op buildings.

2. Assuming rental buildings are exempt.
The milestone inspection and SIRS apply only to condos and co-ops. County recertification applies to rental apartment buildings too.

3. Missing the 90-day recertification window.
The report is due within 90 days of the Notice of Required Recertification.

4. Missing the 14-day owner notice.
For milestone inspections, the clock starts when the association receives the notice, not when the board meets.

5. Starting the engineer search too late.
Phase one must be submitted within 180 days of the milestone notice.

6. Treating phase two as the end of the process.
Repairs must begin within 365 days of the phase two report.

7. Submitting to the wrong office.
The county portal covers unincorporated Miami-Dade. Buildings inside a municipality go through that municipality's building department.

8. Using SIRS reserves for other purposes.
Reserve funds for SIRS-covered components are restricted to the covered replacement and deferred-maintenance costs.

Conclusion

In Miami-Dade, building compliance depends on four facts: ownership type, height, certificate of occupancy date and distance from the coast. A rental apartment building answers to the county recertification program. A coastal condominium may answer to the county, the state milestone inspection and the SIRS requirement at once, each with its own deadlines.

Property managers can stay ahead of these requirements if they:

• classify every building correctly

• track each cycle from notice to repair

• budget for inspections before the notice arrives

Treating Miami-Dade recertification as a one-time 40-year event can result in missed 30-year and 25-year triggers under the current schedule.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Miami-Dade building recertification?
It is the county's structural and electrical safety inspection program under Section 8-11(f) of the County Code. Most buildings must be recertified by a Florida-licensed engineer or architect at 30 years and every 10 years after that.

2. Is Miami-Dade still on a 40-year recertification schedule?
No. Since June 2022, the first recertification is at 30 years, or 25 years for condo and co-op buildings three stories or taller within three miles of the coastline. Buildings already on the 40-year cycle keep their established 10-year schedule.

3. How long do you have to submit a Miami-Dade recertification report?
The report must be submitted within 90 days of the Notice of Required Recertification.

4. Which buildings are exempt from Miami-Dade recertification?
Single-family homes, duplexes and minor structures with an occupant load of 10 or fewer and 2,000 square feet or less.

5. What is a Florida milestone inspection?
It is a structural inspection required by Florida Statute §553.899 for condo and co-op buildings three or more habitable stories tall. It is due by December 31 of the year the building reaches 30 years of age, or 25 years where the local agency requires, and every 10 years after that.

6. Do rental apartment buildings need a milestone inspection?
No. The milestone inspection and SIRS apply only to condominium and cooperative buildings. Rental apartment buildings in Miami-Dade are still subject to county recertification.

7. When must repairs start after a phase two inspection?
Repairs for substantial structural deterioration must be commenced within 365 days after the phase two report is received.

8. What is the SIRS deadline in Florida?
Under 2025 HB 913, unit owner-controlled associations existing on or before July 1, 2022 had to complete a SIRS by December 31, 2025. Associations with a milestone inspection due by December 31, 2026 may complete both together, but no later than December 31, 2026.

Disclaimer: This blog is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or engineering advice. Recertification schedules, milestone inspection requirements and SIRS rules can change through county ordinance and state legislation, and individual building circumstances vary. Property managers should confirm current requirements with the applicable Building Official and the DBPR Division of Condominiums, and consult a qualified Florida attorney and licensed engineer before making compliance decisions.