Florida's post-Surfside condo laws require milestone structural inspections for buildings three habitable stories or more at 30 years, or 25 years near salt water, plus mandatory Structural Integrity Reserve Studies.

HB 913, effective July 1, 2025, refined the framework.

For buyers in Fort Lauderdale and the Treasure Coast, reviewing inspection reports and reserve funding is now an essential part of condo due diligence before closing.

What Do Florida's New Condo Safety Laws Require, and How Do They Affect Buyers in Fort Lauderdale and the Treasure Coast?

Under Florida Statutes §553.899, any condo or cooperative building that is three habitable stories or more must complete a milestone structural inspection by December 31 of the year it turns 30, or 25 years if it sits near salt water.

Associations must also complete a Structural Integrity Reserve Study and fund structural reserves accordingly.

HB 913, effective July 1, 2025, refined several deadlines and thresholds.

For buyers in Fort Lauderdale, the Treasure Coast, and Port St. Lucie, this means the inspection and reserve documents are now non-negotiable parts of due diligence before an offer becomes a closing.

Key Takeaways

• Florida law requires milestone structural inspections for condo buildings of three habitable stories or more at 30 years, or 25 years in coastal salt-water zones, under Florida Statutes §553.899.
• HB 913, effective July 1, 2025, extended the Structural Integrity Reserve Study, or SIRS, deadline to December 31, 2025, and raised the minimum reserve item threshold from $10,000 to $25,000 with annual CPI adjustments.
• Associations can no longer waive structural reserves on the items identified in the SIRS, although HB 913 allows a temporary two-budget reserve pause after a milestone inspection.
• As of September 2026, recent local market data shows a median sale price of $409,900 in Port St. Lucie and $444,000 in Tradition, with older condo inventory increasingly priced to reflect pending inspection and reserve costs.
• Every buyer considering a qualifying Fort Lauderdale or Treasure Coast condo should request the milestone inspection report, the SIRS, and the current reserve budget before making an offer.

What Are Milestone Inspections and SIRS, and Why Do They Matter for Coastal Florida Condos?

Here's the short version.

If a condo building is three habitable stories or more and reaches 30 years old, it must have a licensed engineer or architect perform a milestone structural inspection.

In coastal areas near salt water, which covers a significant portion of Fort Lauderdale and parts of the Treasure Coast, that trigger moves up to 25 years, per both the statute and DBPR enforcement guidance.

Inspections then repeat every 10 years after that.

The inspection happens in two phases.

Phase 1 is a visual assessment by a licensed professional to determine whether there is evidence of substantial structural deterioration.

If Phase 1 finds concerns, Phase 2 kicks in with a more detailed, invasive investigation.

The association must share the results with unit owners and the local enforcement agency.

What Is a Structural Integrity Reserve Study?

The Structural Integrity Reserve Study, or SIRS, is a separate but related requirement.

It is an engineering-based analysis of the building's major structural components, roof, load-bearing walls, foundation, plumbing, electrical systems, and more.

The study calculates what it will cost to repair or replace each item over time.

Associations are required to fund those reserves.

They can no longer simply vote to waive reserves on structural components covered by the SIRS, which was common practice before the Surfside collapse in 2021.

For a deeper look at how reserve funding works, my post on Florida Condo Reserve Requirements Explained breaks it down further.

What Did HB 913 Change in 2025?

Several things.

According to Florida Realtors, HB 913, effective July 1, 2025, made several key adjustments to the post-Surfside framework.

Clarified the Inspection Trigger

The law now specifically says "three habitable stories or more," not simply "three stories."

That matters for buildings with parking levels or non-habitable ground floors.

Extended the SIRS Deadline

The deadline for completing the Structural Integrity Reserve Study was extended to December 31, 2025, giving associations more time to complete their reserve studies.

Raised the Reserve Item Threshold

The reserve item threshold increased from $10,000 to $25,000, with annual CPI adjustments, according to the source's analysis.

This means smaller-ticket items no longer need to be included in the SIRS calculation.

Created a Two-Budget Reserve Pause

Associations can temporarily pause reserve contributions for up to two fiscal years after a milestone inspection to allow time for planning and construction.

This does not eliminate the underlying funding requirement.

This is exactly the kind of legislative nuance I walk my clients through before we even look at a unit.

The headline says "condo law update." The fine print determines whether a building is in compliance, behind schedule, or facing a special assessment that will land on the next owner.

New Conflict-of-Interest Rules for Inspectors and Contractors

One addition that doesn't get enough attention is the conflict-of-interest requirement.

As of July 1, 2025, architects and engineers who perform milestone inspections must disclose in writing any intention to bid on the repair or replacement work they recommend.

According to the Florida Board of Professional Engineers, any contractor or design professional who bids on work recommended by a milestone inspection must also disclose any ownership interest, direct or indirect, in the firm that performed the inspection.

Failure to disclose can make the contract voidable by the association.

This applies statewide, including Fort Lauderdale and Port St. Lucie.

Why Does This Matter to a Buyer?

Because it tells you whether the association's inspection process had appropriate oversight, or whether the same firm that found the problems also won the contract to fix them.

That's an important piece of due diligence when you're evaluating an older condo building.

What Should Buyers in Fort Lauderdale and the Treasure Coast Actually Do Before Closing on a Condo?

The rules are one thing.

What you do with them before you sign is another.

Here's the checklist I give every buyer I work with on a qualifying condo in this market.

Documents to Request From the Association

The most recent milestone inspection report

Find out whether it triggered a Phase 2 investigation and what the engineer recommended.

The Structural Integrity Reserve Study

Don't settle for confirmation that one exists. Request the actual document and review the funding levels for each structural component.

The current operating budget and reserve fund balance

Compare what the SIRS says is needed against what the association is actually holding.

Any pending or recently levied special assessments

A completed inspection that finds problems often leads to an assessment.

You want to know about that before you close, not after.

Current insurance coverage

Post-Surfside, lenders and insurers are scrutinizing condo associations closely.

My post on The Condo Insurance Crisis in South Florida explains what's changed and what to look for.

In Fort Lauderdale, older oceanfront towers are the buildings most likely to have already gone through Phase 1 and potentially Phase 2 inspections.

Some are mid-repair.

Others are still planning.

The ones that are fully funded, fully inspected, and transparent about it are worth more, and they should be.

A building that has done the work is a better long-term buy than one where you're inheriting the problem.

How Are These Rules Showing Up in the Current Market?

Recent local market data puts the median sale price in Port St. Lucie at $409,900 with a median of just 8 days on market.

Tradition is at $444,000.

Older condo inventory, especially buildings approaching or past the milestone inspection threshold, is increasingly being priced to reflect anticipated reserve contributions and assessment risk.

Buyers who skip the due diligence step are the ones who call me six months after closing, surprised by a five-figure special assessment.

Area-Level Market Snapshot

These are area-level medians.

An individual condo's value depends on building age, inspection status, reserve health, floor, condition, and timing.

That's where a personalized analysis matters, and why reviewing the financials before you review the listing photos is a rule I don't bend on.

A low HOA fee today means very little if the reserve fund is underfunded and a major structural repair is on the horizon.

For more on how these laws are affecting monthly fees across South Florida, my post on Florida Condo Fees Skyrocketing in 2026 walks through what owners and buyers are seeing in real numbers.

Your specific situation depends on the building's age, location, inspection history, and reserve status.

That's exactly the kind of question I walk buyers through before they make an offer, not after.

Read my reviews from clients who've been through this process: Google Reviews for Melissa Carbonell Group.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do Florida's New Condo Safety Laws Affect Older Oceanfront Condos in Fort Lauderdale and the Treasure Coast?

Older oceanfront buildings in Fort Lauderdale and the Treasure Coast are subject to the 25-year milestone inspection trigger rather than 30 years because proximity to salt water qualifies as a local circumstance justifying an earlier inspection under Florida Statutes §553.899 and DBPR guidance.

Many of these buildings are already past that threshold, meaning inspections are either completed, underway, or overdue.

The results directly affect reserve funding requirements, insurance, and resale value.

What Is a Milestone Inspection, and When Does a Port St. Lucie Condo Building Have to Get One?

A milestone inspection is a mandatory structural assessment performed by a licensed engineer or architect for any condo or cooperative building of three habitable stories or more.

In Port St. Lucie, buildings must complete their first inspection by December 31 of the year they turn 30, based on the certificate of occupancy date, with repeat inspections every 10 years.

Buildings in coastal salt-water zones may face the 25-year trigger instead.

After Phase 1, which is a visual assessment, a Phase 2 investigation is required if the engineer finds evidence of substantial structural deterioration.

As a Buyer, How Can I Check Whether a Fort Lauderdale Condo Has Completed Its Milestone Inspection or SIRS?

You can request the milestone inspection report and Structural Integrity Reserve Study directly from the association or property manager.

Florida law requires associations to share these with prospective buyers as part of the condo documents.

You can also check with the local building or enforcement agency, since associations are required to submit inspection reports to them.

A real estate agent with condo expertise can help you interpret what the documents say and flag anything that warrants follow-up.

Do Florida Condo Associations Still Have the Option to Waive Reserves After the Surfside-Related Law Changes?

No, not for the structural components identified in the SIRS.

Before the Surfside reforms, associations could hold a vote to waive or reduce reserve contributions.

That option no longer applies to the structural items covered by the SIRS.

HB 913 did create a limited two-budget reserve pause after a milestone inspection, per Florida Realtors, but this is a temporary planning window, not a waiver of the underlying funding requirement.

What Should I Ask the Association Before Buying a Condo in Port St. Lucie or Fort Lauderdale?

Ask for:

• The most recent milestone inspection report
• Whether the inspection triggered a Phase 2 investigation
• The full SIRS document with component funding levels
• The current reserve fund balance
• Any pending or recently levied special assessments
• The association's current insurance coverage

The gap between what the SIRS says is needed and what the association is actually holding in reserves is the number that tells you the most about your financial exposure as a future owner.

The Bottom Line for Florida Condo Buyers

Florida's condo safety laws have fundamentally changed what due diligence looks like on any qualifying building in Fort Lauderdale, the Treasure Coast, or Port St. Lucie.

The documents exist.

The questions to ask are clear.

What varies is whether you know what you're looking at.

And that's where I come in.

Your next chapter starts with your home's value. Let's find out!

Get your home valuation here. 

Or, if you're ready to talk through a specific building or search:

Connect with me and see what's possible.