What Does the Milestone Inspection Mean for Condo Buyers in Palm Beach County?

A milestone inspection is a structural check by a licensed Florida engineer or architect that condo and co-op buildings three habitable stories or taller must complete at age 30, then every 10 years. In unincorporated Palm Beach County, buildings within 3 miles of the coastline must do the first one at 25 years. For a buyer, it tells you whether the building has substantial structural deterioration, what repairs are coming, and how those repairs may show up in your fees or a special assessment.

Which Palm Beach County condo buildings need a milestone inspection?

Florida Statute 553.899 applies to condominium and cooperative buildings that are three habitable stories or more. Single-family homes and two- to four-family dwellings with three or fewer habitable stories are exempt. The clock starts from the certificate of occupancy date.

State law lets a local building department move the first inspection to 25 years based on local conditions such as proximity to salt water. Palm Beach County's Building Division uses that option for unincorporated areas:

• Within 3 miles of a coastline: first inspection at 25 years.
• More than 3 miles from a coastline: first inspection at 30 years.
• After that: every 10 years.

Buildings inside cities such as Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Riviera Beach (Singer Island), West Palm Beach, Delray Beach and Boca Raton follow that city's building department, so I always check the specific building with the right office rather than assuming the county rule applies.

What were the deadlines, and where are buildings now?

Under state law, buildings that reached the threshold age before July 1, 2022 had to complete their first inspection by December 31, 2024. Buildings that reached it between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2024 had until December 31, 2025. Buildings reaching it after that are due by December 31 of the year they hit the threshold, and the county sends associations a certified letter in the year an inspection is due.

So by now, most older buildings in Palm Beach County should have at least a Phase One report. If a building you like does not, ask why, and ask whether the building department granted an extension.

What is the difference between Phase One and Phase Two?

Phase One is a visual examination of habitable and non-habitable areas, focused on major structural components. The engineer or architect gives a qualitative assessment of the building's structural condition.

Phase Two is required only if Phase One finds substantial structural deterioration. It can include destructive or nondestructive testing, and it ends with recommended repairs. The association must file a progress report with a completion timeline within 180 days of the Phase One report.

A Phase Two is not automatically a reason to walk away. I tell buyers that the question is not whether a 30-year-old building near the ocean needs work. It usually does. The question is whether the board found it, priced it and has a plan to pay for it.

What happens if repairs are needed?

Florida law requires local governments to make associations schedule or begin repairs for substantial structural deterioration within 365 days after the Phase Two report is received. If repairs are not underway on time, the building department must decide whether the building is unsafe to occupy. After repairs, the original inspector reviews the work.

For you, that means a building with a recent Phase Two may be in the middle of concrete restoration, balcony work or garage repairs. Ask for the scope, the contractor schedule, how long balconies or parking may be off-limits, and how the work is funded.

How can the milestone inspection affect what you pay?

Repairs get paid by owners one way or another: from reserves, a special assessment, a loan the association repays through fees, or a combination. Since HB 913 took effect July 1, 2025, a board in a non-developer-controlled condo can levy a special assessment or take out a loan for milestone or SIRS repairs without a prior owner vote. HB 913 also allows an association that completed a milestone inspection in the previous two calendar years to pause reserve contributions for up to two annual budgets (adopted on or before December 31, 2028), with a majority vote of all owners. A pause can lower fees now, but it can mean larger contributions later.

The milestone inspection is different from the Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS). The milestone report looks at the building's condition today. The SIRS projects the life and replacement cost of major components and sets the reserve schedule. You want both. Our page on what to check when buying a condo in Palm Beach County covers the SIRS and the rest of the condo document review.

Which milestone documents should you ask for before you buy?

Within 45 days of receiving the report, the association must send a summary to every owner, post it, and publish the full report on its website if it has one. A resale seller must also give you the milestone inspection summary under Florida Statute 718.503. I ask for more than the summary:

• The full Phase One report and, if required, the Phase Two report
• The repair scope, contractor contract and current schedule
• The most recent SIRS and the current budget
• Board minutes from the last 12 months
• Any approved or proposed special assessments, loans or lines of credit
• Confirmation from your lender that the building meets its condo guidelines

Read them within your 7-business-day condo document review window, and bring a Florida real estate attorney in for legal questions.

Should you avoid an older coastal building?

Not automatically. Some of the best views on Singer Island, Juno Beach and the Palm Beach County coast are in buildings from the 1970s and 1980s. A building that completed its inspection, finished its repairs and funded its reserves can be a stronger buy than a newer one that has not done the work yet. If you are selling a condo in one of these buildings, see selling a condo after SIRS and milestone inspections. For insurance on the unit, our property insurance guide is a good next read.

If you want help reading a building's reports before you make an offer, book a buyer consultation or call me at 561-352-3056.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is a milestone inspection required in Palm Beach County?

Condo and co-op buildings three habitable stories or taller need one at 30 years, then every 10 years. In unincorporated Palm Beach County, buildings within 3 miles of the coastline need the first one at 25 years.

Who performs a milestone inspection?

A Florida-licensed architect or engineer. The association arranges and pays for it.

Does a Phase Two inspection mean I should not buy?

Not necessarily. Phase Two means substantial deterioration was found and needs testing and repair. Review the repair plan, timeline and funding before deciding.

Is the milestone inspection the same as a SIRS?

No. The milestone inspection evaluates the building's structural condition today. The SIRS estimates the life and replacement cost of major components and sets a reserve funding schedule.

How fast must repairs start after a Phase Two report?

Florida law requires repairs to begin within 365 days after the local building department receives the Phase Two report.

Published: May 15, 2026 | Updated: October 16, 2026