What is a Milestone Inspection in Florida? | SB-4D Explained | EMA Engineers

milestone inspection Florida — EMA Engineers delivers licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) structural assessments across Florida. Our milestone inspection Florida services combine Florida Building Code 2023 compliance, ASCE 7-22 standards, and decades of hands-on inspection experience to provide accurate, legally defensible reports.

What is a Milestone Inspection in Florida?

A milestone inspection in Florida is a mandatory structural inspection required by Florida Senate Bill 4-D (SB-4D) for condominium and cooperative buildings that are 3 or more stories tall and have reached a certain age threshold. The inspection must be performed by or under the direct supervision of a Florida-licensed Professional Engineer (PE) or Registered Architect.

Florida enacted SB-4D in May 2022 in response to the June 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Florida, which killed 98 people. The law created mandatory periodic structural inspections for older Florida condominiums to identify and address structural deterioration before it becomes catastrophic.

Who Needs a Milestone Inspection in Florida?

Florida’s milestone inspection requirement applies to:

• Condominium buildings (residential or commercial) that are 3 or more stories tall
• Cooperative buildings that are 3 or more stories tall
• Buildings that have reached the age threshold (30 years for inland buildings, 25 years for buildings within 3 miles of a coastline)

Single-family homes, townhomes, and buildings under 3 stories are not subject to the milestone inspection requirement.

Florida Milestone Inspection Age Thresholds

Florida SB-4D establishes two age thresholds for the first milestone inspection:

• 30-year threshold: Applies to qualifying buildings located more than 3 miles from a coastline. The building must obtain its first milestone inspection when it reaches 30 years of age.
• 25-year threshold: Applies to qualifying buildings located within 3 miles of a coastline (including Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and major bays and inlets). Coastal buildings must obtain their first milestone inspection at 25 years of age.

After the first milestone inspection, subsequent inspections are required every 10 years thereafter.

What Does a Milestone Inspection Include?

Florida’s milestone inspection process has two phases:

Phase 1 — Visual Structural Inspection

A Phase 1 milestone inspection is a visual examination of the building’s load-bearing structural components performed by a licensed Florida PE or Registered Architect. Components inspected include:

• Foundation and slab
• Structural columns, beams, and walls
• Floor and roof slabs
• Balconies, elevated walkways, and stairways
• Building envelope (exterior walls, windows, waterproofing)
• Parking structures (if applicable)

Phase 1 results in a signed and sealed engineering report. If no substantial structural deterioration is found, the inspection is complete.

Phase 2 — Detailed Structural Investigation

A Phase 2 milestone inspection is required when the Phase 1 inspection identifies substantial structural deterioration that requires further investigation. Phase 2 involves:

• Non-destructive testing (concrete sounding, ground-penetrating radar, carbonation testing, half-cell potential testing)
• Limited destructive investigation (opening walls or slabs to expose reinforcement) when necessary
• Structural analysis of deteriorated components
• Engineering recommendations for repair with cost estimates

Phase 2 results in a detailed engineering report with specific repair recommendations and scope of work.

SB-4D Milestone Inspection Deadlines in Florida

Florida SB-4D established the following initial compliance deadlines:

• Buildings that reached their age threshold (30-year or 25-year coastal) before July 1, 2022 were required to complete their first milestone inspection by December 31, 2024.
• Buildings that reach their age threshold after July 1, 2022 have 2 years from the date they trigger the requirement to complete their first milestone inspection.

After the Phase 1 inspection report is submitted to the local building official, the association has 365 days to complete any required Phase 2 inspection.

What Happens If a Florida Condo Doesn’t Complete Its Milestone Inspection?

Non-compliance with Florida’s milestone inspection requirement can result in serious consequences:

• Notices of violation from the local building official
• Fines and penalties for the association and board members
• Restricted occupancy — the local building official may restrict or prohibit occupancy of non-compliant buildings
• Evacuation orders if structural safety cannot be confirmed
• Insurance non-renewal — many Florida insurers are requiring proof of SB-4D compliance
• Lender issues — Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have adopted underwriting requirements related to structural inspection compliance
• Board member liability — individual board members may face personal liability for failure to comply

Who Can Perform a Milestone Inspection in Florida?

Florida law requires that milestone inspections be performed by or under the direct supervision of a Florida-licensed Professional Engineer (PE) or Registered Architect. The inspection report must be signed and sealed by that licensed professional.

Home inspectors, general contractors, and building inspectors are not authorized to perform milestone inspections in Florida. Only a Florida PE or Registered Architect can issue a legally valid SB-4D milestone inspection report.

EMA Engineers — Florida Milestone Inspection Specialists

EMA Engineers is a Florida PE-licensed structural engineering firm specializing in SB-4D milestone inspections for condominiums, cooperatives, and multi-family buildings throughout Florida. We have completed milestone inspections for buildings in Orlando, Tampa, Daytona Beach, and communities throughout Central, East, and West Florida.

Our milestone inspections are performed and signed by Florida-licensed Professional Engineers and delivered in a format that satisfies Florida DBPR and local building department requirements.

• Milestone Inspections in Orlando, FL
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Phone: (321) 355-6052 | Email: info@emaengineers.com