Before you buy a condo in Hillsborough, Pasco or Pinellas, check whether the building needs a milestone inspection or a structural integrity reserve study (SIRS), whether they’re done, and what they found. Florida requires both for many condo buildings three stories or taller, and the results can shape your monthly fees and future assessments.
If you’re relocating and a condo in St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Dunedin or downtown Tampa is on your list, this is the part of the search that changed the most in the last few years. The view and the floor plan matter. The building’s paperwork matters just as much, and you have a short window to read it.
What Is a Milestone Inspection?
A milestone inspection is a structural inspection of the building by a Florida-licensed architect or engineer. It looks at load-bearing elements and the main structural systems to judge whether the building is safe and what repairs it needs. It isn’t a building code check.
Under Florida Statutes section 553.899, it applies to condo and co-op buildings that are three habitable stories or more. Here’s the timing:
First inspection: by December 31 of the year the building turns 30, counted from its certificate of occupancy.
After that: every 10 years.
Earlier for some buildings: the local building department can require it at 25 years when local conditions call for it, such as being close to salt water. That matters around Tampa Bay, so ask the association which schedule applies to the building you’re looking at.
What Is a Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS)?
A SIRS is a budget study. It looks at the big structural parts of the building the association has to maintain and figures out how much money should be set aside to repair or replace them. The state’s condo division lists eight items it has to cover:
Roof
Structural systems
Fireproofing and fire protection
Plumbing
Electrical
Waterproofing and exterior painting
Windows and exterior doors
Any other item over $25,000 that affects the building’s structure
Residential condo buildings three habitable stories or taller need a SIRS at least every 10 years. For most owner-run associations that existed by July 1, 2022, the deadline was December 31, 2025. If a building’s milestone inspection is due by the end of 2026, the SIRS can be done alongside it, but no later than December 31, 2026.
Buildings under three stories, and small one-to-four-family buildings with three or fewer habitable stories, are generally not covered. That’s one reason some buyers look at low-rise or villa-style condos. They still have budgets and reserves to review, just not this specific study.
Why Does This Change Your Monthly Cost?
Because the SIRS tells the association how much it should be saving, and those savings come from owners’ monthly fees. When a study shows the reserves are behind, the fees can go up, or the association may approve a special assessment to catch up or pay for repairs a milestone inspection found.
In 2025, the state passed HB 913 to ease some of that pressure. It pushed the SIRS deadline back a year, let associations pause reserve contributions for up to two years to pay for milestone repairs, and raised the item threshold from $10,000 to $25,000. Helpful, but a pause today can still mean catching up later. That’s why I look at the condo fee as one line in your full monthly picture, alongside the other ownership costs we map before you pick a county.
What Documents Do You Get When Buying a Resale Condo?
Under Florida Statutes section 718.503, the seller of a resale condo has to give you, at the seller’s expense:
The declaration of condominium, articles of incorporation, bylaws and rules
The annual financial statement and annual budget
The inspector’s summary of the milestone inspection report, if one applies
The most recent SIRS, or a statement that one hasn’t been done
The turnover inspection report, if one applies
The “Frequently Asked Questions and Answers” sheet and a governance form
Your contract also has to say plainly whether the building needs a milestone inspection or SIRS and whether it’s been completed.
How long do you have to review them?
For a resale, if you didn’t get the documents more than 7 days before you signed, you can cancel within 7 days, not counting weekends and legal holidays, after you receive them. For a new condo bought from the developer, that window is 15 days. Your right to cancel ends at closing, so read fast and ask questions early.
What Should You Look For in Those Documents?
Here’s the checklist I go through with you.
Status. Is a milestone inspection or SIRS required, and is it done? If it’s required and not done, that’s a big question mark on future costs.
Repairs found. Did the milestone summary call for repairs? Are they finished, scheduled, or not yet funded?
Reserve funding. Does the budget fund what the SIRS recommends, or is the association paused or behind?
Special assessments. Are any approved or being discussed? Ask the association directly and read recent board meeting minutes.
Insurance. What does the master policy cover, and what will your own condo policy need to cover? Get a quote before your review period ends.
Your lender. If you’re financing, ask early whether the building meets your lender’s condo requirements. Some buildings with open structural repairs can be harder to finance.
This isn’t legal or engineering advice, and I’m not the one judging a building’s structure. My job is making sure you get the documents on time, know what to ask, and loop in an attorney or engineer when something needs a closer look.
Want Help Reading a Condo’s Documents Before You Commit?
Call or text me at 813-495-7238. Whether the condo you’re eyeing is in Pinellas, downtown Tampa or anywhere in Hillsborough or Pasco, I’ll help you get the milestone summary, SIRS and budget in hand early and walk through what they mean for your monthly cost before your review window closes.
Jennifer Messina Realtor | Tampa Bay (Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas) Luxury Service at Every Price Point Phone: 813-495-7238
This post summarizes public Florida statutes and state guidance as of October 2026. It isn’t legal, engineering or financial advice. Condo rules, deadlines and association finances vary, so confirm details with the association, a Florida real estate attorney and your lender.
FAQ: Buying a Condo in Tampa Bay
Does every Florida condo need a milestone inspection?
No. It applies to condo and co-op buildings three habitable stories or taller. The first one is due by December 31 of the year the building turns 30, or 25 if the local building department requires it, then every 10 years.
What is a SIRS in Florida?
A structural integrity reserve study. It’s a budget study of eight major structural items, like the roof, structure, plumbing, electrical, waterproofing and windows, that shows how much the association should save for future repairs. It’s required at least every 10 years for buildings three stories or taller.
Can I back out of a condo contract after reading the documents?
For a resale, if you didn’t receive the required documents more than 7 days before signing, you can cancel within 7 days, excluding weekends and legal holidays, after you get them. For a developer sale, it’s 15 days. The right ends at closing.
Will a SIRS raise my condo fees?
It can. If the study shows the association isn’t saving enough, monthly fees may rise or owners may face a special assessment. Review the budget, reserve funding and recent board minutes before your review period ends.
Are low-rise condos and villas covered by these rules?
Generally not. Buildings under three stories and one-to-four-family buildings with three or fewer habitable stories are excluded from the SIRS requirement. They still have budgets and reserves worth reviewing.