What is a milestone inspection, and does the Naples condo I am buying need one?
A milestone inspection is a structural safety inspection that Florida law requires for condominium and cooperative buildings three habitable stories or taller, first when the building turns 30 years old and every 10 years after that. If you are buying a unit in an older mid-rise or high-rise in Naples, the building's inspection status directly affects your risk of future special assessments.
Why this law exists
After the Surfside tragedy in 2021, Florida overhauled its condominium safety laws. The result, refined most recently by House Bill 913 (effective July 1, 2025), is Florida Statute 553.899: buildings with three or more habitable stories must undergo a professional structural inspection at 30 years of age, then every 10 years afterward.
How the inspection works
It comes in two phases. Phase One is a visual examination by a licensed architect or engineer. If they find no signs of substantial structural deterioration, the building passes and the report is filed. If they do find concerns, Phase Two follows: a deeper investigation that can involve testing, and a report that specifies required repairs. Under HB 913, once a Phase Two report identifies substantial structural deterioration, repairs generally must begin within 365 days.
What it means for you as a buyer
- Ask for the reports. A building past 30 years old should have a completed milestone inspection on file. Ask for both the report and what the association did about it.
- A passed inspection is a selling point. It means the building's structure has been professionally examined recently.
- A pending Phase Two is a caution flag. Repair costs flow to unit owners, often through special assessments. Price that risk before you offer, not after.
- Non-compliance matters too. Associations that ignore these requirements can lose eligibility for state-backed Citizens insurance, which pressures fees upward.
Quick facts
- Applies to condo and co-op buildings 3+ habitable stories tall
- First inspection at 30 years, then every 10 years
- Two phases: visual first, deeper investigation only if needed
- Repairs after a Phase Two finding: generally must start within 365 days
Sources: Florida Statute 553.899 · HB 913 requirements explained
This article is general information for Naples, Florida buyers, not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Laws, rates, and markets change. Please verify current details with the appropriate professional, and talk to us before relying on anything here in a transaction.
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