If you own or manage an older building in Broward, there's a deadline you need to know about: the 40-year recertification. Most buildings in the county must be inspected by an engineer or architect when they turn 40, and every 10 years after that. Since 2022, condos and co-ops three stories or taller also face Florida's statewide milestone inspections.
The inspection itself is the start. What usually takes the time and money is the repairs the inspection finds, and those repairs need permits.
Quick answer
- Broward's Building Safety Inspection Program requires most buildings to be inspected at 40 years, then every 10 years.
- Exempt in Broward: one- and two-family homes, buildings under 3,500 square feet, and certain government, school and tribal buildings.
- The inspection covers structural and electrical safety and is done by a Florida-registered engineer or architect.
- Condos and co-ops 3+ stories also need Florida's milestone inspection, generally at 30 years and every 10 years after, with an earlier trigger possible near the coast.
- Repairs found in either inspection need permits, and they often have deadlines.
Broward's 40-year program
Broward created its Building Safety Inspection Program in 2005, and it now applies countywide. The rules:
- When: the building's 40th year, based on its certificate of occupancy or original build date, then every 10 years
- Who's exempt: one- and two-family dwellings, buildings with less than 3,500 square feet of gross floor area, U.S. and state government buildings, Broward County School Board buildings, and buildings on tribal land
- What's inspected: the structure (foundation, walls, floors, roof framing, balconies, railings) and the electrical system
- Who inspects: a Florida-registered professional engineer or architect, hired by the owner
- Who reviews: the building department for the property's jurisdiction, usually the city
Each city sends notices and has its own forms and filing steps. Missing a deadline can lead to code enforcement action.
Florida's milestone inspections
After the Surfside collapse in 2021, Florida passed SB 4-D (2022) and updated it with SB 154 (2023). The rules are in section 553.899 of the Florida Statutes:
- Who: condominium and cooperative buildings three stories or taller
- When: generally by 30 years after the certificate of occupancy, then every 10 years. Local building officials may require it earlier, at 25 years, based on local conditions such as being near the coast
- How: Phase One is a visual inspection by an engineer or architect. If they find signs of real structural deterioration, Phase Two goes deeper
- Who handles it: the association, after notice from the local building official
A Broward condo can be subject to both the county's program and the state's milestone inspection. Some cities combine the process.
The part that needs permits: repairs
The inspection report lists what has to be fixed. Common items:
- Concrete spalling and corroded rebar, especially balconies and walkways
- Railings that are loose or don't meet current height and spacing rules
- Electrical issues: panels, grounding, deteriorated wiring
- Roof and waterproofing problems
- Windows and doors, sometimes, when they're part of the repair
These repairs almost always need permits: concrete and structural repairs, electrical, roofing, windows and doors. On large buildings, they often involve a structural engineer's repair drawings, several trades, and work scheduled around residents.
Cities usually expect repairs to be completed, or at least permitted and underway, within set deadlines. Permitting quickly is what keeps a building on schedule.
What should owners and associations do now?
- Know your building's age and your deadline. Don't wait for the notice
- Hire the engineer or architect early. Good inspectors book up ahead of deadlines
- Budget for repairs, not just the inspection
- Line up permitting as soon as the repair scope is known
Frequently asked questions
Does my single-family home need 40-year recertification?
No. One- and two-family homes are exempt from Broward's program.
Is a small commercial building exempt?
If it's under 3,500 square feet of gross floor area, it's exempt from Broward's program. Larger commercial buildings are covered.
What if repairs can't be finished by the deadline?
Talk to the building department early. Having the repairs permitted and underway usually matters more than finishing everything on day one.
Facing recertification repairs?
We handle the permits for recertification and milestone repairs, including structural, electrical, roofing and windows, across Broward and Palm Beach County, and keep them moving through inspections and final. Call us or request a callback.