Florida Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS) Requirements for Condominiums

Understanding Florida’s SIRS Law in 2025

Florida’s SIRS framework sits primarily in Chapter 718 of the Florida Statutes, particularly 718.112(2)(g), which mandates Structural Integrity Reserve Studies for residential condominium associations with buildings three or more habitable stories high. 

The law works in tandem with the statewide milestone inspection program in section 553.899, which requires structural inspections of aging condo and cooperative buildings. Together, these laws are designed to ensure both accurate structural diagnoses (milestone inspections) and realistic, fully funded reserves for critical structural components (SIRS).

The original requirements came out of 2022 legislation (SB 4-D and its follow-up SB 154), but the landscape shifted again in 2025 when HB 913 became law. HB 913 refined definitions, extended deadlines, and gave associations new - but tightly controlled - options to manage the financial impact of SIRS while still prioritizing building safety. (Stearns Weaver Miller)

Who Must Obtain a SIRS?

Under current law, a residential condominium association must obtain a SIRS for each building on the condominium property that: 

• Is three or more habitable stories in height, as determined by the Florida Building Code; and
• Is subject to Chapter 718 (with parallel requirements under Chapter 719 for many cooperative buildings).

“Habitable stories” is a key concept introduced and clarified through HB 913: the law now refers to buildings “three habitable stories or more,” which helps distinguish true living/occupied levels from non-habitable parking or mechanical floors. 

For example, a building with two residential levels over an open, unconditioned parking level may not be treated as three habitable stories, while a building whose ground level includes occupied lobby or amenity space likely will. (highlandbeach.us)

There is also a narrow exemption for four-family dwellings with three or fewer habitable stories above ground, recognizing that very small residential buildings carry different risk profiles. HOAs governed by Chapter 720 are not subject to the SIRS statute; their reserve obligations are addressed separately and are covered in PropFusion’s Florida HOA reserve study guide, not here. 

What Must a Florida SIRS Include?

Florida Statute 718.112(2)(g) lists the minimum items that must be studied “as related to the structural integrity and safety of the building.” At a minimum, your SIRS must cover: 

1. Roof systems.
2. Structure, including load-bearing walls and other primary structural members and systems.
3. Fireproofing and fire protection systems.
4. Plumbing systems.
5. Electrical systems.
6. Waterproofing and exterior painting.
7. Windows and exterior doors.
8. Any other item with deferred maintenance or replacement cost exceeding $25,000 (indexed for inflation) whose failure would negatively affect items 1-7.

HB 913 increased the threshold for “other items” from $10,000 to $25,000 and requires the Division of Condominiums to adjust this threshold annually for inflation and publish the updated figure. That means more minor components may fall outside of SIRS, but large structural elements such as balconies, railings, expansion joints, and major mechanical equipment that affects structural systems will typically be pulled in. (highlandbeach.us)

The study must be based on a visual inspection of the condominium property and must produce, at minimum, a baseline funding plan that keeps the reserve cash balance above zero while meeting expected repair and replacement obligations for these components over time. 

Who Can Perform a SIRS?

Earlier versions of the law required SIRS to be performed by a Florida-licensed engineer or architect. The 2025 statutes now allow additional professionals with nationally recognized credentials to participate. A SIRS (including the visual inspection portion) must be performed or verified by: 

• A professional engineer licensed under Chapter 471; or
• An architect licensed under Chapter 481; or
• A person certified as a Reserve Specialist (RS) or Professional Reserve Analyst (PRA) by CAI or APRA.

The law also contains strict conflict-of-interest rules: design professionals and contractors who bid on a SIRS or milestone inspection must disclose if they intend to bid on the repair work arising from the study, and undisclosed conflicts can render the contract voidable and subject the professional to discipline. 

Milestone Inspections vs. SIRS

Milestone inspections under section 553.899 are mandatory structural inspections for buildings that are three or more habitable stories, typically required when a building reaches 30 years of age (or 25 years in certain coastal conditions) and every 10 years thereafter. They focus on directly evaluating structural safety and identifying necessary repairs. (Florida Senate)

SIRS, by contrast, is a reserve funding tool: it translates structural needs into a long-term funding plan. In practice, boards should coordinate the two: milestone inspections reveal the true condition, and SIRS determines how to pay for required structural work over time. 

HB 913 explicitly ties the two together by allowing associations that recently completed a milestone inspection to temporarily pause or reduce certain reserve contributions in order to fund those immediate repairs, subject to strict limits and the requirement to complete a SIRS before resuming regular funding. 

Deadlines and Update Frequency After HB 913

Under HB 913 and related guidance, the key SIRS timing rules are:

• Initial deadline: For most associations required to have a SIRS, the initial completion deadline has been extended from December 31, 2024, to December 31, 2025.
• Ongoing frequency: After the first study, a SIRS must be completed at least every 10 years for each qualifying building.
• Milestone-related relief: Associations that have very recent milestone inspections may, in limited cases, delay certain reserve funding or a follow-up SIRS for up to two consecutive budget years to prioritize mandatory structural repairs.

Boards should be cautious: “extended” does not mean optional. HB 913 simultaneously increases the potential consequences of missing the SIRS deadline, including greater scrutiny from regulators and potential insurance or financing issues, even though some originally proposed consequences (like automatic Citizens insurance bans) were softened in the final bill.

Funding and Budgeting Requirements

The funding rules are where many associations are feeling the impact of SIRS. The law requires that: 

• Reserve funds for SIRS components must be fully funded in accordance with at least the baseline funding plan in the most recent SIRS.
• For budgets adopted on or after December 31, 2024, unit owners in a unit-owner-controlled association may not vote to use SIRS reserve funds (or interest earned on them) for any other purpose than the SIRS components themselves.
• Reserve accounts for SIRS items may be funded via regular assessments, special assessments, a line of credit, or a loan, provided a majority of the total voting interests approve alternative funding. Funds from lines of credit or loans must be immediately available to the board for required repairs.
• The association may use pooling (cash-flow) or straight-line accounting for SIRS reserves and can switch methods without a membership vote, as long as the funding plan meets statutory minimums.

HB 913 also allows a temporary pause or reduction of certain reserve contributions for up to two consecutive annual budgets if a recent milestone inspection identified repairs and the membership approves. 

However, this does not eliminate the SIRS requirement; it simply gives short-term flexibility to prioritize life-safety work.

Reporting and Disclosure Obligations

New reporting and transparency rules mean SIRS is not just a one-time document you can file away. Under HB 913:

• Associations must report SIRS information to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) through an online portal within a set period (typically 45 days) after receiving the completed study.
• Officers or directors must sign an affidavit acknowledging receipt of the SIRS.
• Associations must maintain SIRS and milestone inspection reports as official records and make them available to unit owners.
• Community association managers (CAMs) have explicit duties to help boards comply with SIRS and milestone requirements.

Boards should treat SIRS as a core governance document on par with governing documents and annual financial statements, not as a technical report buried in a file cabinet.

Consequences of Non-Compliance

While enforcement is still evolving, patterns are clear. Boards that fail to complete SIRS, ignore SIRS funding plans, or withhold reports from owners risk:

• Regulatory action from DBPR, including investigations and possible penalties.
• Difficulty obtaining or renewing property insurance, especially in the private market.
• Increased exposure to personal liability for directors if they knowingly disregard statutory safety and funding requirements.
• Marketability issues, as buyers, lenders, and their advisors increasingly ask for SIRS and milestone documentation during due diligence.

Given the amount of public attention around condo safety, “we didn’t know” will not be a persuasive defense for boards.

Practical Compliance Checklist for Florida Condo Boards

To translate the law into action, a Florida condominium board should:

1. Confirm whether each building is three or more habitable stories and therefore subject to SIRS and milestone inspections.
2. Review the building’s age and location to determine milestone inspection timing under section 553.899 and coordinate that schedule with SIRS planning.
3. Retain a qualified SIRS provider (engineer, architect, RS or PRA) with clear scope covering all eight statutory components and any qualifying “other items.”
4. Ensure the SIRS includes a baseline funding plan and understand how it will affect reserve contributions over the next 10-30 years.
5. Align upcoming budgets with SIRS recommendations, remembering that, for budgets adopted on or after December 31, 2024, SIRS reserves cannot be repurposed for non-SIRS expenses.
6. Evaluate whether HB 913’s temporary pause or alternative funding options (special assessments, loans, lines of credit) can responsibly ease short-term pressure without undermining long-term safety.
7. Complete the DBPR reporting steps, update official records, and communicate clearly with unit owners about what the SIRS shows and how the board plans to act on it.

How PropFusion Helps Manage Florida SIRS Requirements

Managing milestone inspections, SIRS deadlines, reserve funding plans, and communication with engineers and owners is a lot to track. PropFusion’s platform is built specifically for reserve planning and compliance. With PropFusion you can:

• Store your SIRS, milestone inspection reports, and budgets in one place for every building.
• Track statutory deadlines and receive reminders for 10-year updates and key reporting dates.
• Model different funding strategies (regular assessments, special assessments, loans) while still meeting SIRS baseline requirements.
• Collaborate with your reserve professionals and engineers on a shared view of components, timing, and costs.

For Florida condominium boards and managers, this means you can move from scrambling to comply to managing SIRS and milestone obligations in a structured, auditable way.