Broward vs. Palm Beach County Condo Inspection Rules: 25 Years or 30, Town by Town

24 Oct Broward vs. Palm Beach County Condo Inspection Rules (2026): 25 Years or 30, Town by Town

Posted at 23:30h in Real Estate by

Broward vs. Palm Beach County Condo Inspection Rules (2026): 25 Years or 30, Town by Town

In Broward County, buildings and structures generally, not just condominiums, need structural and electrical safety inspections at 25 years and every 10 years after that, with listed exemptions such as one- to four-family homes, under the county’s Building Safety Inspection Program. In Palm Beach County there is no single countywide program: Florida’s milestone inspection law applies to condominium and cooperative buildings of three or more habitable stories at 30 years, and some local governments start earlier or add their own rules. Unincorporated Palm Beach County and the City of Boca Raton apply 25 years to condo and co-op buildings within 3 miles of the coast, Highland Beach starts at 25, and the Town of Palm Beach follows the state’s 30-year schedule. Here is how each jurisdiction we cover handles it, with the official source for each rule.

This guide summarizes official government sources in plain language. It is not legal or engineering advice. Rules and schedules change, so confirm a specific building’s deadline with the local building department or the association. Sources checked October 24, 2026.

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The Rules at a Glance

Where Which buildings First inspection After that
Florida (statewide minimum) Condo and co-op buildings of 3 or more habitable stories By December 31 of the year the building turns 30 (25 where the local building department requires it) Every 10 years
Broward County (countywide, including Hillsboro Beach, Pompano Beach, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and Fort Lauderdale) Buildings and structures generally, with listed exemptions 25 years after the certificate of occupancy Every 10 years
Unincorporated Palm Beach County Condo and co-op buildings of 3 or more stories 25 years within 3 miles of a coastline; 30 years farther inland Every 10 years
Town of Palm Beach Condo and co-op buildings of 3 or more stories 30 years Every 10 years
City of Boca Raton Threshold buildings (over 3 stories or 50 feet, and large assembly buildings) and condo and co-op buildings 3 or more stories or 50 feet or taller 30 years (25 for coastal condos and co-ops) Every 10 years
Town of Highland Beach Threshold buildings and condo and co-op association buildings 25 years Every 10 years; every 7 years once a building is 40

Florida’s Statewide Milestone Law

Under section 553.899, Florida Statutes, a building of three or more habitable stories that is wholly or partly a residential condominium or cooperative must have a milestone inspection by December 31 of the year it reaches 30 years of age, based on its certificate of occupancy date, and every 10 years after that. The local enforcement agency may require the first inspection at 25 years where local conditions, such as proximity to salt water, call for it. Single-family through four-family dwellings with three or fewer habitable stories above ground are exempt.

  • Phase one: a licensed architect or engineer visually examines the building and must submit the report within 180 days after the association receives the local agency’s written notice.
  • Phase two: required only if phase one finds substantial structural deterioration. It may include destructive or nondestructive testing, and a progress report is due within 180 days after the phase one report.
  • Repairs: local governments must require repairs for substantial structural deterioration found in phase two to begin within 365 days after the phase two report.
  • Owners must be told: within 45 days after receiving a report, the association must send each owner the inspector-prepared summary, post it on the property and publish the full report on its website if it is required to have one.

Broward County: The 25-Year Building Safety Inspection Program

Broward County’s Board of Rules and Appeals (BORA) runs the Building Safety Inspection Program under BORA Policy 05-05 and the Broward County amendments to the Florida Building Code. Local building officials (the city’s, or Broward County’s in unincorporated areas) enforce it.

  • Which buildings: buildings and structures that reach 25 years of age, based on the certificate of occupancy date. It is broader than the state law: it is not limited to condominiums. Exempt are U.S. government and State of Florida buildings, buildings on sovereign tribal lands, Broward County School Board buildings, single-family through four-family dwellings with three or fewer habitable stories, fee-simple townhouses, minor structures under 3,500 square feet, and railroads.
  • What is inspected: a structural and electrical inspection by a Florida-licensed engineer or architect.
  • Schedule: at 25 years and every 10 years after that.
  • Deadlines: BORA’s September 2024 program brochure says the report is due within 180 days of the notice of required inspection, and required repairs within 180 days of the report unless the building official sets otherwise.
  • Milestone law: the policy states that the Building Safety Inspection serves as compliance for both phases of the state milestone inspection, and that buildings inspected under the older 40-year program are deemed compliant, with later inspections every 10 years.

The City of Pompano Beach and the City of Fort Lauderdale both publish pages confirming they administer the 25-year program. See our Hillsboro Beach condos and Pompano Beach new construction pages for buildings in Broward.

Palm Beach County: Town by Town

Unincorporated Palm Beach County

The county’s Planning, Zoning and Building Department says condominium and cooperative buildings three stories or taller in unincorporated Palm Beach County need a first milestone inspection at 25 years if they are within 3 miles of a coastline and at 30 years if farther, then every 10 years. This page covers only unincorporated areas; cities and towns handle milestone inspections through their own building departments, and some have their own programs.

Town of Palm Beach

The Town’s building department says every condominium or cooperative building three stories or taller needs milestone inspections once the building is 30 years old, then every 10 years, with phase one due within 180 days of the Town’s certified notice. See our Palm Beach oceanfront condos.

City of Boca Raton

Boca Raton adopted its Building Recertification Program (Ordinance 5589, Code section 19-162) on August 24, 2021. It covers threshold buildings, meaning buildings greater than 3 stories or 50 feet tall, and assembly buildings over 5,000 square feet with more than 500 occupants, at 30 years and every 10 years after that, with structural and electrical reports. Single-family homes and duplexes are excluded. The city’s program page adds that condominium and cooperative buildings 3 or more stories or 50 feet or taller are covered, and that those within 3 miles of a coastline are subject at 25 years. See our Boca Raton oceanfront condos.

Town of Highland Beach

Highland Beach adopted a recertification ordinance (Ordinance 2021-011) on November 16, 2021. The Town’s milestone inspection summary says it applies to threshold buildings and association buildings covered by section 553.899 (condominium and cooperative buildings), that buildings 25 years or older require recertification every 10 years and buildings 40 years or older every 7 years, and that it includes a structural inspection in phases plus an electrical inspection. See our Highland Beach oceanfront condos.

South Palm Beach and other towns

We could not find a published local recertification program for the Town of South Palm Beach. Florida’s milestone law applies there at minimum, so confirm the schedule with the town building department.

Reserve Studies Apply in Both Counties

Separate from inspections, Florida requires a structural integrity reserve study (SIRS) at least every 10 years for each residential condominium building of three or more habitable stories, regardless of county (section 718.112(2)(g)). Our milestone inspection and SIRS guide explains both.

What This Means for Buyers and Sellers

  • Ask for the latest report. A resale buyer is entitled to the milestone inspection summary if applicable and the most recent SIRS (section 718.503(2)(a)). In Broward, also ask for the latest Building Safety Inspection report and the city’s acceptance.
  • Know the next due date. A building approaching 25 or 30 years, or its next 10-year cycle, may face inspection costs and repairs soon after you buy.
  • Lenders care. Fannie Mae treats a building that failed a required local inspection or recertification as ineligible, so a building’s inspection status can affect financing.

Use our Florida condo due diligence checklist for every document to get before you sign.

Own a condo in Broward or Palm Beach County?

Florida’s reserve and inspection rules can affect condo values. Get a confidential valuation based on today’s market and your building’s status.

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Also see Florida condo special assessments explained and Selling a Florida condo in 2026.

Town guides: Palm Beach · Highland Beach · Boca Raton · Hillsboro Beach · Pompano Beach · Deerfield Beach · Fort Lauderdale · Miami Beach.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the condo inspection age 25 or 30 years in Florida?

The statewide milestone law sets 30 years, and lets local building departments require 25 years where conditions such as proximity to salt water call for it. Broward County’s program starts at 25 for buildings and structures generally, with listed exemptions, and some Palm Beach County jurisdictions start at 25 for coastal condos.

Does Broward’s 25-year program replace the state milestone inspection?

BORA Policy 05-05 states that the Broward Building Safety Inspection serves as compliance for both phases of the state milestone inspection requirements.

Does Broward’s program apply only to condos?

No. It applies to buildings and structures generally once they reach 25 years, with exemptions that include one- to four-family dwellings of three or fewer habitable stories, fee-simple townhouses and buildings under 3,500 square feet.

When does a Boca Raton condo need recertification?

Under the city’s program, threshold buildings and condo and co-op buildings 3 or more stories or 50 feet or taller are recertified at 30 years and every 10 years after that, and condo and co-op buildings within 3 miles of a coastline at 25 years.

Do townhomes need these inspections?

The state milestone law exempts one- to four-family dwellings of three or fewer habitable stories, and Broward’s program exempts fee-simple townhouses. A townhome that is legally a condominium in a taller building may be covered, so check the declaration.

Florida Condo Buildings We Cover

Sources

Checked October 24, 2026:

Reviewed by Mark Sandulli, Real Estate Salesperson licensed in Florida and Connecticut. Mark has completed the Florida 4-Hour Condominium Association Board Member Certification (Kaye Bender Rembaum, September 2026), covering milestone inspections, structural integrity reserve studies, association records and websites.

Last updated October 24, 2026. Building details come from county property records, public listings and government sources and are deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Prices are asking prices or estimates as of the date shown. Not legal, financial or engineering advice. Full disclaimer

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    Mark Sandulli, Real Estate Salesperson, licensed in Connecticut (RES.0808170) and Florida (SL3216860). Dave Jones Realty LLC, 40 Center St, Prospect, CT 06712. Cell 954-839-7406 (FL) · 203-819-1699 (CT) · mark@davejonesrealty.com

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        Mark Sandulli, Real Estate Salesperson, licensed in Connecticut (RES.0808170) and Florida (SL3216860). Dave Jones Realty LLC, 40 Center St, Prospect, CT 06712. Cell 954-839-7406 (FL) · 203-819-1699 (CT) · mark@davejonesrealty.com