What is SB 4-D and why does it matter for Miami condo buyers?

SB 4-D is the Florida condo safety law passed in 2022 after the Surfside collapse. It requires all condo buildings three stories or taller to complete a Milestone Inspection at 30 years (25 years if within 3 miles of the coast) and a Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS) every 10 years. The law also made reserves mandatory and non-waivable for structural components starting December 31, 2024. Buyers must verify compliance before closing because non-compliant buildings face mandatory special assessments that can run tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars per unit.

What is a Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS)?

A SIRS is a professional inspection of the structural components of a condo building: roof, load-bearing walls, floor, foundation, fireproofing, plumbing, electrical, waterproofing, windows, and any other item with a deferred maintenance expense exceeding $10,000. The SIRS establishes the 30-year funding schedule for each component. Buildings without a compliant SIRS filed with the Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares and Mobile Homes are non-compliant under SB 4-D and face enforcement.

What happens if a Miami condo is non-compliant with SB 4-D?

Non-compliance typically triggers three outcomes: (1) the association must levy a special assessment to fund the reserves shortfall, often in the six-figure-per-unit range for older oceanfront buildings; (2) lenders may refuse to finance units in the building until compliance is restored, collapsing resale values; (3) insurance carriers may non-renew master policies, forcing the association to buy expensive surplus-lines coverage. Post-Surfside, several 1970s and 1980s Miami Beach buildings have issued assessments from $30,000 to over $200,000 per unit.

Does SB 4-D apply to new pre-construction condos?

Yes, but the impact is different. New buildings will not need a Milestone Inspection for 25-30 years from the certificate of occupancy, but they must begin a Structural Integrity Reserve Study at the 10-year mark and maintain non-waivable reserves from day one. For pre-construction buyers, the key question is whether the declaration allows reserve waivers (older declarations often did). Post-SB-4D contracts cannot waive reserves for structural components, which tightens HOA dues but eliminates the reserves-shortfall special-assessment risk.

How do I actually check if a specific Miami building is compliant?

Compliance is verified by (1) requesting the SIRS and most recent Milestone Inspection report from the condo association (buyers have a statutory right to receive these under Florida Statute 718.111(12)), (2) cross-checking the report filing with the Division of Florida Condominiums at myfloridalicense.com, (3) reviewing the most recent 12 months of association meeting minutes for special-assessment discussions, (4) asking the insurance agent for the master-policy status. This tool scores the seven factors a buyer can evaluate; it does not replace the document review.

Should I avoid older Miami condos entirely?

No. Plenty of pre-2000 Miami buildings are in strong financial and structural shape. The filter is not age, it is diligence: buildings with current SIRS on file, fully funded reserves, recent milestone inspections with no deficiencies, and a history of stable HOA dues are buyable at any age. Buildings with deferred maintenance, waived reserves, imminent special assessments, or pending insurance non-renewal should be avoided regardless of age. This tool gives buyers a framework to separate the two.

Miami Condo Reserves Compliance Checker

Post-Surfside, Florida buyers need to screen buildings for SB 4-D compliance, reserve shortfalls, and special-assessment risk. Run a 7-question check in under 2 minutes.

This is a screening tool, not a replacement for the full document review. It scores the seven public-record factors a buyer can verify before requesting the association's estoppel, SIRS, and milestone inspection.

⚠️ For informational purposes only. Does not constitute legal, engineering, or financial advice. Always review the actual SIRS, Milestone Inspection report, and 12 months of board minutes before writing an offer.

7-Point Compliance Check

Answer for the specific building you are evaluating. Choose Unknown if you have not yet reviewed the document; the score will treat it as higher risk.

Building Name (optional, for your reference)

Year Built

Within 3 miles of the coast (triggers 25-year inspection rule vs 30-year)

Compliance Score

out of 100

Complete the check

Answer the 7 questions to see the building's compliance score and risk classification.

Your Next Steps

Start by answering the 7 questions to generate a customized checklist.

What to Request from the Association

Most recent Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS) and engineer's report
Most recent Milestone Inspection Phase 1 and Phase 2 reports (if applicable)
Last 12 months of board meeting minutes
Most recent master insurance policy declaration page
Current reserves schedule with percent-funded by component
History of special assessments in the last 5 years
Current annual budget and HOA dues trajectory

How SB 4-D and Condo Reserves Work

What is SB 4-D?

SB 4-D is the Florida condo safety law passed in 2022 after the Surfside collapse. It requires Milestone Inspections at 25 or 30 years depending on coastal proximity, a Structural Integrity Reserve Study every 10 years, and non-waivable reserves for structural components starting December 31, 2024. Buildings that don't comply face special assessments, lender pullout, and insurance non-renewal.

What is a SIRS (Structural Integrity Reserve Study)?

A professional engineer's study of the condo's structural components: roof, foundation, load-bearing walls, plumbing, electrical, waterproofing, windows, and anything with deferred maintenance over $10,000. The SIRS sets the 30-year funding schedule. Buildings with no SIRS on file are presumed non-compliant.

What happens if my building is non-compliant?

Three things tend to happen, usually in sequence: the association levies a special assessment to catch up on reserves (typically five to six figures per unit in Miami Beach), lenders refuse to finance sales in the building, and the master insurance policy gets non-renewed. Resale values collapse until compliance is restored.

Are new pre-construction condos automatically safer?

Mostly yes. New buildings won't need a Milestone Inspection for 25-30 years after CO, and they carry non-waivable reserves from day one under the post-SB-4D rules. The tradeoff is higher HOA dues on day one because reserves can't be waived like older declarations often did.

Should I just avoid all older Miami condos?

No. Plenty of pre-2000 Miami buildings are in excellent financial shape. The filter is not age, it is diligence: buildings with current SIRS, 50%+ reserve funding, recent clean Milestone Inspection, stable HOA history, and current master insurance are buyable at any age. Buildings with red flags across these metrics are the ones to avoid, regardless of age.

How accurate is this checker?

This is a screening tool based on the seven factors a buyer can evaluate from public records and association documents. It does not replace a physical engineering inspection, a full forensic review of association financials, or legal counsel. Use it to decide whether a building is worth the deeper diligence spend.