Building Recertification Program

Buildings lining Intracoastal Waterway in Sunny Isles Beach

Each year, new properties become subject to the recertification process at 30 years and every 10-year interval thereafter for the life of the structure, pursuant to Section 8-11(f) of the Code of Miami-Dade County.

For those properties that require certification, the property owners receive a Notice of Required Recertification to commence the process. The recertification reports must be submitted within 90 days from the date of notice.

Note: The following types of residences do not go through the recertification process: single-family homes, duplexes, and buildings with 10 occupant load or less and 2,000 square feet or less.

Changes effective June 2022 for condos

The new state law, which went into effect on May 26, 2022, created new requirements for milestone inspections of condominium and cooperative association buildings that are three stories and taller.  Miami-Dade County has had a building recertification program since 1975, which was amended on June 1, 2022. The integration of the new law together with the amended Miami-Dade ordinance has the following impacts to all existing buildings in Miami-Dade County.

1. All buildings built on or before 1982 that have already had an initial recertification inspection through Miami-Dade’s 40-Year program will continue to follow the established schedule.

2. Coastal condominium and cooperative buildings three stories or taller built between 1983 and 1997 and located within three miles of the coastline must have a recertification inspection by December 31, 2024, and every 10 years thereafter. These buildings are being identified through a GIS mapping project. All other buildings built between 1983 and 1992 must have a recertification inspection by December 31, 2024, and every 10 years thereafter.

3. All condominium and cooperative association buildings that are three stories or taller located within three miles of the coastline built on or after 1998 must have a building recertification inspection when the building age reaches 25 years, and every 10 years thereafter. All other buildings built on or after 1993 must have a recertification inspection when the building age reaches 30 years, and every 10 years thereafter.

Building Recertification Process

Each year, new properties become subject to the recertification process at 30 years and every 10-year interval thereafter for the life of the structure, pursuant to Section 8-11(f) of the Code of Miami-Dade County. For those properties that require certification, the property owners receive a Notice of Required Recertification to commence the process. The recertification reports must be submitted within 90 days from the date of notice.

Note that the following types of residences do not go through the recertification process: single-family homes, duplexes, and buildings with 10 occupant load or less and 2,000 square feet or less.

After Notification

Property owners must submit written recertification reports prepared by a Florida-registered professional engineer or architect, certifying each building or structure is structurally and electrically safe for the specified use for continued occupancy. The design professional must have proven qualifications by training and experience in the specific technical field covered in the inspection report (structural and/or electrical) as per the Miami-Dade County Code.

 

What to submit

All applicants must submit the following: 

  • Structural inspection report according to the Minimum Inspection Guidelines for Building Safety as required by the Miami-Dade County Board of Rules and Appeals (signed, sealed, and with two copies). 
  • Electrical inspection report according to the Minimum Inspection Guidelines for Building Safety as required by the Miami-Dade County Board of Rules and Appeals (signed, sealed, and with two copies). 
  • All forms sealed/stamped by a Florida registered Architect or Engineer. 
  • All forms with original signature. 
  • Architect/engineer is required to check the correct box for either "Repairs Required" or "No Repairs Required." 
  • Check made out to SIB for the amount specified in your notice. 

If repairs are required

If repairs or modifications are necessary following the building recertification inspection, the Owner shall have a total of 150 days from the date of the Notice of Required Inspection to complete indicated repairs or modifications in compliance with all applicable Sections of the Florida Building Code. The Owner of a property must hire a state of Florida Licensed Contractor and obtain permits from the Building Department prior to performing any repairs or modifications. Once all permits receive an approved final inspection from the electrical and/or structural inspectors, the Professional Engineer and/or registered Architect of record must submit a signed and sealed report stating that all repairs have been completed and the building is structurally and electrically safe for continued use. 

FAQs

What happens if a building fails to submit the required recertification?

If the property owner fails to obtain the recertification within the timeframe required, the property is referred to the Unsafe Structures Section and an enforcement case is opened. Unsafe Structures monitors the recertification process thereafter including posting the building unsafe; issuance of a Notice of Violation; referral to the Unsafe Structures Board; and review of Board Order timelines for compliance and repairs, orders to vacate, collections of enforcement cost and any other action deemed necessary.  

How do I know if a property has a Building Recertification?

Send a request to info.building@sibfl.net

Or call us at  305.792.2150.

What can I do if I have concerns about my building? 

Property owners and condominium associations having doubts about the integrity of their high-rise structure can commission a structural engineer, even if they have not already been mandated to do so through their municipalities’ official recertification process, to conduct a thorough structural inspection. 

Where may I make a complaint against my association for not maintaining the building? 

Customers with complaints or concerns about their HOA/management company may contact the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) - Division of Condominiums, Timeshares and Mobile Homes. 

You can submit a complaint online, or by contacting their Customer Contact Center at 850-487-1395. 

 Who can perform Building Recertification (Milestone) Inspections for Threshold Buildings in Miami-Dade County?

 Any building 3-stories or taller and other buildings classified as a threshold building must be inspected separately by a qualified Florida licensed structural engineer and electrical engineer as follows:

Code of Miami-Dade County Chapter 8 Section 8-11(E)(ii) in part states that a structural engineer must provide:
“A self-qualification letter shall be submitted as part of the structural report for threshold buildings, stating that the engineer is a practicing structural engineer and has worked with buildings equivalent to the building being certified and shall be accompanied by proof of the engineer's state Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DPBR) structural specialization.”
This code section requires satisfying the qualifications in two parts:

  • Part I:  Provide a resume (self-qualification letter) indicating the engineer’s experience working with buildings equivalent to the building being certified.
  • Part II: Provide proof of the engineer’s state Department of Business and Professional Regulation structural specialization.

o   Recognized engineer structural specializations:

§  Engineer who’s passed Structural I Exam (8hrs), OR

§  Engineer who’s passed Civil Exam plus Structural II (8hrs), OR

§  Engineer who’s passed the 16hrs Structural Test, OR

§  Engineer who obtained such license by examination under the Civil discipline prior to March 1, 1993, OR

§  Engineer who’s obtained the Structural Engineering Recognition Program from the Florida Board of Professional Engineers under rule 61G15-20.0011 Florida Administrative Code effective Aug. 25, 2022.

o   Qualifications of the electrical engineer:

§  An engineer licensed under the electrical discipline following Rule 61G15-33 FAC.

How do I request an extension to submit reports?

 The Building Official may issue an extension of not more than 60 days to submit a recertification report or to obtain any necessary permits upon a written extension request from an engineer/architect. Such a request must contain a signed and sealed statement from the engineer/architect that the building may continue to be occupied while undergoing recertification. 

Am I required to install emergency lights and fire alarms?

This is determined by the Miami-Dade County Fire Department and not the City of Sunny Isles Beach. You can contact the Fire Department at 786.331.5000.

Under Section 2415.7.4 of the Florida Building Code, Building Volume, the owner of a threshold building  containing an exterior façade of structural sealant glazing is required to have the building facade inspected for the purpose of determining the general structural condition of the glazing adhesive every five years after installation. You will be required to submit a written recertification report to the Building Official, prepared by a Florida-licensed professional engineer or architect, certifying the structural sealant glazing is structurally safe for the specified use for continued occupancy.

Structural Glazing Facade Recertification

Structural glazing systems on threshold buildings shall be recertified by the owner at six-month intervals for the first year after installation under an active permit. Subsequently, such systems shall be recertified every five years at regular intervals after CO issuance. Please see Structural Glazing Façade Inspection Report for Threshold Building under construction. 

How the process starts

Threshold buildings containing an exterior façade of structural sealant glazing will become subject to the recertification process after 5 years from the year-built date as published by Property Appraisers and every 5-year interval thereafter for the life of the structure. For those properties that require recertification, the property owner will receive a Notice of Required Recertification of Structural Glazing for Threshold Buildings to commence the process. The Structural Glazing Façade Inspection report must be submitted within 90 days from the date of notice.

 

General Guidelines and Form Templates

Important Notice: The updated approved guidelines and report templates become effective with the 2023 cycle.  Please note that proprietary report forms will not be accepted.

Each page of the report must be signed and sealed by the engineer or architect unless submitted electronically using a verifiable digital signature. 

 

 

For inquiries about building recertification, email your questions to info.building@sibfl.net or call us at 305.947.2150.

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