Florida SIRS Compliance: What Your Condo Board Needs to Know in 2026
After the Champlain Towers South collapse in Surfside in 2021, Florida took a hard look at how condo buildings track and fund structural maintenance. The result was SB 4-D in 2022, which created the Structural Integrity Reserve Study -- SIRS. The law requires condo and co-op buildings three or more stories tall to conduct a reserve study focused specifically on structural and life-safety components.
The reasoning was straightforward. A reserve study completed before the collapse found Champlain Towers was only 6.9% funded -- about $706,000 in reserves against a recommended $10.3 million. The legislature decided buildings should know what shape their structure is in and have the money to fix it.
If you sit on a Florida condo board, here's what SIRS actually requires and how to handle it.
Who needs a SIRS
Any residential condominium association with buildings three or more habitable stories in height. That word -- habitable -- matters. HB 913, passed in 2025, clarified that parking garages and mechanical floors don't count toward the threshold. Three habitable stories is the line.
Your association needs a SIRS for every qualifying building on the property. Four-story tower and a two-story clubhouse? Only the tower.
The requirement does not apply to:
- Buildings under three habitable stories
- Single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, or fourplexes
- Building portions not submitted to the condominium form of ownership
- Components maintained by parties other than the association
If you're not sure whether your building qualifies, check your condominium documents and ask your engineer. Better to find out now than after a deadline passes.
What the study covers
A SIRS examines eight categories of structural and life-safety components:
- Roof
- Structure -- load-bearing walls and primary structural systems
- Fireproofing and fire protection systems
- Plumbing
- Electrical systems
- Waterproofing and exterior painting
- Windows and exterior doors
- Any other item with deferred maintenance or replacement cost exceeding $25,000 that affects the components above
A licensed engineer or architect conducts a visual inspection of each one, estimates remaining useful life, and calculates what future repairs or replacement will cost.
Two things worth knowing. Starting in 2026, cost estimates for items over $25,000 must factor in inflation -- no more using today's dollars for work that's a decade away. And for components with 25 or more years of remaining useful life, the SIRS may recommend that reserves be maintained rather than requiring mandatory funding. The law gives boards some room on items that aren't close to end of life.
Key deadlines
These are firm. Missing them is a breach of fiduciary duty.
December 31, 2025 -- Associations that existed on or before July 1, 2022 must have their first SIRS completed.
December 31, 2026 -- If your building has a milestone inspection due by this date, you can coordinate the SIRS with that inspection. But the SIRS cannot extend past December 31, 2026 regardless.
January 1, 2026 -- Associations must begin funding reserves based on SIRS recommendations. Mandatory. The no-waiver rule applies.
45 days after receiving the SIRS -- Submit the SIRS Reporting Form electronically to the Division (DBPR) through your online account.
Every 10 years -- After the initial study, a new SIRS is required at least every decade.
If your association hasn't started, the clock is already running.
SIRS vs. a traditional reserve study
These are different things, and having one doesn't replace the other.
| SIRS | Traditional Reserve Study | |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | 8 structural/life-safety categories | All common elements -- pools, elevators, HVAC, landscaping, everything |
| Legal requirement | Mandated by §718.112(2)(g) for 3+ story buildings | Not mandated by state law |
| Who conducts it | Licensed engineer or architect | No licensing requirement |
| Reserve waivers | Cannot be waived or redirected | Can be waived by owner vote |
| Frequency | Every 10 years | Typically every 3-5 years |
Most buildings need both. SIRS covers structural safety and legal compliance. A traditional reserve study covers the rest -- all the other components your association maintains. Together, they give your board the full picture.
How to read and act on your SIRS report
When the report hits your desk, pay attention to three things.
Remaining useful life. Each component gets an estimated number of years before it needs work. Zero or near-zero means that item needs attention now. Ten to fifteen years means you need a funded plan today so the money is there when the bill arrives. This column matters most.
Estimated costs. The report projects what each repair or replacement will cost, with inflation factored in starting 2026. These figures go directly into your reserve calculations. They're not targets to round down or hope for the best on.
Priority sequence. Not everything happens at once. Sit down with your engineer and separate the urgent from the planned. Structural concerns and life-safety issues go first. Then follow the timeline for everything else.
A SIRS report is a planning document. Most boards get findings they can manage with proper funding. The problems show up when boards receive the report, put it in a drawer, and hope nothing breaks -- the same pattern that created this requirement in the first place.
How to fund what the report finds
Starting January 1, 2026, funding based on SIRS recommendations is mandatory. Two rules change how reserves work for qualifying buildings:
No waivers. Your association cannot waive reserves for SIRS-mandated items. Can't redirect those funds to cover the lobby renovation or the pool resurfacing. The only exception: associations that adopted budgets before December 31, 2024 could still vote to waive under their existing budget cycle. After that cutoff, the option is gone.
No underfunding. Reserve lines can't reach zero. If the roof replacement is in year eight, contributions between now and then have to add up.
The only pause allowed is if a local building official declares the entire building uninhabitable after a natural emergency.
For most boards, this means higher dues. If your building has been underfunding reserves -- and a lot of Florida condos have -- the SIRS makes that gap visible and the law says you close it. No more kicking the can.
But that's also where the SIRS becomes genuinely useful beyond compliance. Your report tells you what each structural component will cost and when that cost shows up. With those numbers, you can build a funding plan that spreads expenses across years instead of hitting owners with a special assessment when something fails.
Reserves Pro helps boards take SIRS findings and project them over a 30-year timeline -- showing exactly how much goes into reserves each year to stay fully funded. When you can see the full trajectory, setting the right contribution level is math, not guesswork. That's a much easier conversation to have with owners than "we need $15,000 from each of you by March."
Hiring for your SIRS
The study must be conducted by a licensed engineer or architect. When you're selecting a firm, know that HB 913 added a conflict of interest rule: any engineer, architect, or contractor bidding on a SIRS must disclose in writing whether they also plan to bid on repair work the study identifies.
This doesn't prevent the same firm from doing both. It means your board knows about the conflict before signing anything. Ask up front. Get the disclosure in writing.
FAQ
What is a Structural Integrity Reserve Study? A SIRS is a reserve study required by Florida law for condo and co-op buildings with three or more habitable stories. It covers eight structural and life-safety component categories, estimates remaining useful life, and calculates future repair costs. A licensed engineer or architect must conduct it.
When is the SIRS deadline in Florida? Associations existing on or before July 1, 2022 had an initial deadline of December 31, 2025. Associations coordinating with a milestone inspection have until December 31, 2026. After the initial SIRS, a new study is required every 10 years.
Can our association waive SIRS reserve funding? No. Associations subject to SIRS cannot waive reserves for mandated structural items or redirect those funds. This took effect for budgets adopted after December 31, 2024.
This post is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. For questions about your specific building's SIRS obligations, consult a Florida attorney who specializes in community association law.