SIRS reporting in Florida: what boards must file and when

Last updated 2026-07-24

What is SIRS reporting under Florida law?

SIRS reporting is the process of getting a Structural Integrity Reserve Study done, then feeding its findings into your association's budget and official records. It's not a form you fill out and mail to the state. There's no central Florida agency collecting SIRS paperwork the way there is for corporate annual reports. The requirement lives in Florida Statutes section 718.112(2)(g) and section 718.503, added and amended after the Champlain Towers South collapse in Surfside in June 2021 ^[1]. The law requires condominium associations with buildings three stories or more in height to have a SIRS performed on specific structural and life-safety components, and it requires the board to use that study to fund reserves for those components without the option to waive or reduce them by member vote ^[1]. "Reporting" in practice means three things: getting the study done by a qualified professional, disclosing a summary of it to unit owners, and reflecting its reserve numbers in your budget and financial disclosures. Skip any one of those steps and you're not actually done, even if the inspector's report is sitting in a drawer somewhere.

What is a reserve study, and how is it different from a SIRS?

A reserve study is a broader financial planning document that projects the remaining useful life and replacement cost of an association's shared components: roofs, pavement, pools, elevators, painting, and more. It's the tool boards have used for decades to figure out how much to save each year so a big-ticket item doesn't trigger a surprise special assessment. A Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS) is narrower and more specific. Under section 718.112(2)(g), a SIRS must cover at minimum: roof, load-bearing walls or other primary structural members, floor, foundation, fireproofing and fire protection systems, plumbing, electrical systems, waterproofing and exterior painting, windows and doors, and "any other item that has a deferred maintenance expense or replacement cost that exceeds $10,000 and the failure to replace or maintain such item negatively affects the items listed... as determined by the visual inspection portion of the [SIRS]" ^[1]. So think of it this way: a general reserve study might include the clubhouse carpet and the pool furniture. A SIRS only cares about the bones of the building and the systems that keep people safe. Many associations now do both together, since a full reserve study can wrap the SIRS components into one report, but the SIRS categories can never be underfunded or pooled the way discretionary reserve items sometimes are. For a walkthrough of how a general reserve study works for any HOA, see our reserve study guide.

What is a reserve study for an HOA, specifically?

Homeowners' associations (as opposed to condominiums) are a different animal under Florida law. The SIRS mandate in section 718.503 applies to condominiums regulated under Chapter 718, not to Chapter 720 HOAs of single-family homes or townhomes with separately owned exteriors. That said, plenty of HOA boards use the term "reserve study" loosely to mean the same kind of long-range capital planning: a professional walks the property, catalogs shared assets (roads, gates, drainage, common buildings, sometimes roofs on attached townhome buildings), estimates remaining life and replacement cost, and produces a funding schedule. An HOA is not legally required to get a SIRS unless it's structured as a condominium form of ownership with a qualifying building. But an HOA with multi-story common buildings, like a clubhouse, parking garage, or attached condo-style housing under Chapter 718, may fall under the same rules. If you're not sure which category your association sits in, that's a question for your association's counsel, not a guess. See HOA reserve study for how the process typically works outside the condo-specific mandate.

Who has to comply, and by when?

The SIRS requirement applies to condominium associations with buildings that are three stories or more in height, according to section 718.112(2)(g) ^[1]. Height is measured under the building code definition, which generally counts the number of habitable stories, more than what the property calls itself. A three-story walk-up condo is in scope just like a fifteen-story tower. The original deadline for a completed SIRS was December 31, 2024, for most associations, with the reserve funding requirements taking effect starting with the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2025 ^[1]. The Florida legislature made some adjustments in 2023 and 2024 sessions, including allowing developer-controlled associations, certain associations facing hardship, and buildings undergoing a milestone inspection extension some limited flexibility, so the exact date for any specific building can shift. "Confirm with your association's counsel and county" applies directly here, because legislative tweaks have come fast since 2022 and more could follow. Condo-hotels, timeshares, and associations with fewer than 25 units where a majority of the units are owner-occupied primary residences may have partial exemptions or different treatment under specific statutory carve-outs. Don't assume your building is exempt just because someone at the annual meeting said so. Check the current statute text directly at flsenate.gov and confirm with counsel ^[1].

Who is qualified to perform a SIRS?

Florida law requires the visual inspection portion of a SIRS to be performed by a licensed engineer or architect ^[1]. The Florida Board of Professional Engineers licenses engineers practicing in Florida, and the Florida Board of Architecture and Interior Design licenses architects; boards can verify a professional's license status through the DBPR's licensee search system. The statute doesn't require the SIRS preparer to be the same firm that does your milestone inspection, though many associations use one firm for both since the visual inspection work overlaps heavily. That can save money on travel and site access, but get a clear scope and separate line-item pricing so you know what you're paying for each report. Don't let a landscaper, a property manager, or a board member's contractor friend sign off on the structural components. It has to be a Florida-licensed engineer or architect for the components that fall under section 718.112(2)(g).

How much does a reserve study or SIRS cost?

There's no statewide fee schedule, and pricing varies a lot by building size, height, age, and how much documentation already exists. Based on ranges commonly reported by Florida engineering firms and condo associations in 2023 and 2024, a SIRS for a mid-size condo building (roughly 50 to 150 units) has typically run somewhere between $8,000 and $20,000+, with larger or more complex high-rises running higher. Smaller three- to four-story buildings sometimes come in lower, but boards should get multiple quotes rather than rely on any single number, because there's no independent state-published cost survey we can cite with confidence. A general (non-SIRS) reserve study, when purchased separately, often runs a few thousand dollars less than a combined SIRS/reserve study package, since it doesn't require an engineer's visual structural inspection of every listed component. The honest answer here is: get at least two or three quotes from licensed engineering or reserve study firms, ask exactly what components and units are included, and don't assume the cheapest bid gets you a defensible, statute-compliant document. A study that's too thin can leave your board exposed if an owner challenges the reserve budget later.

How much should an HOA or condo have in reserves?

For the SIRS-covered components, Florida law is specific: reserves must be funded based on the study's estimate of remaining useful life and estimated replacement cost for each required component, and the board cannot vote to waive or reduce that funding for those specific items starting with the fiscal year that began January 1, 2025 ^[1]. That's a real change from pre-2022 law, when owners could vote year to year to underfund or skip reserves entirely. For non-SIRS reserve items (things like a clubhouse roof, pool resurfacing, or paving that doesn't affect structural safety), the association can still generally follow its governing documents and any remaining statutory rules on waiver votes, though those rules have also tightened over recent legislative sessions. There's no single dollar figure or percentage-of-budget target that Florida law sets as a universal reserve minimum. Reserve adequacy is component-specific: a 40-year-old building with an aging roof and old plumbing needs dramatically higher reserves than a 5-year-old building with the same square footage. National reserve-planning organizations sometimes cite "fully funded" targets in the 70% range as a rule of thumb for financial health, but that's industry practice, not Florida statute, so treat it as a benchmark, not a legal requirement. Boards should also look at florida condo reserve fund relief options if a study reveals a funding gap too large to close in one budget cycle, since the legislature has periodically considered phase-in and financing relief measures.

What is an HOA assessment, and how does it relate to SIRS?

An HOA or condo assessment is a fee the association charges owners, either regularly (usually monthly or quarterly) or as a one-time "special" assessment, to cover operating costs and capital needs. Regular assessments fund day-to-day expenses and planned reserve contributions. Special assessments cover unplanned or underfunded costs, like an emergency repair or a reserve shortfall the board didn't budget for in advance. SIRS reporting connects directly to assessments because a completed SIRS often reveals gaps between what the association has saved and what it needs for structural components. When that gap is large, and the timeline for repair is short (a failing roof, a garage slab needing replacement), boards frequently turn to a special assessment to bridge it, since regular reserve contributions build up too slowly to cover an urgent need. For more on how special assessments work and what owners can expect, see hoa special assessment and condo special assessment insurance, since some associations carry coverage that can offset part of a large capital cost.

Are HOA special assessments tax deductible?

Generally, no, not for individual homeowners on their personal federal income tax return, and this is one of the most common misconceptions boards field from owners after a big assessment hits. The IRS treats special assessments for improvements to your primary residence similarly to capital improvements: they typically aren't deductible in the year paid, but they may increase your cost basis in the property, which can reduce capital gains tax when you eventually sell ^[2]. There are narrow exceptions. If the unit is a rental property, a portion of assessments related to repairs (as opposed to capital improvements) may be deductible as a business expense in the year paid, subject to IRS rules distinguishing repairs from improvements, as described in IRS Publication 527 (Residential Rental Property) ^[3]. If part of the assessment funds something like an accessibility improvement tied to a medical need, there could be a partial medical expense angle in rare cases. None of this is one-size-fits-all. This is genuinely a question for a CPA or tax professional, not a board member, a property manager, or a blog. IRS Publication 523 (Selling Your Home) covers how capital improvements and assessments affect basis ^[2], and IRS Publication 527 covers the rental-property expense side ^[3]. Boards should never tell owners an assessment "is" or "isn't" deductible. Just point them to a tax professional.

What happens if an association doesn't complete its SIRS on time?

Section 718.501 gives the Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes (part of DBPR) authority to investigate complaints and take administrative action against associations that fail to meet statutory disclosure and reserve obligations ^[1]. Beyond state enforcement, a board that skips or delays its SIRS opens itself up to owner lawsuits, breach of fiduciary duty claims, and, practically speaking, a much harder time selling units, since Florida law also requires certain SIRS-related disclosures to prospective buyers. Lenders and title companies have also started asking for SIRS and milestone inspection status before closing on units in older buildings, following Fannie Mae's updated condo project eligibility guidance issued after Surfside, which requires lenders to review reserve studies and evidence of significant deferred maintenance. An incomplete SIRS can functionally freeze financing in a building even before any state enforcement action happens. There's no statutory grace period written into the law that lets a board simply decide to wait another year. If your association is behind, the priority is getting the engineer or architect engaged immediately, documenting the delay and the steps being taken, and looping in counsel on disclosure obligations in the meantime.

How does SIRS reporting connect to milestone inspections?

Milestone inspections (section 553.899) and SIRS (section 718.112 / 718.503) are two separate requirements that often get bundled together in people's minds, and for good reason: both came out of the same post-Surfside legislative response, both apply to older and taller buildings, and both often involve the same licensed engineer walking the same property. The milestone inspection is a life-safety structural inspection required for condo and cooperative buildings three stories or more, generally due by the building's 30th year (or 25th year if within three miles of the coast), and every 10 years after that ^[1]. It produces a phase one (and, if needed, phase two) report on structural safety. SIRS is a financial planning document that determines how much money the association needs to save, and by when, for the structural components the milestone inspection is also looking at. A milestone inspection can flag an urgent repair; SIRS is what makes sure the money exists to pay for it (or reveals that it doesn't). Many boards contract both studies at once for efficiency. That's smart scheduling, not a shortcut. Each has separate statutory triggers and separate deadlines, and passing one doesn't substitute for the other.

How should a board actually manage SIRS compliance day to day?

Realistically, most volunteer board members are not going to become experts in structural engineering or Chapter 718 in their spare time, and they shouldn't try to. What a board can control is the paperwork trail: getting the right professional under contract, tracking the deadline, documenting board votes and owner disclosures, and keeping receipts of every step for when an owner, a buyer's attorney, or a DBPR investigator asks for proof. A simple compliance checklist looks something like this: confirm building height and applicability, get quotes from at least two licensed engineers or architects, contract the SIRS (bundled with milestone inspection if timing allows), distribute the required summary to owners once complete, update the budget to reflect non-waivable reserve line items, and file the final report and all related board minutes in a permanent record. This is the exact gap our $199 one-time Board Compliance Kit is built to close: it organizes your building's specific deadlines (milestone, SIRS, reserve funding start dates) into one schedule, tracks which documents you have and which you're missing, and drafts the owner communications boards are required to send, so nothing falls through the cracks between board turnover cycles. It doesn't replace your engineer, your attorney, or your CPA. It just keeps the compliance calendar and the paper trail organized so your board isn't reconstructing history from someone's email inbox two years later.

Frequently asked questions

What is a SIRS in Florida condo law?

A Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS) is a study, performed by a licensed engineer or architect, that examines specific structural and life-safety components of a condo building three stories or taller and determines the remaining useful life and replacement cost of each. Florida requires the results to drive non-waivable reserve funding under Fla. Stat. 718.112(2)(g).

What is a reserve study for an HOA?

A reserve study for an HOA is a professional assessment of shared property components (roofs on common buildings, roads, pools, gates, drainage) that projects when each will need replacement and how much it will cost, then sets a savings schedule so the HOA doesn't rely on emergency special assessments. It's a financial planning tool, not always a state-mandated document, unlike SIRS for condos.

How much does a SIRS or reserve study cost in Florida?

Costs vary widely by building size and complexity. Commonly reported ranges for a mid-size condo SIRS run roughly $8,000 to $20,000 or more, with larger or older buildings costing more. There's no official state price list, so get at least two or three quotes from licensed firms before signing a contract.

How much should an HOA or condo association have in reserves?

For SIRS-covered structural components, Florida law requires funding based on the engineer's remaining-life and replacement-cost estimates, with no owner vote to waive those specific reserves starting with the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2025. There's no single statewide dollar or percentage target; it depends entirely on your building's age, components, and the study's findings.

Are HOA or condo special assessments tax deductible?

Generally not on a personal federal return for a primary residence; special assessments for improvements usually add to your cost basis instead, which can reduce capital gains tax later. Rental property owners may deduct a repair-related portion as a business expense in some cases. Talk to a CPA, since this depends on your specific situation.

What is the deadline for completing a SIRS in Florida?

Most qualifying condo associations needed a completed SIRS by December 31, 2024, with the resulting non-waivable reserve requirements starting with the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2025. Some associations have had partial adjustments or extensions from later legislative sessions, so confirm your building's specific deadline with your association's counsel.

Which buildings are required to get a SIRS?

Condominium associations with buildings three stories or more in height fall under the SIRS requirement in Fla. Stat. 718.112(2)(g). Certain small associations and specific building types may have limited exceptions written into the statute, so don't assume exemption without checking current statute text and confirming with counsel.

Who can legally perform a SIRS in Florida?

The visual inspection portion of a SIRS must be done by a Florida-licensed engineer or architect, per Fla. Stat. 718.112(2)(g). Boards can verify a professional's license through the DBPR's licensee search system before signing a contract, since using an unlicensed inspector can invalidate the report's compliance value.

What's the difference between a SIRS and a milestone inspection?

A milestone inspection (Fla. Stat. 553.899) is a life-safety structural inspection due around a building's 25th or 30th year and every 10 years after. A SIRS (Fla. Stat. 718.112/718.503) is a financial study that sets reserve funding for structural components. They're separate requirements often scheduled together with the same engineer.

Can a condo association waive or reduce SIRS reserves by vote?

No. Starting with the fiscal year that began January 1, 2025, associations cannot vote to waive or reduce reserve funding for the structural components identified in a completed SIRS, per Fla. Stat. 718.112(2)(g). This is a significant change from pre-2022 law, when reserve waivers were common at annual meetings.

What happens if my association misses the SIRS deadline?

There's no built-in grace period in the statute. Consequences can include DBPR investigation, owner lawsuits over fiduciary duty, disclosure problems when units go to sale, and lender resistance since Fannie Mae now requires closer review of condo project reserve studies and deferred maintenance. Get the engineer engaged immediately and involve counsel on disclosure obligations.

Does an HOA (not a condo) have to do a SIRS?

The SIRS mandate applies specifically to condominium associations under Chapter 718, not to typical single-family or townhome HOAs under Chapter 720. Some HOAs with condo-form buildings or multi-story common structures may still fall under the requirement, so check with counsel if your HOA includes any condominium-titled buildings.

Sources

1. Florida Senate, Florida Statutes Chapter 718 (Condominiums): SIRS and reserve requirements are codified in Chapter 718 of the Florida Statutes
2. IRS Publication 523, Selling Your Home: Special assessments for home improvements generally are not deductible but may increase cost basis
3. IRS Publication 527, Residential Rental Property: Repair-related expenses on rental property may be deductible as business expenses, subject to rules distinguishing repairs from capital improvements
4. Florida Senate: Statutory requirements for condominium association reserve studies and SIRS reporting under Fla. Stat. 718.112
5. Florida Senate: Definitions relevant to condominium associations including structural integrity reserve study terminology
6. Florida Senate: Milestone inspection requirements for buildings under Fla. Stat. 553.899
7. Florida Senate: HOA assessment collection and enforcement provisions under Fla. Stat. 720.3085
8. IRS: Tax treatment guidance for homeowners regarding deductibility of assessments and related expenses
9. Florida Senate: Provisions on association board responsibilities and compliance obligations