Recertification
Process FAQ
Clear answers on what building recertification is, what triggers it, what gets inspected and what happens when deficiencies are found. Covering Miami-Dade and Broward County.
What recertification is and which buildings need it
What is building recertification?
It is a documented inspection of a building's key systems that the county requires once a building reaches a milestone age. In Miami-Dade and Broward, this recertification is what owners complete to stay in compliance.
Which buildings need recertification?
Commercial and multifamily residential buildings in Miami-Dade and Broward that have reached their milestone age, including condominiums, apartment buildings, offices, retail and warehouses. Single-family homes, duplexes and small, low-occupancy buildings are exempt, with the exact size threshold set by each county. If a notice has arrived, the requirement already applies to that building, and the property address is all we need to confirm the timing and the scope.
Is it the 40, 30 or 25 year recertification?
It depends on your county. In Miami-Dade, condominium and cooperative buildings three stories or taller within three miles of the coast start at 25 years, and all other buildings start at 30, with recertification every 10 years after that. In Broward every building begins at 25 years regardless of location, and every 10 years after that. "40-Year" is the older name many people still use, so we lead with recertification and then note the actual timing that applies to your county.
Who sets the rules, the county or the city?
The rules are set by the county. Where the filing goes depends on where the building sits. Inside some incorporated cities the recertification is filed with that city's building department, and elsewhere it is filed with the county. We confirm which applies to your building at the start and handle the filing either way.
What about SIRS and the statewide milestone inspection?
Both are separate from recertification, and both are often confused with it. The statewide milestone inspection, created under SB 4-D after Surfside, applies across Florida to condominium and cooperative buildings three or more habitable stories tall. The Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS) is a separate study condominium associations use to plan reserve funding for structural repairs. In Miami-Dade and Broward, the county recertification also satisfies the state milestone requirement, while a SIRS remains a separate study. Our service is the county recertification. We do not perform milestone inspections or SIRS, but we are glad to explain how the three fit together for your building.
Does recertification apply to commercial buildings?
Yes. In Miami-Dade and Broward, recertification covers commercial buildings as well as multifamily residential, including offices, retail, warehouses and mixed-use properties. This is one of the clearest differences from the statewide milestone inspection, which applies only to condominium and cooperative buildings. If you own a commercial building that has reached its milestone age, the county recertification is the requirement that applies to you.
Does passing the milestone inspection satisfy the recertification?
Not automatically. The structural part of the milestone inspection is similar to the structural part of the recertification, but not the same, and the milestone does not include the electrical inspection Miami-Dade and Broward require. The good news is that it works the other way around: in Miami-Dade and Broward, the county recertification satisfies the state milestone requirement.
How do I know if my building is due?
The building department tells you. In Miami-Dade and Broward, owners receive courtesy notices two years and one year ahead, followed by the official notice in the year the recertification is due. You do not have to wait for any of them. The paperwork can be submitted up to two years early, and recertifying early does not shorten your cycle: if your building is due in 2028 and is recertified in 2026, the next recertification is still due in 2038. Send us the property address and we will tell you whether the building is due and which inspections apply.
Does my HOA or townhouse need recertification?
It depends on the building, not on the association. In Miami-Dade, single-family homes, duplexes, fee-simple townhouses and buildings with an occupant load of 10 or less and 2,000 square feet or less are exempt. Townhouse-style buildings designated as condominiums by the Property Appraiser are not exempt. In Broward, one- to four-family dwellings of three or fewer habitable stories, fee-simple townhouses and buildings under 3,500 square feet are exempt. Other buildings that reach their milestone age need recertification, including many HOA and condominium buildings.
How much time do we have after the notice?
It depends on the county. In Miami-Dade, the recertification reports must be submitted within 90 days of the notice. In Broward, notices go out between June 1 and August 31, and owners have 180 days from receiving the notice to submit. Either way, the window is shorter than it looks once you account for scheduling, the inspection and the report, so the earlier you call, the easier it is.
What gets inspected and how long it takes
What does the inspection include?
Structural and electrical are the core in both counties. In Miami-Dade, infrared thermography is added where a building has equipment rated 400 amps or larger, and a nighttime parking lot illumination check is included where the property has parking. Broward requires structural and electrical only. It does not use infrared thermography or the parking lot illumination check. We confirm the exact scope that applies to your building before any work begins.
Why is infrared thermography sometimes required?
It applies in Miami-Dade for buildings with electrical equipment rated 400 amps or larger. Broward does not require it. Infrared detects hidden electrical faults and overheating before they become hazards, which is why the county treats it as part of the recertification scope for larger services. Our own Level II thermographers carry it out as part of the recertification.
What is the nighttime parking lot illumination check?
In Miami-Dade, a property with parking has its lot lighting checked at night as part of the recertification, to confirm the illumination levels the county requires for safety. Broward does not require it. We carry it out alongside the rest of the inspection, so it does not become a separate appointment for you to coordinate.
Why does recertification need an electrical engineer?
Because the recertification certifies the building's electrical system as well as its structure. Panels, wiring and electrical equipment are inspected by a licensed engineer, and in Miami-Dade electrical systems of 400 amps or larger also require infrared thermography. ESi has in-house electrical and structural professional engineers, and our own Level II thermographers carry out the infrared work, so the electrical side of your recertification gets the same depth as the structural side.
Can the inspection be done while the building is occupied?
Yes. Recertification inspections are carried out with the building in normal use, and residents and tenants can go about their day. We coordinate access to electrical rooms, the roof and parking in advance. The infrared scan is done while the electrical system is running under its normal load, so no shutdown is needed for it.
What do we receive at the end of the recertification?
If deficiencies are found, you first receive a courtesy report we review with you, so there are no surprises. Then the final report, signed and sealed by a licensed Florida Professional Engineer, prepared on the forms the building department requires, with the photo documentation it asks for. We file it and manage the correspondence until the building department reviews the recertification. If the building has no deficiencies, you receive the building department's approval letter as proof of recertification for your records.
How long does the process take?
Once the proposal is approved, we typically inspect within about 7 days, and the complete report typically follows about 5 days after the inspection. Timing varies with the size of the building and the building department's workload, and we keep you informed at each stage so you can plan around it.
How should I prepare for the inspection?
Please make sure we can access electrical panels, structural areas and parking. Any prior inspection reports are useful, so share those if you have them. Our readiness guide explains what we look for and how to prepare, and is free to download.
Is there a free guide to help me prepare for recertification?
Yes. The ESi Recertification Readiness Guide is a free two-page PDF for property owners and managers. It explains what our team looks for during the structural and electrical inspections, which infrared and parking lighting items apply in Miami-Dade County, how to prepare for inspection day and what is and is not included in the scope. There is nothing to fill out or return. You can request it on our Resources page and it arrives by email.
Are your engineers licensed and insured?
Yes. Our reports are signed by licensed Florida Professional Engineers, our thermography is carried out by Level II Thermographers, and we carry both liability and professional insurance. Any license can be verified directly at DBPR.
What happens when something is found
What happens if my building has deficiencies?
You hear it from us first. We give you a draft report and discuss any repairs with you in advance, so you have time to review the scope and brief a board or an owner group before anything is filed. Any repairs go through the proper permitting process as required, and they are the building owner's responsibility through their own contractor. We can point you to contractors we trust if that is useful, and you are never required to use them.
Do you handle the permitting process?
Yes. On every job we prepare the recertification submittal and manage the correspondence with the building department, whether the filing goes to the county or to your city. The portal is never your responsibility. This covers the recertification filing itself. Permits for any repairs the findings call for are separate, and are the building owner's responsibility through their own contractor.
Is recertification pass or fail?
Not in the way an exam is. The engineer either certifies the building as it stands or documents the items that need correction first. If repairs are needed, we give you a draft and discuss them with you in advance, and you complete them through your own contractor with the proper permits. In Broward, repairs generally must be completed within 180 days of the report unless the building official sets a different time frame. Once the work is done, the engineer re-inspects and the recertification is completed.
Does ESi do the repairs?
No, and that is by design. We inspect only. We never design or perform repairs, so we have no financial interest in what we find. What we report is what the building needs. If repairs are needed, we discuss them with you in advance and you choose your own contractor. We can point you to contractors we trust if that helps, and you are never required to use them.
What happens if we missed our recertification deadline?
Act now. In Miami-Dade, a missed recertification leads to a citation with an initial penalty of $510, and unresolved cases can accumulate penalties of up to $10,000 per violation and a lien on the property. In both Miami-Dade and Broward, the building official can grant an extension of up to 60 days, but only on a written request from the engineer or architect with a signed and sealed statement that the building can remain occupied. Engaging an engineer right away is the fastest way back into compliance. Send us the property address and we will tell you exactly where the building stands.
Pricing, credentials and how to get started
Do you publish pricing?
Pricing depends on the building, its size, its location and which inspections apply in your county. We prefer a short conversation first so we can confirm exactly what your recertification requires, and then give you an accurate figure rather than a range that changes later.
Do I need to send you the notice to get started?
No. The property address is all we need. We can pull the rest from the county database and the property appraiser records. Send the notice if you have it to hand, but it is never required.
Who leads ESi?
ESi was founded in 2014 by Oscar Sebelen, P.E., a licensed Electrical Professional Engineer in Florida since 2005 and a State of Florida Certified Electrical Contractor, with more than 25 years in the field. He has served as engineer of record on thousands of projects across nearly every occupancy type, has led complete mechanical, electrical and plumbing teams of designers, engineers and project managers, and has provided forensic engineering for court cases and insurance claims. He is experienced in infrared thermography for electrical systems and building envelopes, has taught continuing education courses for architects through the AIA in Miami-Dade and Broward, and continues to lead the firm today.
We manage several buildings. Can you handle all of them?
Yes. Send us all the addresses at once and we will map which buildings are due and when, plus which inspections each one needs, so you can plan and budget across the whole portfolio. One team handles the inspections, the reports and the filings for every building.
Why should I choose ESi over another firm?
Four things set us apart. We give you a draft report and discuss the findings with you before anything is filed. We have no conflict of interest, because we inspect only and never design or repair. We manage the full submittal and correspondence with the building department at no additional cost. And we carry both liability and professional insurance. Behind all of it is a firm founded in 2014 and led by an electrical engineer with more than 25 years in the field.
A short call answers everything.
Tell us about your building and we will outline exactly what your recertification requires, what the scope covers in your county and what the timeline looks like.