Building Recertification
Vilano Engineering performs building recertification and milestone safety inspections for condominium, cooperative, and commercial buildings in Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties — structural inspection, electrical inspection, and infrared thermography, sealed and submitted as a single package.
Most recertification work is split between vendors: a structural firm, an electrical engineer, and a thermographer, each on a separate contract and schedule, with the owner coordinating all three against one deadline. Vilano Engineering delivers all three.
A Notice of Required Inspection from your building department means your building is due, and it names the date by which the report must be filed. What it is asking for is a sealed engineering report — in most jurisdictions covering both structural and electrical systems, and in some, an infrared thermographic scan of the electrical distribution equipment as well.
The first step is confirming what your jurisdiction requires and what your deadline actually is, because both vary by county and municipality. Send us the notice and we can tell you what the submittal needs to contain. If you are not sure what the notice is asking for, start with what to do when you receive a recertification notice.
Send us your notice →The structural portion is a visual examination of the building's primary structural systems — foundation, load-bearing walls, floor and roof structure, balconies, railings, and exposed concrete — assessing condition and identifying any deterioration requiring repair.
Where the examination identifies substantial structural deterioration, a second phase follows.
The electrical portion is a separate evaluation, and in Miami-Dade, Broward, and the Palm Beach municipalities with recertification programs, it is a required part of the submittal.
It covers the electrical service and metering, feeders and distribution equipment, panelboards, disconnects and overcurrent protection, grounding and bonding, emergency and egress lighting, fire alarm and life safety systems, and common area and parking illumination levels.
Miami-Dade, Boca Raton, and Boynton Beach require an infrared thermographic inspection of the electrical distribution equipment where the building's electrical service is 400 amperes or more in aggregate. The scan is performed on energized equipment under load by a certified thermographer, and the report forms part of the sealed submittal.
More on infrared thermography inspections →Vilano Engineering performs recertification inspections throughout Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties, including Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, and Highland Beach in Palm Beach County; Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach, Miramar, Coral Springs, Margate, Lighthouse Point, Sunrise, Tamarac, Davie, and Coconut Creek in Broward; and Miami Beach and the City of Miami in Miami-Dade.
Requirements differ by jurisdiction. Miami-Dade and Broward each operate county recertification programs covering structural and electrical systems, administered through municipal building departments. Miami-Dade also requires infrared thermography where the electrical service is large enough; Broward does not. Palm Beach County has no county-wide program — Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, and Highland Beach operate their own, and buildings elsewhere in the county are subject to the statewide milestone inspection only.
Florida has two layers of requirement. The statewide milestone inspection applies to condominium and cooperative buildings of three or more habitable stories and is a structural requirement in every county. County and municipal recertification programs are separate, generally cover both structural and electrical systems, and exist only in certain jurisdictions.
A building's age runs from the date the certificate of occupancy was issued. Beyond that, deadlines and thresholds are set locally and have been amended several times, so the building official having jurisdiction is the reliable source for your date.
For the statutory text, see Florida Statute 553.899. For state guidance on milestone inspections and reserve studies, see the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
The notice names your deadline and the jurisdiction's submittal requirements. Engage an engineer early — some jurisdictions will consider an extension where the owner has already contracted for the inspection, and engineering availability tightens as deadlines approach. Send us the notice and we can tell you what the report needs to cover.
No. One firm can deliver both together. Vilano Engineering performs the structural inspection, the electrical inspection, and the thermographic scan where required, and submits them as a single sealed package.
In Miami-Dade, Boca Raton, and Boynton Beach, where the building's electrical service is 400 amperes or more in aggregate. It must be performed by a certified thermographer meeting the jurisdiction's requirements, and the report forms part of the sealed submittal.
No. The milestone inspection is a statewide structural requirement. Recertification is a separate county or municipal program covering structural and electrical systems. A building may be subject to both, and whether work completed for one applies to the other depends on the jurisdiction and the scope performed.
The building's age runs from the certificate of occupancy, but the applicable schedule is set by your county or municipality. Confirm the date with the building official having jurisdiction.
Last modified August 2026.
Vilano Engineering, LLC is a licensed engineering firm providing building recertification and safety inspections, infrared thermography, electrical design, expert witness services, developer turnover, and property condition assessments.
Nicholas Strachan, PE
Licensed Professional Engineer — Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, New York, North Carolina, Texas
Certified Level II Thermographer
Licensed Plans Examiner — Florida
25+ years in engineering design, inspection, and quality assurance