Coastal 25-year inspections in Pinellas County
Your building department, not a fixed 3-mile line, decides.
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We arrange and coordinate the 25-year coastal rule for condo and co-op associations in Pinellas County, working to the rules of the Pinellas County Building and Development Review Services from the first notice to the final report.
- Free, no-obligation proposal
- Inspections by Florida-licensed engineers and architects
- Milestone, SIRS and recertification deadlines
The short answer
Whether a Pinellas County building's first milestone inspection comes at 25 or 30 years is a local decision under s. 553.899(3)(b), based on circumstances such as proximity to salt water. Pinellas uses a 30-year schedule with no separate coastal rule. Pinellas buildings that turned 30 before 1 July 2022 were due before 31 December 2024.
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25 or 30 years in Pinellas County
- The county uses the 30-year schedule with the state's legacy dates and no separate coastal rule, so a Gulf-front tower on Indian Rocks Beach has the same first deadline as an inland building.
- Buildings that reached 30 years before 1 July 2022 had to be inspected before 31 December 2024, those reaching 30 by 31 December 2024 before 31 December 2025, and later buildings by 31 December of the year they turn 30.
- The county counts a garage or parking area beneath the living space as a story, which can bring a building over parking into the three-story rule.
- In the state's 2024 data, 8 Pinellas buildings were found unsafe or uninhabitable after milestone inspections, out of 30 statewide and behind only Osceola County.
How we handle the 25-year coastal rule in Pinellas County
Pinellas splits the filing by jurisdiction. If your building is in unincorporated Pinellas or one of the seven towns the county serves, the report goes through the county's Access Portal after registration; if it is in St. Petersburg, Clearwater or another city, it goes to that city. We confirm the right office before the inspection, so the sealed report lands where the clock is running.[1]
Permits in Pinellas County
- Pinellas County, Condo Milestone Inspections: Milestone inspection registration and reports through the Access Portal
What changed in 2023?
SB 4-D (2022) made 25 years automatic for buildings within 3 miles of a coastline. SB 154 (2023) replaced that with the local enforcement agency's decision based on local circumstances such as proximity to salt water. Many guides, and some search answers, still quote the old automatic rule.[5][4][3]
| Topic | Rule in Pinellas County | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Buildings covered | The county files for unincorporated Pinellas and seven towns including Indian Rocks Beach and Belleair Beach. | Pinellas County |
| Filing | Associations register on the Pinellas County Access Portal under Ordinance 24-18. | Pinellas County |
| Flood zones | In a Special Flood Hazard Area the county applies the 49% rule to repairs. | Pinellas County |
| Notice | Notices arrive by certified mail, and owners must be told within 14 days. | Pinellas County |
| Contact | The county takes milestone questions at Milestone@pinellas.gov. | Pinellas County |
Frequently asked questions
Is Pinellas County on a 25-year or a 30-year schedule?
The county uses the 30-year schedule with the state's legacy dates and no separate coastal rule, so a Gulf-front tower on Indian Rocks Beach has the same first deadline as an inland building. Your notice letter is the deciding document if anything on a website differs.
Does Pinellas County handle reports for our city?
The county files for unincorporated Pinellas and seven municipalities, Belleair Beach, Belleair Bluffs, Belleair Shore, Indian Rocks Beach, Oldsmar, Safety Harbor and Kenneth City. Other cities file with their own building departments.
Does a parking level count as a story in Pinellas?
Yes. The county counts a garage or parking area beneath the living space as a story.
Sources
- Condo Milestone Inspections, Pinellas County, Pinellas County. Accessed October 28, 2026.
- Milestone Inspection Reporting Data 2024 and 2025, Report 26-04, July 2026, Florida Legislature, OPPAGA. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- s. 553.899, Florida Statutes, Online Sunshine, Florida Legislature. Accessed October 28, 2026.
- Chapter 2023-203, Laws of Florida (CS/CS/SB 154), approved June 9 2023, Laws of Florida. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Chapter 2022-269, Laws of Florida (SB 4-D), approved May 26 2022, Florida Department of State / Laws of Florida. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Mandatory Milestone Inspections, Palm Beach County Building Division, Palm Beach County. Accessed October 28, 2026.
- Building Recertification Inspection Program, City of Boca Raton, City of Boca Raton. Accessed October 28, 2026.
- Recertification (Miami-Dade County Building), Miami-Dade County. Accessed October 28, 2026.
- Building Safety Inspection Program, City of Fort Lauderdale, City of Fort Lauderdale. Accessed October 28, 2026.
- Condominium Inspections FAQ, City of Cape Coral, City of Cape Coral. Accessed October 28, 2026.
- Condo milestone inspections, City of Tampa Construction Services, City of Tampa. Accessed October 28, 2026.
- Broward County Board of Rules and Appeals Policy #05-05, Building Safety Inspection Program (effective 9 August 2024), Broward County Board of Rules and Appeals (copy linked from the City of Fort Lauderdale BSIP page). Accessed October 28, 2026.
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