BROWARD COUNTY 40 YEAR RECERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

What are the 40 year structural inspections Fort Lauderdale and Broward County require?

In 2005, Broward County created the 40-year Building Safety Inspection Program, which calls for electrical and structural safety inspections for any building 40 years of age or older. After the first 40-year inspection, additional inspections are required every ten years thereafter, to prevent structural building failures.

This applies to every building property throughout Broward county and the only buildings exempt from this program are two-family dwellings, U.S. Government buildings, State of Florida buildings, buildings under 3,500 square feet, and buildings built on Indian Reservations.

There have been instances of building structures collapsing in South Florida, for example, the most recent one Building Collapses In Surfside where a condo building in Surfside Miami Florida collapsed, most likely due to structural building failures, that could have been detected through a detailed building safety inspection, which includes structural and electrical inspection.

Having this safety program also helps minimize risk and prevent failures like this one which can cost the lives of many. Make sure to check for details and special requirements in your respective city.

Need a 40-year recertification in Broward County? Just Ask G. Batista! 30+ years experienced engineer. (954) 434-2053.

Building owners are responsible to hire a state-licensed engineer to perform a safety inspection in order to comply with the 40 year recertification requirement. This inspection will identify any issues that need to be corrected in the form of safety inspection reports.

Owners or property managers are required to provide this to the City Building Department within 90 days of the 40 year anniversary date or the 10 year anniversary dates thereafter. If repairs are needed, the owner has 180 days from the date of the building inspection report, to correct the deficiencies and complete the necessary repairs.

Repairs that are not considered life-threatening may have more time to be completed. Once the building is deemed structurally safe, a safety inspection report will be provided to the building owner. Each local government has the authority to charge a fee to review these inspection reports. In Fort Lauderdale, for example, the fee is $300.

Notices of 40-year recertification requirements are generally sent to building properties via mail, however, it is the building owner’s responsibility to know when the building turns 40 years of age and every 10 years thereafter. Even if a Notice of Required Inspection is not received by your local compliance department of your county or city, you should acquire the 40-year recertification.

Failure to submit this report can result in a Civil Violation Notice which will be reported to the Unsafe Structures Unit. This can result in the building needing to be vacated and in extreme cases it may require for the building to be demolished. Property owners may also be liable for a maximum fine of over $10,000 plus enforcement costs that were incurred by the building and safety departments. Bottom line, no news does not mean good news when it comes to building structural and electrical safety.

Be proactive. If you are not aware of the age of your building, contact your local city who can guide you to find out this information. You can also do a property search at the Broward County Property Appraiser website by clicking here.

Need a 40-year recertification in Broward County? Just Ask G. Batista! 30+ years experienced engineer. (954) 434-2053.

A 40 Year Inspection has 2 components, which are structural and electrical safety inspections. The scope of a structural inspection usually includes:
Structural Components Condition (General alignment of building, deflection, contraction, expansion, settlement, surface conditions, checks for spalling, cracks, moisture penetration)

• Load-bearing Walls Inspection
• Floor and Roof Systems
• Steel Framing
• Concrete Framing
• Windows
• Wood Framing
• The scope of an electrical inspection report includes:
• Meter and electrical room clearance
• Electrical safety inspection and panels check
• Grounding
• Service conductors and cables
• Feeder conductors
• Illumination
• Fire Alarm
• Smoke Detectors
• Parking Area Lighting
• Mechanical Equipment Wiring

The 40 year recertification inspection report includes a statement that describes if a building is structurally safe or unsafe, and indicates any structural or electrical deficiencies.

If immediate threat or unsafe conditions were found by structural engineers, the inspection report will provide qualifications that are needed, and any necessary repairs before it can be deemed safe.

In most cases, future building failure can be prevented, by following the building safety inspection requirements, and ensuring proper maintenance procedures are in place. For a detailed look at Broward County’s Building Safety Inspection Program, click here.