Building Safety Inspection Program

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Information

The Broward County Board of Rules and Appeals has established a Building Safety Inspection Program (BORA Policy 05-05) for Buildings and Structures that are 25 years of age or older.

Subsequent Building Safety Inspections shall be required at ten (10) year intervals from the original required inspection date, regardless of when the inspection report for the building or structure is finalized or filed.

The following are EXEMPT from this program:

U.S. Government Buildings
State of Florida Buildings
Buildings built on sovereign tribal lands
School Buildings under the jurisdiction of the Broward County School Board
Single-family, two-family, three-family, and four-family dwellings with three or fewer habitable stories above ground.
Fee Simple Townhouses as defined in the Florida Building Code
Minor Structures, defined as buildings or structures in any occupancy group having a building area less than three thousand five hundred (3,500) square feet.
Railroads and ancillary facilities associated with the railroad.

NOTE: Any building or structure which houses, covers, stores, or maintains any support features, materials, or equipment necessary for the operation of all or part of the primary structure, or operation of any feature located upon the real property, shall not be considered a minor building or structure and shall be subject to inspection as otherwise set forth herein.

Structures to be included in the Safety Inspection Program are elevated decks, balconies, docks, and seawalls if attached to or supporting any structure. Parking garages, guardrails, and as such, are not exempt from this program.

Timeline for the Building Safety Inspection Program

Between June 1st and August 31st of each year, the Building Official shall send out a Notice of Required Inspection by certified mail to the owner or association of all Buildings that are due for their Building Inspection during that calendar year.
Within 180 days of the Notice being sent, the Owner shall be required to submit a written report including the Broward County Board of Rules and Appeals Structural and Electrical Safety Inspection Report Form to the Building Official, prepared by a qualified Florida Licensed Professional Engineer or Florida Registered Architect, certifying that each such Building or Structure is structurally and electrically safe or has been made structurally and electrically safe for the specified use for continued occupancy, in conformity with the minimum inspection procedural guidelines as issued by the Board of Rules and Appeals.

In the event that repairs or modifications are found to be necessary as a result of the Building Safety Inspection, the owner shall have a total of 180 days from the date of the Building Safety Inspection Report (unless otherwise specified by the Building Official) to complete the required repairs and correct the structural and electrical deficiencies.

When any Electrical or Structural repairs or modifications are required, the responsible Engineer or Architect who performed the Building Safety Inspection and issued the report shall provide the Building Owner and Building Official with a signed and sealed letter indicating whether the Building or Structure may continue to be safely occupied while the Building or Structure is undergoing repairs. This letter shall be valid for no more than 180 days, and a new letter issued if repairs or modifications remain ongoing.

Once all required repairs have been completed, the responsible Licensed Professional Engineer or Registered Architect who performed the Safety Inspection and issued the report shall re-inspect the areas noted on the original report and provide the Building Owner and Building Official an amended report with a signed and sealed letter stating that all of the required repairs and corrections have been completed and that the Building or Structure has been certified for continued use.

Timeline Extensions

The Building Official may issue an extension of not more than 60 days to submit a Building Safety Inspection Report, or to obtain necessary permits, upon a written extension request from a Licensed Professional Engineer or Registered Architect qualified for the type of building or structure in question. Such a request shall contain a signed and sealed statement from the Engineer or Architect that the Building may continue to be occupied while undergoing the Building Safety Inspection and Certification process.
For deficiencies that cannot be corrected within 180 days, the time frame may be extended when a new time frame is specified by the responsible Licensed Professional Engineer or Registered Architect and approved by the Building Official. Such extension shall be contingent on maintaining an active Building Permit for repairs.

Fees Associated with Building Safety Inspection Program

A fee of $350.00 per building or structure is due at time of report submittal.