Are SIRS reports in Florida public record?

Yesโ€”SIRS reports in Florida are considered official records under the Condominium Act and Cooperative Act, and are public records, but mainly for property owners, prospective buyers, and governmental reviewโ€”not the general public at large.


๐Ÿ“˜ What is a SIRS Report?

A Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS) is a detailed assessment of a buildingโ€™s structural components (e.g., roof, plumbing, windows, waterproofing, fire protection) conducted by a licensed engineer or architect


โœ… Who Can Access Them?

1. Unit Owners

  • Any unit owner may inspect or copy the SIRS upon written request

  • SIRS must also be maintained in official association records for at least 15 years, and be disclosed to prospective purchasers during sales

2. Prospective Buyers

  • Sellers must provide the most recent SIRS (or state that none exist) in unit sale contracts or disclosures when a contract is entered on/after Decโ€ฏ31,โ€ฏ2024โ€ฏ

3. DBPR / Local Building Officials

  • Associations must submit the SIRS or at least a statement with it to the DBPRโ€™s Division of Condominiums, Timeshares & Mobile Homes within 45 days of receiving the report

  • The DBPR oversees compliance, ensuring procedural steps are met

  • Some counties may require submission to local building officials as part of enforcing building safety


๐Ÿ—‚๏ธ Are These Public Records?

Yesโ€”they are public records, but with usage limits:

  • Under Florida law (Chapter 119), they’re records used in the official conduct of business by a public agency

  • While theyโ€™re part of the official records the association keeps, they aren’t typically posted publicly online, but must be made available:

    • To unit owners on request,

    • To buyers during sales,

    • To regulatory bodies (DBPR, building officials).


๐Ÿ“Œ Summary Table

Who Can Access SIRS? How/What
Unit Owners โœ… Yes Written request; inspect or copy; maintained for 15 years
Prospective Buyers โœ… Yes Must receive current SIRS or disclosure of none when buying
DBPR / Regulatory Agencies โœ… Yes Provided via official reporting within 45 days
General Public โš ๏ธ Indirect Not publicly posted, but may access records by becoming a buyer or owner

๐Ÿ“ Bottom Line

SIRS are not publicly searchable like a website, but they are part of official records with legal access rights for unit owners, prospective buyers, and regulators. So while it’s not โ€œpublic recordโ€ in the same sense as government meeting minutes, it is nevertheless mandated by law to be accessible to those legally involved with the property.

Thinking of buying in a condo community and need help finding the SIRS report or navigating association records? Just let me knowโ€”I’m happy to assist.