What is a re-certification and why is it required?

 

The counties of Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm beach require that a building shall be re-certified at 40 years from time of construction based on the property appraisals office.  If you own commercial property in the tri-county area of south Florida, then you will be required to obtain a 40 Year Inspection/ Recertification to ensure that your building is safe, functional and structurally sound.

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The counties codes require a 40 Year Inspection on most commercial buildings. Property owners receive a Notice of Required Inspection as the anniversary date approaches. This anniversary is determined by the date on which the structure received its original Certificate of Occupancy.  Recertifications are required on most buildings except for duplexes and single-family homes. Buildings that have occupant loads of 10 or fewer and are fewer than 2,000 square feet in Miami-Dade County and fewer than 3,500 square feet in Broward County also may be exempted.

the property owner will receive Notice of the Required Inspection, they have 90 days to perform a and submit the inspection. The results of this thorough assessment of the structure will determine whether or not it can be recertified for a 10-year period. If it cannot immediately be recertified, then the property owner is required to make repairs and improvements to obtain recertification.

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All of the structure’s major components will be examined during the inspection. This includes the electrical and foundational systems as well as the roof, steel frames, masonry bearing walls, concrete framing systems and wood framing. The Inspector additionally looks at Electrical system, emergency lighting and conduit raceways.  Accordingly, the inspector will need to evaluate all of the main structural elements to determine if they are sound. Any signs that indicate compromised structural integrity will be noted in a report.

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The inspector will visit the electrical room and assess the panels, gutters, feeders, breakers and other components of the system. A thermal inspection shall be required if the building’s electrical system operates at greater than 400 amps.