Florida Wind Mitigation Inspection: The 2026 Form, Question by Question
Nine questions. That's what a Florida wind mitigation inspection answers now, up from seven. On April 1, 2026, the Office of Insurance Regulation's new version of the form, OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), took effect, and any inspection done since then has to be on it. The answers on that form decide which wind mitigation credits land on the hurricane portion of your homeowners premium.
The credits themselves aren't optional for insurers. Under s. 627.0629(1), Florida Statutes, every residential property rate filing must include actuarially reasonable discounts, credits or deductible reductions for features shown to cut windstorm losses. The uniform form, submitted by the policyholder, is how you prove which of those features your house has.
And it's a live question in the Panhandle right now. Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin on the evening of October 9 with 105 mph sustained winds. If your house in Okaloosa, Walton or Bay County ends up with a new roof, that's exactly the kind of change that makes an old form out of date.
Source: OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26) and the adopted redline; Rule 69O-170.0155, F.A.C.; s. 627.711, Florida Statutes (2026).
What Florida law makes insurers do
Four statutes do the work here, and each one gives you something specific to ask for.
- Credits must exist. s. 627.0629(1) lists the features that have to be recognized: wind uplift prevention, roof strength, roof covering performance, roof-to-wall strength, wall-to-floor-to-foundation strength, opening protection, and window, door and skylight strength. Credits for features that simply meet the minimum Florida Building Code must be in the filing too.
- You must be told. Under s. 627.711(1), your insurer has to notify you on an OIR-prescribed form, when the policy is issued and at every renewal, of the mitigation discounts available and their range. Since October 1, 2023, insurers also have to describe their hurricane mitigation discounts on their website, reachable from the home page or the main page for Florida property customers.
- Hurricane premium shown separately. s. 627.0629(4) splits residential rates into a hurricane piece and an everything-else piece, and your premium notice has to show both. That hurricane line is where wind mitigation credits work.
- Credit or lower deductible. If you've taken mitigation measures, s. 627.701(9) requires the insurer to offer you a choice: an appropriate reduction in your hurricane deductible, or the discount credit.
How much each feature is worth isn't set by statute. Discounts must follow OIR's loss-relativity tables (forms OIR-B1-1699 and OIR-B1-1700) unless an insurer supports different numbers with its own detailed study, under Rule 69O-170.017. Those tables date to 2006, and OIR opened rule development to update them on April 1, 2026. I'm not going to quote discount percentages here, because they vary by insurer and by the rest of your house, and the new tables aren't adopted yet. Your insurer's notice and website are where the actual numbers live.
What changed on the 2026 form
OIR is required to re-examine mitigation features and their values by January 1, 2025 and every five years after that. The 2026 form is the result of that review. The rule was filed on December 18, 2025 and took effect April 1, 2026 (Rule 69O-170.0155).
| Change | Old form (Rev. 01/12) | New form (Rev. 04/26) |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions | 7 | 9: Region and Roof Slope added as questions 2 and 3 |
| Building code question | Was the home built in compliance with the FBC? | Which code was in force when the original permit was applied for; adds an FBC 2007-and-later answer |
| Roof covering types | No synthetic tile line | Adds synthetic/composite tile; now requires the year installed plus the permit date or approval number (old form accepted any one) |
| Roof deck attachment | No spray foam option | Adds spray foam rated at 110 psf uplift (answer E) |
| Roof-to-wall attachment | Described by strap and nail pattern | Adds rated-capacity alternatives (185 to 891 lbs) and answer I, connections not installed as intended |
| Proof | Photos or documents for questions 3 to 7 | At least one photo or document for each attribute in questions 2 to 9 |
| FORTIFIED certificates | Not referenced | A FORTIFIED Home Roof, Silver or Gold certificate can validate questions 4 to 6 and 8 to 9 |
Source: OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26) and the final redline posted with Ref-18852, Florida Administrative Register.
If your current form was done before April 1, 2026, it doesn't automatically become worthless. Citizens Property Insurance Corporation told its agents in a March 19, 2026 bulletin that it will keep accepting the old Rev. 01/12 form if it was completed within five years before April 1, 2026 and the structure hasn't changed. The same bulletin says the new features "will not result in any difference to the credits available and applied at this time." That's Citizens' position. Other insurers set their own, so ask yours before you pay for a new inspection just because the form changed.
The nine questions, one at a time
Several questions ask for the weakest example on the house, not the typical one. One toenailed truss, one unprotected window, one patch of 6d nails, and that's the answer for the whole house. The form also warns that "some items listed may not qualify for a discount," so a strong answer on paper isn't a promise of credit.
| # | Question | Answer choices on the form | What the inspector needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Building code | A: FBC 2001 & 2004. B: FBC 2007 or later. C: SFBC-94 (Miami-Dade and Broward only). D: unknown or doesn't qualify | Year built; for 2002-03, 2007-08 or 1994-96 homes, the permit application date |
| 2 | Region | HVHZ, Region 1 (140 mph or more), Region 2 (130-139 mph), Region 3 (under 130 mph) | Design wind speed from ASCE 7-22 |
| 3 | Roof slope | 6:12 or steeper; flatter than 6:12 | The slope covering at least two-thirds of the main roof |
| 4 | Roof covering | A or B: all coverings meet the code or approval tests. C: one or more don't. D: none do | Permit date or product approval number, plus year installed, for each covering |
| 5 | Roof deck attachment | A-C and E by nail size, spacing or rated uplift; D is a reinforced concrete deck; F other; G unknown; H no attic access | Attic access to see nails or staples |
| 6 | Roof-to-wall attachment | Toenails, clips, single wraps, double wraps, structural; or other, unknown, no access, not installed as intended | Attic access; photos of the weakest connection |
| 7 | Roof geometry | Hip, flat (5+ unit buildings), other | Lengths of non-hip roof features vs. total perimeter |
| 8 | Secondary water resistance | Sealed roof deck; none; unknown | Proof of the underlayment or seam tape used |
| 9 | Opening protection | A, B, C, N (each with 1-3 sub-answers), X or Z, based on the weakest opening | Product approvals or labels for windows, doors, skylights and garage doors |
Source: OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), adopted by Rule 69O-170.0155, F.A.C.
1. Building code
This asks which code was in force when the original building permit was applied for, not just the year the house was finished. A 2002 or 2003 home needs a permit application dated after March 1, 2002 to count under the 2001 Florida Building Code. A 2007 or 2008 home needs one after December 8, 2006 for the 2007 code. In the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (Miami-Dade and Broward), homes built 1994 to 1996 need a permit application after September 1, 1994 for the South Florida Building Code. If your home was built in one of those transition years and you can't produce the permit date, the answer drops to D, unknown. Your county or city building department's permit records are the place to look before the inspector arrives.
2. Region and 3. Roof slope
Both are new. Region places the house by design wind speed, from the HVHZ through Region 3 (under 130 mph). Roof slope is a yes-or-no on whether the main roof is 6:12 or steeper. Neither is something you can change, and per Citizens' bulletin they don't change its credits for now.
4. Roof covering
The inspector lists every covering on the house and, for each one, the permit application date or the Florida Building Code or Miami-Dade product approval number, plus the year it went on. Answer A means everything meets the code test, for example a roofing permit applied for on or after March 1, 2002, or an original roof on a home built in 2004 or later. If even one section (say, a low-slope membrane over a back porch addition) can't be documented, the answer becomes C. A roof permit is the single most useful piece of paper you can hand the inspector.
5. Roof deck attachment
This is how the plywood or OSB sheathing is fastened to the trusses, and it's judged by the weakest area found in the attic. The answers step up in uplift resistance:
Source: OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), question 5. Sorted by uplift resistance
Show the numbers
| Answer | Uplift |
|---|---|
| A: staples or 6d nails | 55 psf |
| B: 8d nails, 12 in. apart | 103 psf |
| E: spray foam | 110 psf |
| C: 8d nails, 6 in. apart | 182 psf |
Spray foam, new as answer E, is rated at 110 psf, which lands between B and C. For the plywood and OSB options in A to C, the sheathing has to be at least 7/16 inch thick on trusses no more than 24 inches apart. If the nailing is wider or the decking thinner than that, the inspector must choose F, other. No attic access means answer H, and that's an answer no one wants, so clear a path to the attic hatch before the appointment.
6. Roof-to-wall attachment
The connection holding your roof structure to the walls. Toenails (nails driven at an angle) are the weakest common answer. Metal clips, single wraps and double wraps step up from there, and the new form adds a rated-capacity path for purpose-made connectors:
Source: OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), question 6
Show the numbers
| Answer | Capacity |
|---|---|
| A: toenails or other | 185 lbs |
| B: clips | 386 lbs |
| C: single wraps | 535 lbs |
| D: double wraps | 891 lbs |
For clips or wraps to count, the form sets minimum conditions: for example, at least three nails into the truss or rafter, less than a half-inch gap, and no visible severe corrosion. Connectors that aren't installed as intended now have their own answer, I. The inspector ignores hip and valley jacks within five feet of a roof corner when picking the weakest connection.
7. Roof geometry
A hip roof, on this form, is one where non-hip shapes (gables, for instance) make up no more than 10% of the total roof perimeter. The inspector measures both. Flat applies only to buildings with five or more units. Everything else is "other." Porch and carport roofs that hang off the fascia over open space aren't counted.
8. Secondary water resistance
This is a second barrier under the shingles or tile that keeps water out if the covering blows off. Qualifying methods include a fully adhered self-adhering membrane, tape at least 3.75 inches wide over the deck seams, a double layer of approved felt or synthetic underlayment, or spray foam. Standard underlayment or hot-mopped felt doesn't count. It's usually invisible once the roof is on, so it's often provable only by the roofer's paperwork or photos taken during the job. Ask for both.
9. Opening protection
Every window, entry door, sliding glass door, skylight and garage door gets a level, and the answer is the weakest one on the house:
| Level | What it means |
|---|---|
| A | Verified for cyclic pressure and large-missile impact: 9 lb missile (4.5 lb for skylights) |
| B | Verified for cyclic pressure and large-missile impact: 4 to 8 lb missile (2 lb for skylights) |
| C | Plywood or OSB panels meeting FBC 2007 Table 1609.1.2 |
| D | Non-glazed entry or garage doors rated for wind pressure |
| N | Shutters or products that look like A or B but can't be verified, or other coverings |
| X | No wind-borne debris protection |
| Z | Damaged openings that need repair or replacement |
Source: OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), question 9.
Two things to act on. First, "unverified" is its own level. Impact windows or shutters with no product approval label, permit or paperwork can end up as N. Keep the permit and product approval documents for every opening, including the garage door. Second, the form says flatly that a building with openings needing replacement doesn't qualify for wind mitigation rate differentials at all, "regardless of the presence/absence of other features." One cracked slider can sink the whole form, so fix damaged openings before you book the inspection.
Who can sign the form
Florida law lists who insurers must accept a signed form from. Anyone else is up to the insurer (s. 627.711(2)).
| Signer | License | Can send an employee? |
|---|---|---|
| Home inspector (3+ hours of approved hurricane mitigation training and an exam) | s. 468.8314 | No, must inspect personally |
| Building code inspector | s. 468.607 | No |
| General, building or residential contractor | s. 489.111 | Yes, a direct employee (not an independent contractor) |
| Professional engineer | s. 471.015 | Yes, a direct employee |
| Professional architect | s. 481.213 | No |
| Anyone the insurer recognizes as qualified | Insurer's choice | No, must inspect personally |
Source: s. 627.711(2) and (3), Florida Statutes (2026).
A few more rules in the same statute are worth knowing. The signer has to attest that they personally inspected the home, and you sign too, confirming the inspector (or the employee) actually came and showed ID. Inspectors can't pay insurance agents for referrals, and agents can't accept anything for them (s. 627.711(6)). Your insurer can, at its own expense, have the form independently verified before accepting it (s. 627.711(9)). Knowingly handing in a false form to get a discount is a first-degree misdemeanor (s. 627.711(8)).
Before you book, ask for the inspector's license type and number and check it on the state's license lookup. Ask whether they'll take photos for every question from 2 through 9, since the 2026 form requires at least one photo or document per attribute.
How long a form is valid
The statute leaves validity to the Financial Services Commission. The form itself answers it in its footer: valid "for up to five (5) years provided no material changes have been made to the structure or inaccuracies found on the form."
| Situation | What happens to the form |
|---|---|
| Inspection on or after April 1, 2026 | Must be on the Rev. 04/26 form |
| Old Rev. 01/12 form, done within 5 years before April 1, 2026, no structural changes | Citizens still accepts it; other insurers set their own policy |
| Form reaches 5 years old | No longer valid; a new inspection is needed to keep documenting the features |
| New roof, new windows or doors, added straps | Material change: a new form documents the new features |
| Insurer finds inaccuracies | Validity clause no longer holds; insurer may also order independent verification at its expense |
| You switch insurers | The form describes the house, not the policy. Send a copy to the new insurer |
Source: OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26) footer; Citizens Personal Lines Bulletin, March 19, 2026; s. 627.711(9).
Put the inspection date on your calendar with a reminder at four and a half years. The form also tells you to keep a copy with your insurance policy. Do that, and keep the photos.
How to check that your credits are applied
Having a form and getting credit for it are two separate things. Under Rule 69O-170.0155(3), insurers must report what's on any form they receive to OIR within 60 days of the policy's effective date or rate change, whichever is later. That's their side. Here's yours:
- Read the premium notice. Find the hurricane premium, which must be shown separately. Then look for the mitigation credits on the declarations page or premium breakdown. Insurers label them differently, but you should be able to tie each one to a feature on your form. If you can't find any and you have a valid form, ask why.
- Read the mitigation notice. You should get the OIR-prescribed notice (form OIR-B1-1655) at issue and at every renewal, with the range of each discount.
- Match the form to the policy. Compare each answer on your form with what the insurer applied. A form that says "single wraps" and a policy rated as "toenails" is a fixable error.
- Ask about the deductible option. Under s. 627.701(9) you can choose a lower hurricane deductible instead of the premium credit. Ask your agent to price both. The hurricane deductible post explains how those percentage deductibles work.
- Escalate if needed. If the insurer won't apply credits from a valid form and won't explain why, the Florida Department of Financial Services Division of Consumer Services takes complaints.
Shopping coverage? Send the form with every quote request. The Florida home insurance page covers the rest of the policy, and if you own a condo unit, the Florida condo insurance page explains which parts of the building your own policy covers.
After Isaias: new roof, new form
Isaias came ashore near Destin at about 8:30 p.m. Central time on October 9 with 105 mph winds, per the National Hurricane Center. If your roof is being replaced after that storm, the replacement is a chance to change several answers on the form at once: roof covering (new permit date), roof deck attachment (re-nailing while the deck is exposed), secondary water resistance, and sometimes roof-to-wall connections.
The catch is documentation. Once the new covering is on, the inspector can't see the underlayment, and only the roofer's records prove it. Before work starts, ask the contractor to photograph the deck nailing, the seam tape or membrane, and any new straps, and to give you the permit and product approval numbers. Then get a new form after the final inspection. For the claim side of Isaias, deadlines are in the Florida hurricane claim deadline post, and roof age rules are in the Florida roof age law post. Wind mitigation doesn't touch storm-surge damage. That's flood insurance, covered on the Florida flood insurance page.
My Safe Florida Home
The state's My Safe Florida Home program, run by the Department of Financial Services under s. 215.5586, pays for wind mitigation inspections for eligible homeowners and offers matching grants for some upgrades. Its website, checked October 16, 2026, shows inspections and grants available, with homeowners creating an account, answering a prioritization questionnaire and being placed in inspection groups 1 to 5 (mysafeflhome.com). The program runs only on legislative appropriations and isn't an entitlement. Florida Realtors reported that the 2026-27 state budget carries forward $378 million in unused My Safe Florida Home funding. Whether money is left for your application depends on when you apply.
| Rule | Inspection | Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Home type | Site-built, owner-occupied single-family home on its own parcel, detached or attached up to 3 stories | Same |
| Homestead exemption | Required | Required |
| Insured value | No limit in statute | $700,000 or less |
| Year built | No limit in statute | Before January 1, 2008 |
| Income | No limit in statute | Low- or moderate-income under s. 420.0004 |
| Your share | No charge, per the program site | $1 for every $2 from the state, state share up to $10,000; low-income applicants up to $10,000 with no match |
| Work covered | n/a | Windows, exterior and garage doors, skylights; roof-to-wall, roof deck, secondary water resistance with a new roof covering |
| Deadline | n/a | Finish the work and request a final inspection within 18 months of grant approval |
Source: s. 215.5586, Florida Statutes (2026). Amended in 2026 by ch. 2026-174 and ch. 2026-233.
A program inspection report also includes recommended improvements, a range of cost estimates, and estimated premium discount information. The program's site says its inspection report can be shared with your insurer to confirm you're getting the discounts available on the hurricane portion of your premium. If you've had a Citizens policy for a while, the Citizens 2026 post covers rates and takeouts, where a current form travels with you.
FAQ
Is a wind mitigation inspection required in Florida?
No law requires homeowners to get one. Florida law requires insurers to offer wind mitigation credits, and the uniform mitigation verification form, OIR-B1-1802, is how you document the features that earn them.
How long is a wind mitigation inspection good for in Florida?
The form says it is valid for up to five years, provided no material changes have been made to the structure and no inaccuracies are found on the form. A new roof, new windows or doors, or added roof straps are reasons to get a new one.
Who can do a wind mitigation inspection in Florida?
Insurers must accept a form signed by a licensed home inspector with at least 3 hours of approved hurricane mitigation training and a proficiency exam, a certified building code inspector, a licensed general, building or residential contractor, a licensed professional engineer, a licensed architect, or anyone else the insurer recognizes as qualified (s. 627.711(2)).
What changed on the 2026 wind mitigation form?
Form OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26) took effect April 1, 2026. It has nine questions instead of seven, adding Region and Roof Slope, and it requires at least one photo or document for each attribute in questions 2 through 9.
Your own policy wording and Florida law control what credits you receive. Confirm your situation with a licensed agent, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation or Department of Financial Services, or, for legal questions, an attorney.
Sources
- Florida Statutes s. 627.0629, residential property rate filings and mitigation discounts (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 627.711, mitigation discount notice and uniform mitigation verification form (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 627.701, hurricane deductibles; mitigation deductible option (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 215.5586, My Safe Florida Home Program (2026)
- Florida Administrative Register Ref-18852: OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26) and final redline
- Rule 69O-170.0155, F.A.C., Forms (effective April 1, 2026)
- Rule 69O-170.017, F.A.C., Windstorm Mitigation Discounts
- Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, Personal Lines Bulletin: Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form Changes (March 19, 2026)
- My Safe Florida Home Program (Florida DFS)
- Florida Realtors: A fresh state budget targets housing supply, assistance (June 30, 2026)
- National Hurricane Center: Hurricane Isaias Tropical Cyclone Update, landfall near Destin (Oct. 9, 2026)
- Florida DFS Division of Consumer Services: Get Insurance Help
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not legal, tax or insurance advice. Coverage depends on the actual policy, its terms, conditions and exclusions, and state law. Maru Insurance · WA License (WAOIC) #1365574 · FL License #G363233 · NPN 22261820.