A wind mitigation inspection in Florida is one of the few hurricane-season tasks that may affect how your insurer rates your home. An inspector looks at how your roof, walls and openings are built, then records what they find on a state form. Your insurer uses that form to decide which wind discounts, if any, apply to your policy. Here is what the inspection covers, who may sign the report, how long it lasts and what the law says insurers must do with it.
What a Wind Mitigation Inspection Is
The report is called the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form, numbered OIR-B1-1802. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation publishes it, and Rule 69O-170.0155 of the Florida Administrative Code adopts it. Florida law directs the state to create one standard form that every insurer must use when policyholders submit it for wind insurance discounts.
The inspection is not a general home inspection and not a roof certification. It does not grade the overall condition of your house. It only verifies which wind-resistant features exist, and each answer on the form is tied to evidence such as a permit date, a product approval number or a photograph.
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation revised the form effective April 1, 2026. Inspections done on or after that date must use the new version, designated Rev. 04/26. We describe the features below using the long-standing Rev. 01/12 layout, which the new form builds on. Ask your inspector to confirm they are using the current Rev. 04/26 form.
The Features Inspectors Check
The long-standing form walks through seven categories. The April 2026 revision updates several of them and adds new items, including recognition of FORTIFIED Home roof, silver and gold certificates, a region based on design wind speed, and roof slope. The core subjects stay the same.
- Building code. Was the home built to the Florida Building Code, which the form dates from 2001 onward? Homes built in 2002 or 2003 need a permit application date after March 1, 2002.
- Roof covering. The inspector lists each covering, such as asphalt shingle, tile, metal or built-up, and looks for a permit date, product approval number or installation year that shows it meets code.
- Roof deck attachment. How is the plywood or decking nailed to the trusses? The form compares nail size and spacing, and it asks about the weakest attachment found.
- Roof-to-wall attachment. What holds the roof frame to the walls? The form ranks toe nails, clips, single wraps, double wraps and structural connections, and it again records the weakest type.
- Roof geometry. Hip roofs, which slope on all sides, are separated from flat roofs and other shapes.
- Secondary water resistance. Some roofs have a sealed deck, using a self-adhering underlayment or foam adhesive, to limit leaks if shingles blow off. Standard underlayment does not count.
- Opening protection. Windows, entry doors, garage doors and skylights are rated by how well their protection holds up to wind pressure and flying debris.
The form requires documentation for each feature. The earlier version said at least one photograph must accompany the form for each attribute marked in questions 3 through 7. Expect your inspector to climb into the attic when there is access, and to photograph the roof, straps and openings.
Why Roof and Opening Details Drive the Report
Three of those categories depend on work you can see or pay a contractor to change. The roof covering depends on when and how the roof was replaced. Opening protection depends on whether your windows and doors have impact glass or shutters. Roof-to-wall connections depend on how the home was built, though some retrofits are possible.
The form includes “unknown” choices, so ask your insurer how it treats them compared with documented answers. Keep paperwork from past roof jobs, such as the permit, the product approval number and the invoice. If you are planning a roof replacement, ask the roofer how the work will be documented for the form. Browse the roofing contractors in our directory to compare local companies.
If your home has no protection on some openings, shutter and impact window companies can explain the options. We cannot say what any upgrade will save you on your premium, because that depends on your insurer.
Who May Sign the Form
Under Florida Statutes section 627.711, insurers must accept a uniform mitigation form signed by these authorized inspectors:
- A licensed home inspector who has completed at least 3 hours of approved hurricane mitigation training and passed a proficiency exam
- A certified building code inspector
- A licensed general, building or residential contractor
- A licensed professional engineer
- A licensed architect
- Any other person or company the insurer recognizes as qualified
The person who signs must inspect the structures personally and attest to it. One exception applies. Engineers and contractors may send a direct employee with the right skill and experience, and the insurer can ask about that employee’s qualifications.
The same law bars signers from certifying features they did not actually see, so be wary of anyone offering a report without visiting your home. Before you hire, confirm the license number with the state and ask your insurance agent whether the company is acceptable to your carrier.
How to Prepare for the Visit
A little preparation keeps the inspection short and the report accurate. Gather your roof permit, product approval numbers and any invoices from past roof, window or shutter work. Clear the path to the attic hatch and the garage, and open any electrical or storage areas the inspector needs to reach.
Walk the property with the inspector if you can. Point out shutters stored in the garage, replaced windows and any work done under permit. Ask the inspector to explain each answer before you sign off, and request a copy of the form with all photos for your records.
How Long the Inspection Lasts
The earlier Rev. 01/12 form says it is valid for up to five years, provided no material changes have been made to the structure, and Citizens Property Insurance still accepts older forms completed within five years before April 1, 2026. Replace the roof or add shutters, and the old report no longer describes your home. Order a new one so the discount reflects the upgrade.
Other insurers set their own handling, so ask yours how it treats a report done on the earlier version. Keep a copy of the form and its photos with your policy documents.
What Florida Law Says About Discounts
Section 627.0629 of the Florida Statutes states the legislature’s intent that insurers provide savings to consumers who install windstorm mitigation features. Residential property rate filings must include actuarially reasonable discounts, credits or other rate differentials, or reductions in deductibles, for fixtures and construction techniques shown to reduce windstorm loss. Since October 1, 2023, each insurer must also post information about its hurricane mitigation discounts on its website.
Florida Statutes 627.711 adds that insurers must tell personal lines policyholders about available mitigation discounts at issuance and at each renewal, using a state form.
Notice what the statutes do not say. They do not set a dollar amount or percentage. Discounts vary by insurer, by policy and by which features you have, so the only way to know your number is to submit the form and ask. This is general information, so confirm details with your insurance agent and the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. You can read the statutes at Florida Statutes 627.0629.
Storm season is also the time to review your plan. Our hurricane preparedness hub lists the other steps worth completing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an inspection guarantee a lower premium?+
No. The report documents your features, and your insurer applies its own approved discounts. Discounts vary by insurer and policy.
Do I need a new inspection when I renew my policy?+
Not necessarily. Insurers generally accept a report for up to five years if nothing material changed, but confirm with yours. Share your existing report with your agent at renewal, and order a new one after a roof replacement or other major changes.
Can I do the inspection myself?+
No. Only the authorized inspectors above, or someone your insurer accepts, can sign. The signer must personally inspect the home.
What if my home has no attic access?+
The form includes a “no attic access” answer for roof deck and roof-to-wall questions. Ask your inspector whether a hatch or other access is possible, and ask your insurer how it treats that answer.
Ready to prepare your home? Visit our roofing contractor directory or talk to your insurance agent before you schedule an inspection.
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