A wind mitigation inspection is a 30 to 60 minute visit where a qualified inspector checks your roof, attic, windows and doors for hurricane-resistant features and records them on a state form (OIR-B1-1802). Florida law requires insurers to discount your premium for these features, and this form is the proof they rely on. The discount comes off the windstorm part of your premium, which is often the biggest piece of your bill.
The inspection costs $75 to $150, or nothing through the state’s My Safe Florida Home program, and the report is good for five years. Your roof counts the most: five of the seven items on the form are about the roof, so a new roof can raise your score more than any other upgrade. The guide below explains each part in detail, in the same order, so you can get the most credit from your report.
Why a Wind Mitigation Inspection Matters in Florida
It’s the only way your insurer can give you credit for hurricane protection it can’t see from the street.
Florida law (Section 627.0629) says every home insurer must offer discounts for features that reduce wind damage. But your insurer has no way of knowing how your roof is nailed down or tied to your walls. The signed inspection form is their proof. In other words, no form usually means no discount, even if your home was built well.
The discount only applies to the windstorm portion of your premium (the part of your policy that covers hurricane and wind damage). On coastal homes in Broward and Palm Beach County, that’s often the biggest part of the bill. So a good report can make a real difference in what you pay.
You’re not required to get one. But it pays off most if you:
- Replaced your roof or added impact windows since your last report
- Live in a home permitted under the 2001 Florida Building Code or later
- Are buying a home and setting up a new policy
- Just got a big renewal increase and have never had an inspection
How the Wind Mitigation Inspection Process Works
The visit takes less than an hour. Most of the work is the paperwork before and after.
- Book a qualified inspector. Licensed home inspectors, contractors, engineers and architects can all sign the form under Section 627.711. Ask your insurance agent which ones they accept before you book.
- Gather your paperwork. Find your roof permit date, the product approval numbers for your roof and any impact windows or doors, and your old report if you have one. Missing paperwork is the most common reason a box gets marked “unknown,” which earns no credit.
- The visit. The inspector walks around the outside to note your roof shape, checks every window and door for impact labels, then goes into the attic to see how the roof is attached. They photograph everything. Make sure they can reach your attic hatch.
- The report. The inspector fills out and signs the form with photos attached.
- Send it to your insurer. Email the report to your agent and ask them to re-rate your policy. Private insurers and Citizens both use the same state form. Your declarations page (the summary page of your policy) should then list each discount.
The 7 Things the Inspector Checks
The form scores your home in seven areas. Five of them are about your roof.
| Category | What the inspector checks | Earns the least | Earns the most |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building code | When your home was permitted | Before the 2001 Florida Building Code | 2001 code or later |
| Roof covering | Proof your shingles, tile or metal meet code | No permit date or product approval | Permit on or after March 1, 2002 with an approved product |
| Roof deck attachment | How the plywood under your roof is nailed to the frame | Staples or small nails, spaced far apart | Larger nails, ideally ring-shank (ridged for grip), spaced close together |
| Roof-to-wall connection | How your roof is tied to your walls | Toe nails only (nails driven in at an angle) | Double wraps (metal straps over both sides of each truss) |
| Roof shape | Hip or gable | Gable (two sloped sides with flat triangle ends) | Hip (slopes down on all four sides) |
| Secondary water resistance (SWR) | A second barrier under the roof that keeps water out if shingles or tiles blow off | None, or regular felt paper | Self-adhering membrane or sealed seams |
| Opening protection | Windows, doors and garage door | Any opening without protection | Impact-rated or approved shutters on every opening |
A few things matter more than the table shows. Roof-to-wall is often the largest single discount on the form. A hip roof only gets full credit if about 90 percent of the roof edge is hip. And one unprotected window or door can drop the whole opening category, so the garage door counts too.
You can read the actual form on the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation website. It’s only a few pages, and reading it first means nothing on your report will surprise you.
What Is Different in Broward and Palm Beach County
Broward is inside the High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), the strictest wind zone in the Florida Building Code, along with Miami-Dade. Roofing products there need a Miami-Dade approval, and roofs are built and inspected to tougher rules. Palm Beach County is outside the HVHZ but still one of the highest wind areas in the state, and products need Florida Product Approval.
This affects your report in two ways. The form now records the design wind speed for your location, so the same feature can be worth a different discount in Delray Beach than in Fort Lauderdale. And in both counties, a roof permitted before March 1, 2002 usually can’t earn the roof covering credit.
How Much a Wind Mitigation Inspection Costs
Most Florida homeowners pay $75 to $150.
The price depends on the size of your home, how easy the attic is to reach and how far the inspector travels. Many inspectors give you a lower price if you book a four-point inspection at the same visit. Insurers often ask for that one on older homes anyway.
For most homes, the yearly discount is worth far more than the one-time fee. Only your insurer can tell you the exact number.
Free Inspections and Grants From My Safe Florida Home
The state’s My Safe Florida Home program offers free wind mitigation inspections to eligible homeowners. Your home has to be your homesteaded, single-family primary residence, and income limits apply to the grants.
After the free inspection, you may qualify for a grant of up to $10,000 toward the upgrades your report recommends. For most homeowners, the state pays $2 for every $1 you put in. Roof upgrades, roof-to-wall straps, secondary water barriers and impact windows and doors all qualify. Funding comes in rounds and there’s often a waiting list, so check your eligibility on the program site before you count on it.
What Changed on the Form in April 2026
A new version of the form took effect on April 1, 2026. Florida reviews these discounts every five years, and this is the result of the latest review. Three changes matter to you:
- The form now asks for your home’s design wind speed and the slope of your roof.
- Discount amounts were updated, so some features are now worth more and some less.
- Every feature now needs a photo or document as proof. If the inspector can’t prove it, you don’t get the discount.
That photo rule matters most at re-roof time. Deck nailing and the water barrier are hidden once the new roof goes on. So the best time to photograph them is during the install.
Wind Mitigation Inspection After a Roof Replacement
A roof replacement is the best chance you’ll get to improve your report. With the old roof off, several items on the form can be upgraded at once:
- Deck attachment. For most homes in South Florida, code requires the deck to be re-nailed to current standards during a re-roof. At APEX Roofing of Delray Beach, every damaged sheet of decking under a shingle, tile or metal roof is replaced as part of the job, so the deck the inspector rates is solid edge to edge.
- Secondary water resistance. A self-adhering underlayment installed during the job can earn the SWR credit.
- Roof covering. A new permit with current product approvals removes the “unknown” problem right away.
- Roof-to-wall. On some homes, straps or clips can be added while the roof edge is open. Ask your roofer if that’s practical on your house.
Before work starts, ask your roofer to photograph the nailing, the underlayment and any straps before they’re covered. Ask for the permit number and product approval numbers at the end. Then book your new inspection once the final roof inspection passes, and send the report to your agent right away.
Free download: Wind mitigation photo checklist (PDF). One page listing every photo and document to collect during your re-roof. Print it and hand it to your roofer.
Important: check your report before it goes to your insurer. Inspectors make mistakes, and one wrong box can cost you a discount for five years. Make sure the roof covering isn’t marked “unknown” if your permit is dated March 1, 2002 or later. Check that roof-to-wall isn’t marked “toe nails” just because the attic was hard to reach, that the roof shape matches your roof, that SWR is marked if you have it, and that every opening, including the garage door, is counted. If something’s wrong, ask the inspector to fix it before you send it.
How Much You Can Save With Your Report
It depends on your insurer, your county, your deductible and how many categories your home scores well in. Some Florida insurers advertise discounts of about 10 to 45 percent off the windstorm portion for homes with the strongest features. On coastal homes, that windstorm portion can be 30 to 70 percent of the total premium.
Here’s what that looks like in practice. A 1970s ranch home with toe nails and a gable roof may only see a small discount. A newer hip roof home with double wraps, SWR, strong deck nailing and impact windows can save hundreds or even a few thousand dollars a year.
Every insurer must list its wind discounts on its website, so look yours up first. Then ask your agent two questions:
- “What wind mitigation discounts am I getting right now?”
- “What would change if my report showed a hip roof, SWR and better roof-to-wall and deck ratings?”
The answers tell you if an inspection alone is enough, or if the bigger savings are waiting on a new roof.
If your roof is getting older, your next decision is usually repair or replace. Our guide to roof repair vs replacement in South Florida walks you through it step by step. If you already know you need a new roof, see what a roof replacement costs in Florida and what should be included in the price.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It’s optional, but without one your insurer usually can’t give you credit for your home’s wind-resistant features. Some insurers also ask for one when they write a new policy.
A four-point inspection checks the condition of your roof, electrical, plumbing and air conditioning, and insurers often require it on older homes. A wind mitigation inspection checks hurricane-resistant features and is used for discounts. Many inspectors do both in one visit.
Often, yes. If it’s less than five years old and nothing has changed, many insurers will accept it, so ask the seller for a copy. If it’s older, or the roof or windows were replaced since, get a new one.
Once your insurer processes the report. Some re-rate your policy right away, others apply it at your next renewal. Ask your agent which, and check your declarations page to confirm every discount is listed.
Get Your Roof Ready for a Better Report
If your roof is older, or your report has too many “unknown” boxes, start with a roof inspection so you know where you stand. You can request a free online roofing estimate or call us at 561.414.2909. We’ll tell you plainly which discounts a new roof could realistically unlock on your home.
