Wind mitigation inspections in Florida: what the OIR-B1-1802 form covers and how credits work
The short version
- A wind mitigation inspection records your home's wind-resistant features on one state form, OIR-B1-1802. Your insurer uses it to apply credits to the hurricane portion of your premium.
- The current form is Rev. 04/26, required for inspections on or after April 1, 2026 (DFS, checked October 23, 2026).
- A completed form is valid for up to five years unless the structure changes or errors are found.
- For opening protection, the weakest opening sets your rating. One unprotected window can pull the whole home down a level.
- This page explains the form. It isn't insurance advice. Your insurer or agent can tell you what any feature is worth on your policy.
Why the form matters
Florida law requires residential property insurers to include "actuarially reasonable discounts, credits, or other rate differentials, or appropriate reductions in deductibles" for homes with features shown to reduce wind losses (s. 627.0629(1), F.S.). Insurers must also tell you, at issuance and every renewal, which discounts are available and their range, using a state-prescribed notice (s. 627.711(1), F.S.). Since October 1, 2023, each insurer must also describe its hurricane mitigation discounts on its website.
The Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form is how those features get documented. Insurers must accept a valid form signed by an authorized inspector (s. 627.711(2)), and an insurer may pay to have a form independently verified before accepting it (DFS).
Florida updated the form in 2026 after a 2024 wind-loss study by Applied Research Associates. The state insurance regulator says the related discount forms are still under review for updates (OIR, checked October 23, 2026). Citizens Property Insurance told its agents in March 2026 that the new form's changes "will not result in any difference to the credits available and applied at this time" (Citizens). That statement is about Citizens. Other insurers may handle the change differently.
What the form records
The Rev. 04/26 form has nine questions. Each one marked in questions 2 through 9 needs at least one photo or document as proof (OIR-B1-1802 Rev. 04/26).
| # | Item | What the inspector records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Building code | Which Florida Building Code was in force at the original permit: FBC 2001/2004, FBC 2007 or later, the South Florida Building Code (Miami-Dade and Broward only), or unknown. |
| 2 | Region | New in 2026. Design wind speed region based on ASCE 7-22: HVHZ, Region 1 (140 mph or more), Region 2 (130 to 139 mph), or Region 3 (under 130 mph). |
| 3 | Roof slope | New in 2026. Whether the main roof is at least 6:12 or less than 6:12. |
| 4 | Roof covering | Each covering type, with permit date or product approval number and installation year, and whether it meets the code requirements. |
| 5 | Roof deck attachment | The weakest way the roof sheathing is fastened, from staples or 6d nails up to 8d nails at 6 inches, concrete deck, or rated spray foam. |
| 6 | Roof-to-wall attachment | The weakest connection between roof framing and walls: toenails, clips, single wraps, double wraps, or structural. |
| 7 | Roof geometry | Hip roof (non-hip features no more than 10% of the perimeter), flat roof (for buildings with five or more units), or other. |
| 8 | Secondary water resistance | Whether there's a sealed roof deck, such as a fully adhered underlayment, taped deck seams, double felt, or spray foam. Standard underlayment doesn't count. |
| 9 | Opening protection | The weakest form of wind-borne debris protection across windows, doors, sliding doors, skylights, and garage doors. |
The 2026 form also lets a FORTIFIED Home Roof, Silver, or Gold certificate stand in as proof for several roof items and opening protection. The form itself notes that "some items listed may not qualify for a discount." Recording a feature doesn't guarantee a credit.
Opening protection: how windows, doors, and shutters are rated
This is the section most affected by impact windows, impact doors, and shutters. The inspector fills in a chart for every opening type and then picks one answer based on the weakest glazed opening (form question 9):
| Level | What it means |
|---|---|
| A | Verified to cyclic pressure and the large missile test (9 lb for windows and doors, 4.5 lb for skylights). Accepted standards include Miami-Dade PA 201/202/203, Florida TAS 201/202/203, ASTM E1886 and E1996, SSTD 12, and ANSI/DASMA 115 for garage doors. |
| B | Verified to cyclic pressure and a 4 to 8 lb large missile (2 to 4.5 lb for skylights). |
| C | Verified plywood or OSB panels meeting FBC 2007 Table 1609.1.2. |
| D | For solid (non-glazed) entry and garage doors: verified wind pressure rating under ASTM E330, ANSI/DASMA 108, or PA/TAS 202. |
| N | Protection that looks like A or B but can't be verified, or other coverings that can't be identified. |
| X | No wind-borne debris protection on one or more openings. |
| Z | Damaged openings needing repair or replacement. The form says homes with openings that need replacement don't qualify for wind mitigation rate differentials at all. |
What this means in practice:
- Every glazed opening counts. To get answer A, all glazed openings must be protected at level A. Twelve impact windows and one old sliding door with no protection is an X for opening protection.
- Solid doors matter too. Answers A, B, and C each have sub-levels (for example A.1, A.2, A.3) depending on how your non-glazed entry and garage doors are rated.
- Impact windows and rated shutters can both reach level A or B. The form doesn't rate by product type. It asks whether the window itself or its covering is listed as wind-borne debris protection in the Florida or Miami-Dade product approval system and verified to one of the named standards.
- Documentation is the difference between A or B and N. If the inspector can't verify the rating, the opening drops to N. Keep the product approval numbers, permit, and invoices from your installer, and photos of labels where they exist.
- Plywood can count, but only at level C and only if it meets the code table and is verified.
If you're replacing windows and doors, plan the whole envelope. A partial job can leave your rating unchanged. That's a reason to ask installers to quote every opening, including garage and sliding doors, even if you phase the work.
What an inspection costs
There's no state-set price for a private wind mitigation inspection. As a rough guide, inspection companies commonly advertise about $75 to $150 in 2026 for a standalone wind mitigation inspection, and about $125 to $225 when it's combined with a 4-point inspection in the same visit (InspectorData, updated May 3, 2026; Kore Home Inspections, 2026; both checked October 23, 2026). That's an estimate from company websites, not an official figure, and prices vary by area, home size, and company.
If your home qualifies, My Safe Florida Home offers a free wind mitigation inspection through a program-assigned inspector.
Inspectors and insurance agents aren't allowed to pay or accept referral fees from each other for wind mitigation inspections (s. 627.711(6)).
Who can sign the form
Under s. 627.711(2)(a), insurers must accept a form signed by:
- A licensed home inspector who has completed 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
- Anyone else the insurer recognizes as qualified
Most signers must inspect personally. Contractors and engineers can send a direct employee but stay responsible for the work. You can check a license at MyFloridaLicense.com. Signing a false or grossly negligent form can lead to discipline or prosecution, and you also sign the form to confirm the inspection happened.
Getting ready, and after
- Pull your paperwork: roof permit, product approval numbers for windows, doors, and shutters, and installer invoices. Many items need proof, and documents can move an opening from N up to A or B.
- Clear attic access. Roof deck and roof-to-wall items need an attic look. "No attic access" is an answer on the form, and not one that helps you.
- Make sure all openings are in good shape. Damaged openings can disqualify the whole home from mitigation credits.
- Send the completed form to your agent or insurer and ask what changed on your hurricane premium. Keep a copy, since the form says to keep it with your policy.
- Re-inspect after upgrades. New windows, doors, shutters, or a new roof are material changes worth documenting.
If you're buying impact windows, doors, or a garage door on or after July 1, 2026, see our sales tax refund guide for up to $500 back. For product specifics, see our guides to impact doors and roll-down hurricane shutters.
Common questions
What is form OIR-B1-1802?
It is the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form, the standard form Florida insurers use to apply wind mitigation discounts. The current version is Rev. 04/26, which must be used for inspections on or after April 1, 2026.
How long is a wind mitigation inspection good for?
Up to five years, as long as no material changes are made to the structure and no inaccuracies are found on the form. If you replace your roof, windows, or doors, a new inspection documents the new features.
How much does a wind mitigation inspection cost?
There is no state-set price. Inspection companies commonly advertise roughly $75 to $150 in 2026 for a standalone wind mitigation inspection. That is an estimate from company websites, not an official figure. Homeowners who qualify for My Safe Florida Home can get a free inspection through the program.
Do hurricane shutters count for the opening protection credit?
They can, if they are rated and documented. The form gives the top opening protection levels to products verified to meet impact and cyclic pressure standards. Shutters that look rated but cannot be verified are classified lower, and the form rates the home by its weakest protected opening.
Who can do a wind mitigation inspection?
Florida law lists licensed home inspectors with hurricane mitigation training, certified building code inspectors, licensed general, building, or residential contractors, professional engineers, and architects, plus anyone else the insurer accepts as qualified.
Will a wind mitigation inspection lower my premium?
It documents features that may qualify for discounts or credits on the hurricane portion of your premium. Florida law requires insurers to offer actuarially reasonable discounts for qualifying features, but the amount depends on your insurer, your home, and its features. Ask your agent or insurer what the report changes for you.
Sources
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form, OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), adopted by Rule 69O-170.0155, F.A.C. Checked October 23, 2026.
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Wind Mitigation Resources. Checked October 23, 2026.
- Florida DFS, Mitigation Notices, Inspections and Forms. Checked October 23, 2026.
- Section 627.0629, Florida Statutes (2026) and section 627.711, Florida Statutes (2026). Checked October 23, 2026.
- Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form Changes, March 19, 2026. Checked October 23, 2026.
- Cost estimates (not official): Kore Home Inspections, 2026 pricing article and InspectorData, Florida 2026 pricing. Checked October 23, 2026.