Wind Mitigation Inspection in Florida: What the Inspector Checks on Your Roof and How a New Roof Changes the Result
If you own a home in Southwest Florida or the Panhandle, you have probably seen a renewal notice that raised your premium and asked about your roof. The one document you can do something about is the wind mitigation form. It records how well your house is built to handle wind, and a roof replacement changes several of its answers. This guide walks through what the inspector actually checks, in plain language, and how a new roof can change the result.
Everything below comes from the state form itself and from the guidance insurers publish for it. We are a roofing company, not an insurer, so please treat this as general information and confirm what your own insurer credits. If you are comparing replacement options, our roof installation and replacement page covers how we approach it.
What the wind mitigation form is, and what changed in 2026
The Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form, known as OIR-B1-1802, is the standard Florida form that records a home’s wind-resistant features. It is not a roof condition report. Citizens Property Insurance notes that the form is used only to verify wind mitigation features, and it is not acceptable proof of roof condition or replacement.
The form was revised in 2026. According to the Citizens Wind Loss Mitigation guide, the new edition (Rev. 04/26) is required for any inspection completed on or after April 1, 2026, and it asks for more documentation than the older version. That matters if you had a form done a few years ago, because the questions and the proof expected for each one are not the same.
The nine questions the inspector answers
The current form has nine numbered sections. Here they are in order, with what each one is really asking.
The roof questions, one at a time
Roof covering and age
This is where a roof’s age comes up. The form asks for each roof covering in use, the year it was installed, and either the permit application date or a Florida Building Code or Miami-Dade product approval number. There is also a box for when no information was available to verify compliance.
The form then checks whether the covering meets the Florida Building Code. One of the ways it can do that is a roofing permit application dated on or after March 1, 2002. If the paperwork cannot be found, the roof can land in the answers that say it does not meet the requirements, and the age of the roof is only part of why. Missing proof is often the real issue.
For a closer look at the materials themselves, see our pages on shingle roofing, tile roofing and metal roofing.
Roof deck attachment
The deck is the plywood or oriented strand board under your roofing. The inspector records the weakest way it is attached. In plain terms, the options step up from smaller nails spaced wider apart, to 8d common nails at 12 inches in the field, to 8d common nails at 6 inches in the field. Each step has a minimum uplift resistance that the form uses to define the level.
Nailing is hidden under the roof covering, so it can be hard to verify on an existing roof. If the attic has no access, or the inspector cannot confirm the pattern, the form has answers for Unknown and No attic access. During a replacement the deck is exposed, which is the easiest time to document how it is fastened.
Roof-to-wall attachment
This section covers the metal connectors that tie the roof framing to the walls. The form groups them by type: toe nails, clips, single wraps and double wraps, with structural connections at the top. As the connectors wrap farther over the top of the framing, the minimum capacity the form associates with them goes up.
Connectors are often visible from the attic, which is why the inspector may ask to look there. Connectors that are not installed as intended, or that show severe corrosion, do not qualify for the higher answers.
Roof geometry
Hip roofs, where all sides slope down toward the walls, are their own category on the form, which insurers can credit differently from other shapes. To count as a hip roof on the form, no other roof shapes can be greater than 10 percent of the total roof system perimeter. A roof with several gables or dormers may fall into the Other category. A replacement does not change the shape of the house, so this answer usually stays the same.
Secondary water resistance
A sealed roof deck is a backup layer that helps keep water out if the roof covering is lost in a storm. The form lists several ways to qualify, including a fully adhered, self-adhering polymer-modified bitumen underlayment, taping the deck seams with a minimum 3.75-inch strip, a double layer of felt or synthetic underlayment with no tape, or spray foam installed along the rafter and deck intersections. The form is clear that standard underlayments and hot-mopped felts do not qualify on their own.
This is one of the answers a replacement can change the most, because the underlayment is installed right before the new covering goes on. It is also something an inspector cannot see once the roof is finished, so photos from the job matter.
Opening protection
This section reaches beyond the roof. It covers every window, door, sliding door, garage door and skylight, and it asks for the weakest form of wind-borne debris protection on the house. The form also says that a building with openings that need replacement does not qualify for wind mitigation rate differentials, whatever the other answers are. If you have a skylight in your roof, it counts here.
How a new roof changes the result
A roof replacement touches more of the form than most owners expect. Here is where it can make a difference, and what to ask for.
| Form question | What a replacement can change | What to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Roof covering | A new covering, a new install year and a current permit date or product approval number | The permit, the product approval number and the invoice |
| Roof deck attachment | Any loose or under-nailed sheathing can be re-fastened while the deck is exposed, depending on the scope of work | Photos of the fastening pattern before the underlayment goes down |
| Roof-to-wall attachment | Connectors are normally visible from the attic and are not changed by a re-roof unless that work is added | Attic photos showing the connectors |
| Secondary water resistance | A sealed roof deck system can be installed under the new covering | Product data and photos of the underlayment or taped seams |
| Opening protection | If skylights are replaced as part of the job, they count as openings | Product approval documentation for any new skylight |
Notice what the table does not say. A new roof does not guarantee a particular score, and it does not guarantee a discount. The form states that some items may not qualify, and each insurer sets its own credits. What a new roof does is give you a recent year, a current permit and a chance to document things that are hidden afterward.
What a Barger Roofing customer said
Kris was awesome to work with! He was out there very quickly after initial call and took care of everything from start to finish!
Jennifer Krysa, 5 stars, Google review, September 2026
What to do next
Start by finding your most recent wind mitigation form and checking its date. If it was completed before the 2026 revision, ask your insurer whether a new one is needed. If your roof is near the end of its life, or an inspector flagged unknown or no-information answers, then a replacement plan that includes documentation is worth discussing.
We install shingle, tile and metal roofs for homeowners in Estero, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, Naples, Marco Island and across Southwest Florida, and in Gulf Breeze, Pensacola and the rest of the Panhandle. To talk about a replacement, request a free estimate. If you would like background on what happens after storm damage, read our guide to roof replacement and insurance coverage and our Florida roof maintenance guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is a wind mitigation inspection?
It is an inspection of the features that help a home resist wind, recorded on the state’s Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form (OIR-B1-1802). A qualified inspector checks the roof, the deck, the roof-to-wall connections and the openings, and your insurer uses the form when it prices your wind coverage.
Who is allowed to complete the form?
The form lists who can sign it under Section 627.711(2), Florida Statutes: a home inspector with the required hurricane mitigation training, a building code inspector, a licensed general, building or residential contractor, a professional engineer, a professional architect, or another person your insurer recognizes as qualified. If you are not sure who your insurer accepts, ask them before you book.
How long is the form good for?
The form states that it is valid for up to five years, as long as no material changes have been made to the structure and no inaccuracies are found on the form. A new roof is a material change, so a roof replacement is a good time to order a fresh one.
Does a new roof automatically lower my premium?
No. The form says some items listed may not qualify for a discount, and each insurer decides what credits it offers and how much. Ask your agent or insurer what they credit before you plan a project around it.
Why does the inspector need photos or documents?
The form requires at least one photograph or document that proves each attribute marked. For a roof, that usually means a permit, a product approval number, or photos of the deck nailing, the connectors and the underlayment taken while the work is open.
Can I get the information on an older roof?
Sometimes. If the inspector cannot verify a feature, the form has Unknown or No Information choices, and those usually earn no credit. Permit records, product approval numbers and install-year paperwork are what turn an unknown into a documented answer.
Does Barger Roofing complete wind mitigation forms?
Barger Roofing installs and repairs roofs. The form has to be signed by a qualified inspector as defined in the statute, so ask your insurer or agent which inspectors they accept. If you are planning a roof replacement, you can request a free estimate and ask what paperwork and photos to keep from the job.
This article is general information and is not insurance, legal or engineering advice. The wind mitigation form must be completed by a qualified inspector, and credits are set by each insurer. Requirements and forms can change, so confirm current details with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation and your insurer.