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Wind mitigation · Roof questions

The Roof Questions on Your Wind Mitigation Form

Five of the nine questions on Florida's wind mitigation form are about the roof: the roof covering, how the deck is nailed, how the roof is tied to the walls, the roof shape, and whether there is a sealed roof deck, also called secondary water resistance. On a home permitted before March 2002, a permitted reroof adds deck nails and a backup water barrier the 2026 form recognizes. A licensed inspector has to sign the form, and we coordinate one.

Coastline Roofing · Florida license CCC1331076 · Updated

Your insurance credits come from what the inspector can see and prove. Here is what each roof question asks, what the answers mean in plain words, and which ones a new roof can change.

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The roof questions

Five of the nine questions are about your roof

Florida's wind mitigation form, OIR-B1-1802, was revised for inspections from April 1, 2026. It now has nine questions instead of seven, so the numbers moved. If you are reading an older report, use the right column.

Roof questions on the 1802 form
QuestionWhat it asksCurrent form (04/26)Older form (01/12)
Roof coveringWhether the roof covering meets the Florida Building Code, by permit date or product approvalQuestion 4Question 2
Roof deck attachmentThe weakest way the roof deck is nailed to the framingQuestion 5Question 3
Roof to wall attachmentThe weakest connection between the roof framing and the wallsQuestion 6Question 4
Roof geometryThe roof shape: hip, flat, or otherQuestion 7Question 5
Sealed roof deck (SWR)Whether there is a backup water barrier under the coveringQuestion 8Question 6

Citizens Property Insurance says the 2026 changes do not change the credits it gives at this time. What changed is how some answers are proven, and which roof underlayments count.

Roof deck attachment

How your roof deck is nailed down

The deck is the plywood or boards under the roof covering. The form asks for the weakest way it is fastened to the trusses or rafters. The three main answers, in plain words:

  1. Answer A

    Plywood at least 7/16 inch thick, held by staples or 6d nails spaced 6 inches at the edges and 12 inches in the middle.

  2. Answer B

    Plywood held by 8d common nails spaced no more than 12 inches apart in the middle of the sheet.

  3. Answer C

    Plywood held by 8d common nails spaced no more than 6 inches apart in the middle, or board decking with at least two nails per board at each support.

The inspector checks this from the attic. If they cannot get in, the answer is no attic access, which Citizens treats the same as unknown. A 2024 study for the state found that a home below answer A cannot qualify for any wind mitigation discounts, whatever else it has.

What a reroof does to the deck

On a home permitted before the Florida Building Code took effect in March 2002, section 706.7.1 of the code requires extra nails when the roof covering is torn off and replaced, wherever the deck is held by staples, 6d nails, or 8d nails more than 6 inches apart. The added nails are ring shank nails at least 2 3/8 inches long, spaced 6 inches apart. Homes permitted under the Florida Building Code are exempt.

Roof to wall attachment

How the roof is tied to the walls

This is what keeps the roof on in high wind. The form asks for the weakest connection the inspector finds, leaving out the hip and valley framing near the corners. The answers, from weakest to strongest:

Roof to wall answers on the current form
AnswerWhat it means
ToenailsNails driven at an angle through the truss or rafter into the top of the wall. Connectors not installed as intended also land here.
ClipsMetal connectors that do not wrap over the truss or rafter.
Single wrapsOne strap that wraps over the truss or rafter, with at least two nails on the far side.
Double wrapsTwo separate straps, one on each side of the truss or rafter.
StructuralAnchor bolts or a concrete roof tied into the structure.

Like the deck, this can only be checked from the attic.

A reroof can trigger a roof-to-wall upgrade, but only in some cases. Under section 706.8 of the code, it applies to a home with a wood deck in the wind-borne debris region, permitted before the Florida Building Code, and insured for $300,000 or more (or valued at that for property taxes if it is not insured). The required work is capped at 15 percent of the reroof cost, and it is not required at all unless the gable ends or all the corners can be done within that cap. Your county building department can tell you whether your home is in the wind-borne debris region.

Who does the strap work

It is framing work. Building officials say a roofing contractor cannot do it alone; a general, building or residential contractor does it, and the roofer can subcontract it. If your home needs it, we will tell you how it will be handled before the job starts.

Secondary water resistance

The backup layer under your roof, and the biggest 2026 change

Secondary water resistance, which the new form calls a sealed roof deck, is a backup layer that keeps water out if the roof covering blows off. Standard underlayment and hot-mopped felt do not count. The current form accepts any one of four methods:

  1. Peel-and-stick over the whole deck

    A fully adhered, self-adhering membrane (ASTM D1970) covering the entire roof deck.

  2. Taped seams

    A strip of self-adhering tape at least 3.75 inches wide over every seam in the deck, with felt or synthetic underlayment on top.

  3. Two layers of underlayment

    A double layer of approved felt or synthetic underlayment, with no tape.

  4. Spray foam

    Spray foam applied to the underside of the roof deck.

Before April 2026 the form only counted peel-and-stick or foam. Now taped seams and a double layer count too. Those are the same three methods the code lets a roofer choose from when the shingle or metal roof on a home permitted before March 2002 is replaced on a slope of 2:12 or steeper, so a permitted reroof on those homes puts in a method the form recognizes.

The catch: you cannot see it

Once the new roof is on, the underlayment is hidden. Citizens says confirming a sealed roof deck can be difficult for that reason, and asks for photos, permits, a FORTIFIED certificate or other documents. Photos taken during the job are the easiest proof.

The other two roof questions

Roof covering and roof shape

Roof covering (question 4)

The inspector records the permit application date or the Florida product approval number, plus the year it was installed. A covering with a permit applied for on or after March 1, 2002 meets the top answer. Citizens gives no credit when a covering does not meet it. A new, permitted roof answers this one.

Roof shape (question 7)

A hip roof slopes down on every side, with no other shapes making up more than 10 percent of the roof's edge. Gable roofs count as other. A reroof does not change the shape. Citizens accepts clear photos for a hip roof instead of a full inspection.

After a new roof

How to get credit for the new roof

  1. Keep the paperwork

    Keep the permit, the county's reroof inspection affidavit for the deck nailing and water barrier, and photos of the deck and underlayment taken during the job. Ask your roofer for those photos before the job starts.

  2. Get a new inspection

    A wind mitigation report is good for up to five years only if nothing major on the house has changed. After a new roof, a fresh inspection is how the new answers get on the form.

  3. Use a qualified inspector

    The form can be signed by a licensed home inspector with hurricane mitigation training, a certified building code inspector, a general, building or residential contractor, an engineer, or an architect. Roofing contractors are not on that list, so we coordinate a licensed inspector for you.

  4. Send it to your agent

    Give the inspector your paperwork, then send the signed form to your insurance agent. Each insurer applies its own discounts.

If your home qualifies for My Safe Florida Home, the state can pay toward the deck, strap and water barrier upgrades. Read what the grant pays for before you start, because work begun before grant approval is not paid.

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Keep reading

More on wind mitigation

How to Read Your Wind Mitigation Report

Every section of the OIR-B1-1802, what your answers mean, and when the report expires.

Read the guide →

My Safe Florida Home Roof Grants

What roof work the state grant pays for in 2026, who qualifies, and how the money is paid.

Read the guide →

Roof Replacement

What a full replacement includes, from tear-off and deck nailing to the final inspection.

See roof replacement →
FAQ

Common questions about the roof on the wind mitigation form

What is secondary water resistance on a wind mitigation report?

It is a backup layer under the roof covering that keeps water out if the covering blows off. The current form calls it a sealed roof deck and accepts peel-and-stick over the whole deck, taped deck seams with underlayment, a double layer of underlayment, or spray foam. Standard underlayment and hot-mopped felt do not count.

Does a new roof give me secondary water resistance?

On a home permitted before March 2002, the code requires a secondary water barrier when a shingle or metal roof covering 2:12 or steeper is replaced, using one of the methods the 2026 form now accepts. You still need proof, because it cannot be seen once the roof is on, so keep the permit and the photos from the job.

What are roof-to-wall attachments?

They are how the roof framing is tied to the top of the walls: toenails, clips, single wraps, double wraps, or structural anchors. The form asks for the weakest one the inspector finds in the attic.

What does no attic access mean on my report?

The inspector could not get into the attic to check the deck nailing or the roof-to-wall connections. Citizens treats it the same as unknown, so it earns no credit for those questions. Clearing a path to the attic hatch before the inspection helps.

Can a roofer sign a wind mitigation form?

Roofing contractors are not on the form's list. It can be signed by a licensed home inspector with hurricane mitigation training, a certified building code inspector, a general, building or residential contractor, an engineer, or an architect. An insurer may accept others, but does not have to. We coordinate a licensed inspector after the roof is done.

Which roof item saves the most on insurance?

There is no official ranking for the roof items, and each insurer files its own discounts. A 2024 study for the state found that opening protection gives the largest savings overall, and that a home with weak deck attachment cannot get any wind mitigation discounts.

Sources

  1. Florida OIR: Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form, OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26)
  2. Florida OIR: OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 01/12), prior form
  3. Florida OIR: Wind mitigation resources
  4. Citizens Property Insurance: Uniform mitigation form changes (March 19, 2026)
  5. Citizens Property Insurance: Wind Loss Mitigation Guide (Rev. 04/26)
  6. Florida Building Code, Existing Building (2023, 8th ed.): Sections 706.7 and 706.8
  7. Applied Research Associates for Florida OIR: 2024 Residential Wind-Loss Mitigation Study
  8. Florida Statutes (2026): Section 553.844, windstorm loss mitigation for roofs
  9. Florida Statutes (2026): Section 627.711, uniform mitigation verification inspection form
  10. FRSA: New 2023 FBC, 8th edition, is now in effect (Feb. 13, 2024)
  11. FRSA: Complexities of roof replacement permits and hurricane mitigation (2019)
  12. Alachua County: Residential roofing replacement permit requirements (June 2025)
  13. City of Sebastian: Re-roof mitigation questions and answers
  14. Pinellas County: Reroof inspection affidavit (August 2026)

Thinking about a new roof before your next renewal?

We will look at your current report with you, tell you which roof answers a new roof can change, and coordinate a licensed inspector once it is done.

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