Florida's New Wind Mitigation Form (OIR-B1-1802): What Changed in 2026

If you've had a wind mitigation inspection in Florida before, you may have heard that the form changed this year. The Office of Insurance Regulation replaced the long-standing OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 01/12) form with a revised version, OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), which became mandatory for new inspections statewide as of April 1, 2026. If your last inspection was done on the old form, here's what changed, whether it still counts, and what it means for your insurance premium.

Why the Form Changed

The update comes out of a 2024 Residential Wind-Loss Mitigation Study commissioned by state regulators, which looked at how Florida homes actually performed in recent hurricanes versus what the older discount tables assumed. The result is a more detailed form with updated discount tiers and revised evaluation criteria that better reflect current building science and real-world storm performance — not just theoretical wind-tunnel numbers from over a decade ago.

What's Actually Different

The new form still evaluates the same seven core categories our wind mitigation inspection guide covers, but the documentation standard and scoring behind each one has been tightened:

• Building Code Compliance — clearer documentation requirements to confirm your home's permit date and applicable code year
• Roof Covering — updated criteria for what counts as compliant roof covering installation
• Roof Deck Attachment — revised documentation standards for nail/staple pattern and spacing
• Roof-to-Wall Connection — more specific evidence requirements to distinguish toe-nails, clips, single wraps and double wraps
• Roof Shape — same hip-vs-gable distinction, with tightened photo documentation rules
• Secondary Water Resistance (SWR) — clearer verification standard for self-adhering membrane or foam-adhesive systems
• Opening Protection — updated criteria for what qualifies as impact-rated protection on windows, doors and garage doors

In short: the categories are the same, but inspectors now need better documentation to back up each answer, and the discount tables behind those answers have shifted — for some features, upward; for others, the credit is now more conservative because the underlying wind-loss data supports a smaller discount than before.

Does Your Existing Inspection Still Count?

Yes — for now. A completed wind mitigation inspection form stays valid for up to five years, provided your home hasn't had material structural changes and no inaccuracies are discovered. If your last inspection was done before April 1, 2026, on the old form, your insurer can still honor it until it expires or your home changes. You don't need to rush out and pay for a new inspection just because the form updated.

That said, a few situations make it worth scheduling a new inspection sooner rather than waiting out the old one:

• You've replaced your roof, added impact windows or doors, or made other qualifying upgrades since your last inspection
• Your current inspection is more than 3–4 years old and approaching its five-year expiration
• You're not sure your original inspection captured everything correctly — a fresh inspection under the more detailed 2026 form gives clearer documentation for your insurer
• You're shopping for new homeowners insurance and want the most current, best-documented discount package to present

What This Means for Your Premium

Wind mitigation credits can still add up to a meaningful discount — insurers have cited savings as high as 88% off the windstorm portion of a policy for homes with strong hurricane-resistant features, though the real number depends heavily on your specific roof, openings and location. Because the 2026 form documents features more rigorously, a well-prepared inspection can actually make it easier to defend your discount if your insurer ever questions it at renewal.

Who Can Perform the Inspection

The form must be completed by a qualified inspector — a licensed home inspector, building code inspector, contractor, engineer, or architect recognized by your insurance carrier. Florida's My Safe Florida Home program (see our 2026 program status guide) also offers free wind mitigation inspections and matching grants for qualifying homeowners, which is worth checking before paying out of pocket.

Bottom Line

The 2026 update to OIR-B1-1802 doesn't invalidate inspections you already have, but it does raise the documentation bar for new ones — and it's a good prompt to check whether your last inspection is getting close to its five-year expiration, or whether recent roof or window upgrades qualify you for a bigger discount than your file currently shows.