4-Point and Wind Mitigation Inspections in Florida: A Buyer's Guide

What is a 4-point inspection in Florida?

A 4-point inspection is a short, insurance-focused look at four systems of a home: the roof, the electrical system, the plumbing and the HVAC. The Florida Department of Financial Services describes it as "a specialized evaluation of a property commonly required by homeowners insurance companies in Florida when issuing or renewing a policy." The insurer uses the report to decide whether, and on what terms, to write the policy.

The report is not a full home inspection. Florida law defines home inspection services as "a limited visual examination of the following readily accessible installed systems and components of a home," a list that also takes in the structure, interior and exterior components and site conditions (Fla. Stat. § 468.8311). A 4-point stops at the four systems. Citizens' sample form says the information "only is used to determine insurability and is not a warranty or assurance of the suitability, fitness or longevity of any of the systems inspected." So a 4-point does not replace the general inspection you would order to judge the home itself.

This is general information about how inspections and insurance forms work. It is not legal advice and not insurance advice. A licensed Florida insurance agent can tell you what a specific carrier requires, and a Florida real estate attorney can answer questions about your contract.

What does a 4-point inspection cover?

It records the age, type and condition of each of the four systems, with photos. The Citizens 4-point inspection form is a sample, and Citizens says any other report must include at least the same level of detail.

1. Electrical: panel type and amperage, panel age and brand, wiring type, and any cloth wiring, active knob and tube or aluminum branch wiring. The form lists hazards such as double taps, exposed wiring, scorching and improper grounding.
2. HVAC: whether there is central air and heat, whether the systems are in good working order, the age of the system and the date of the last service, plus signs of blockage or leaks at the air handler.
3. Plumbing: the water heater and its relief valve, active or prior leaks, the condition of fixtures and connections, the age of the piping and the pipe material.
4. Roof: covering material, age, remaining useful life, the date of the last roofing permit, and visible damage or leaks, checked from the attic and interior ceilings as well.

The form asks for photos of each side of the house, each roof slope, the water heater and under-sink plumbing, the electrical panel with its cover off and the HVAC equipment with its dated manufacturer's plate. The state's guide says the visit "should generally take approximately one hour."

What will fail a 4-point inspection in Florida?

The form gives no overall pass or fail. The inspector marks each system satisfactory or unsatisfactory, lists any hazards, and the insurer decides what to accept. The Citizens form defines acceptable condition this way: "Acceptable Condition means that each system is working as intended and there are no visible hazards or deficiencies." Its note to agents says: "Agents may not submit applications for properties with electrical, heating or plumbing systems not in good working order or with existing hazards/deficiencies." Aluminum branch wiring needs separate documentation of any remediation, certified by a licensed electrician. The state guide says that, depending on the findings, "homeowners may need to complete repairs before an insurance company will issue a policy."

Is a 4-point inspection required in Florida?

It depends on the insurer. The state's guide says "some insurance companies mandate four-point inspections" to judge the risk of insuring a home, and the criteria vary by company. Citizens Property Insurance Corporation publishes its rule: it requires a four-point inspection on all property owner, dwelling and mobile home applications for homes more than twenty years old (Citizens inspections page).

The Citizens threshold changed for policies effective on or after February 1, 2022, when the Office of Insurance Regulation approved a rule update that lowered the cutoff from homes over thirty years old to homes over twenty (Citizens bulletin). Other insurers follow their own underwriting rules, so ask your agent what the carrier quoting the home uses.

Roof age rules

Roofs get extra attention. Citizens says shingle-type roofs older than twenty-five years, and tile, slate, clay, concrete or metal roofs older than fifty years, "require documentation showing at least five years of remaining useful life." The state's consumer guide notes that an insurer may want the same proof for shingle roofs older than fifteen years or tile and metal roofs older than twenty.

Florida law sets a floor for homeowners' policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2022. An insurer may not refuse to issue or renew a policy on a home with a roof less than fifteen years old "solely because of the age of the roof." For a roof at least fifteen years old, the insurer must let the homeowner get a roof inspection, at the homeowner's expense, from an authorized inspector approved by the insurer before requiring replacement, and may not refuse the policy solely because of roof age if that inspection shows five or more years of useful life left (Fla. Stat. § 627.7011(5)).

What is a wind mitigation inspection?

A wind mitigation inspection documents the parts of a home that resist hurricane wind: how the roof is attached, the roof shape, the roof covering, the opening protection over windows and doors, and more. The inspector records them on the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form, OIR-B1-1802, published on the Office of Insurance Regulation's wind mitigation page, often called the wind mitigation report or wind mitigation certificate.

Florida law says the form "shall be used by all insurers when submitted by policyholders for the purpose of factoring discounts for wind insurance" (Fla. Stat. § 627.711). The current version (Rev. 04/26) asks about:

1. Building code: which edition of the Florida Building Code (or, in Miami-Dade and Broward's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, the South Florida Building Code) was in force when the permit was applied for.
2. Region: the design wind speed zone of the address.
3. Roof slope.
4. Roof covering: type, permit date or product approval, and year installed.
5. Roof deck attachment: the weakest way the roof sheathing is fastened.
6. Roof-to-wall attachment: the weakest connection, from toenails to clips, wraps or structural anchors.
7. Roof geometry: hip, flat or other.
8. Secondary water resistance: a supplemental layer under the covering, such as a sealed roof deck.
9. Opening protection: the weakest protection on windows, doors, skylights and garage doors.

Each feature marked must be backed by at least one photo or document. Citizens notes that the inspector needs attic access, and "if the inspector cannot access your attic, you may not be eligible for discounts for" roof-to-wall attachment, roof deck attachment and secondary water resistance (Citizens, Your Wind Inspection). Permits, invoices and product approval letters help prove features that are hard to see.

The April 2026 form update

The Office of Insurance Regulation revised the form after a 2024 residential wind-loss mitigation study; the new version took effect April 1, 2026, according to the same OIR page. Citizens told agents that "Inspections conducted on or after April 1, 2026, must use the revised form," and that it still accepts the previous version (Rev. 01/12) completed within five years before that date if the structure has not changed. The revision added the region and roof slope questions, and FORTIFIED Home certificates can now support some features. Citizens' March 2026 bulletin adds that these changes "will not result in any difference to the credits available and applied at this time" (Citizens bulletin).

Does a wind mitigation inspection save on insurance?

It can. Florida law requires every residential property rate filing to "include actuarially reasonable discounts, credits, or other rate differentials, or appropriate reductions in deductibles" for homes with wind-resistant features, and the wind mitigation form is how a policyholder documents them (Fla. Stat. § 627.0629).

How much a given home saves depends on its features and the insurer's approved discounts, and the form itself warns that "some items listed may not qualify for a discount." The same statute requires each insurer to describe its hurricane mitigation discounts on its website. For the numbers on a specific home, ask a licensed Florida insurance agent to quote the policy with and without the report.

How long is a wind mitigation report good for in Florida?

Up to five years. The Office of Insurance Regulation says the form "is valid for up to five (5) years provided no material changes are made to the structure or inaccuracies are found on the form." If the home gets a new roof or new opening protection, ask your agent whether a new report is needed.

A 4-point report goes stale much sooner: the state's guide says it generally must be dated within the thirty days before the insurance application, but that "each insurance company determines the acceptable timeframe." Check the window with your agent before you book.

Who can do a 4-point or wind mitigation inspection?

Both forms are normally signed by a Florida-licensed professional, and the list differs by form; insurers may also accept other people they consider qualified. The state's guide says to verify "a contractor's or inspector's license" on the Department of Business and Professional Regulation's site, myfloridalicense.com.

For a 4-point, Citizens gives as examples a general, residential or building contractor, a building code inspector and a home inspector, and adds that "a trade-specific, licensed professional may sign off only on the inspection form section for their trade." Home inspectors are licensed by the state under Chapter 468, part XV; the law says the department "shall license any applicant who the department certifies is qualified to practice home inspection services" (Fla. Stat. § 468.8314).

For the wind mitigation form, § 627.711 lists the authorized inspectors: a licensed home inspector who has completed the required hurricane mitigation training, a certified building code inspector, a licensed general, building or residential contractor, a professional engineer, a professional architect, or anyone else the insurer recognizes as qualified. The inspector "must inspect the structures referenced by the form personally," except that engineers and contractors may send a qualified direct employee. Roofing contractors are not on that list, though "an insurer may, but is not required to, accept a form from any other person possessing qualifications and experience acceptable to the insurer."

How much does a 4-point inspection cost in Florida?

As of October 2026, the Florida Department of Financial Services consumer guide says a standalone 4-point "may typically range from $100 to $300," and that the price depends on the inspector, the local market and the size of the home. When it is done with a general home inspection or other services, it may be part of a package price. The guide suggests getting quotes from several licensed inspectors.

The state guide gives no range for wind mitigation inspections. If you book the 4-point and the wind mitigation together, ask the inspector for a combined quote.

When should a buyer order a 4-point and a wind mitigation inspection?

Order them at the start of the inspection period, along with your general home inspection. Under the Florida Realtors®/Florida Bar "AS IS" contract, the buyer "has a very strong right of cancellation during the inspection period," according to Florida Realtors. Your own rights depend on the contract form and terms you signed, which a Florida real estate attorney can confirm. The inspection period is also when an insurance problem can still change your decision.

A practical order of events:

1. Ask the listing agent early whether the seller has a current wind mitigation report. A form completed within the last five years may still be valid if the structure has not changed.
2. Book the general inspection, the 4-point and, if needed, a new wind mitigation inspection for the same visit, with attic access arranged.
3. Send the reports to your insurance agent as soon as you have them and ask for a quote.
4. If the 4-point shows hazards or a short remaining roof life, raise it while you can still negotiate repairs or cancel under your contract.
5. Make sure the 4-point is still inside the insurer's date window when the policy is bound before closing.

The order of these steps fits inside the broader timeline in our guide on how to buy a house in Florida, step by step. If you are still choosing a home, listing pages on this site show the year built when the listing record has it, which tells you early whether an insurer's age rules may apply. Start from the county pages: Miami-Dade County homes and data, Broward County homes and data and Palm Beach County homes and data.

State-paid inspections after you buy

Florida's hurricane mitigation program, run by the Department of Financial Services, pays for wind mitigation inspections and offers grants for approved upgrades to eligible homeowners (program website). The statute behind it sets several conditions for an inspection, including these: the home must be "a single-family unit on an individual parcel of land," either detached or "[a]n attached residential property not exceeding three stories"; it must be "site-built and owner-occupied"; and the applicant must be "granted a homestead exemption on the home under chapter 196." The program's FAQ lists condominiums among the properties that are not eligible for its inspections. The statute also says the program "does not create an entitlement" and depends on annual funding (Fla. Stat. § 215.5586). In practice a buyer's first chance to qualify comes after closing, once the home has a homestead exemption. The homestead application goes to the county property appraiser on or before March 1, for a home you own on January 1 (Fla. Stat. § 196.011), so the program does not replace the inspection you need for the first policy.

Talk to Marina

Marina Garan, REALTOR®, Broker Associate
London Foster Realty

FL lic. BK3336901 · Brokerage lic. CQ1046685

Call (786) 751-5111Send a message

How we wrote this: This article has no market figures. It is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice. Spot an error? Call or text (786) 751-5111 · London Foster Realty.