The five-year rule (as of 2026)
The Florida Department of Financial Services' consumer guide to hurricane-mitigation discounts says a completed uniform mitigation verification form is valid for five years, provided no material changes are made to the structure. A new roof, new impact windows or shutters, or other structural work is a reason to get a new inspection, since it can change the features (and discounts) the form records.
Section 627.711 of the Florida Statutes leaves the validity period to guidance from the Financial Services Commission, and requires insurers to tell policyholders at issuance and every renewal which mitigation discounts and credits are available.[1][2]
The April 2026 form change
The Office of Insurance Regulation revised the form to OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), effective April 1, 2026. Citizens Property Insurance's bulletin of March 19, 2026 says inspections conducted on or after that date must use the revised form, which updates the roof covering, roof deck attachment, roof-to-wall attachment, secondary water resistance and opening-protection sections and adds FORTIFIED Home certificates as eligible evidence for certain features.
For Citizens, the previous version (Rev. 01/12) is still accepted if it was completed within five years before April 1, 2026 and no structural changes have been made. Other insurers set their own acceptance practices, so ask the carrier before relying on an older form.[3]
Who can sign it, and why buyers ask for it
Under section 627.711(2)(a), an insurer must accept as valid a form signed by a licensed home inspector (with the required hurricane mitigation training), a certified building code inspector, a licensed general, building or residential contractor, a licensed professional engineer or a licensed professional architect. An insurer may verify a form independently at its own expense.
Because the form travels with the house rather than the owner, a seller's current, unexpired form can help a buyer get insurance quotes during the inspection period. If it is older than five years or the home has changed, plan on a new inspection.[1][2]
Key takeaways
- A Florida wind mitigation form is valid for five years if the structure has no material changes (DFS guide, July 2026).
- Inspections on or after April 1, 2026 must use the revised OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26).
- Citizens accepts the older 01/12 form only if completed within five years before April 1, 2026 and the home is unchanged.
- Insurers must accept forms signed by the licensed professionals listed in s. 627.711.
- A new roof, windows or shutters are a reason to order a new inspection.
Sources
- [1]Florida Department of Financial Services — Premium Discounts for Hurricane Loss Mitigation: A Guide for Consumers (July 2026)
- [2]Florida Statutes (2026) — s. 627.711, Notice of premium discounts for hurricane loss mitigation; uniform mitigation verification inspection form
- [3]Citizens Property Insurance — Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form Changes (March 19, 2026)
Reviewed October 13, 2026. General real-estate information for Florida, not legal, tax, lending or insurance advice. Laws, rates and deadlines change — confirm property-specific facts with the agency cited, a Florida real-estate attorney, CPA or licensed insurance agent.