What is the Florida hurricane window code requirement?
In a wind-borne debris region, the Florida Building Code requires every exterior glazed opening to be impact resistant or protected by an approved impact-resistant covering. Outside Miami-Dade and Broward counties, a product proves it by passing the large-missile impact test (ASTM E1996) and the cyclic pressure test that follows it (ASTM E1886), then earning a product approval for that exact assembly. Brevard County homeowners meet the rule one of two ways: impact-rated windows, or standard windows plus tested shutters that go up before a storm.
The code in force is the Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), which took effect statewide on December 31, 2023. It is one code for the whole state, so the same rules apply in Melbourne, Palm Bay, Titusville and unincorporated Brevard, with your local building department doing the plan review and inspections.
Which parts of Florida are wind-borne debris regions?
The 8th Edition uses the wind-borne debris region definition from the ASCE 7-22 standard. An area qualifies if either of these is true:
- The ultimate design wind speed is 140 mph or greater.
- It is within 1 mile of the mean high water line where an Exposure D condition exists upwind at the waterline, and the ultimate design wind speed is 130 mph or greater.
The second test changed with ASCE 7-22. Older editions said within one mile of the coast; the new wording replaces "coastal" with an open-water exposure condition, which needs at least 5,000 feet of water upwind of the waterline. A Florida Building Commission study with the University of Florida found the change pulls some inland homes next to large lakes and rivers into the region. Your building department can confirm whether your address is in it.
The stricter High-Velocity Hurricane Zone applies only in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Brevard is outside it, so Brevard projects use the statewide product approval system and the ASTM test standards rather than the Miami-Dade protocols.
What does impact rated mean in Florida?
Impact rated means the whole window, not just the glass, was tested and approved. Two approval systems exist:
| Approval | Who issues it | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Florida Product Approval (FL number) | Florida Building Commission, under section 553.842, Florida Statutes | Statewide; searchable on floridabuilding.org |
| Notice of Acceptance (NOA) | Miami-Dade County | Required in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone; often accepted elsewhere too |
Either document lists the sizes, glass, anchoring and design pressure the product was approved for. Your contractor submits it with the permit, the building inspector checks the installed units against it, and the label on each window ties it back to the approval. Ask for the approval number before you sign a contract.
Design pressure (DP) ratings: what do the numbers mean?
Every approved window carries a design pressure rating written as a positive and negative pair, such as +50/-65 psf. The positive number is wind pushing in toward the house; the negative number is suction pulling the window out, which is often the higher demand on corners and upper floors. The required rating for each opening comes from the wind load calculation for your house: its design wind speed, exposure, height and the opening's position. Match the rating to that calculation, not to a sales sheet.
Does hurricane window film meet the code?
Film on its own does not meet the Florida Building Code impact requirement. A product counts only when the complete assembly has passed ASTM E1996 and ASTM E1886 and holds a product approval. Our impact glass vs film comparison covers what film does and does not do.
How do wind mitigation discounts work?
Florida law (section 627.0629, Florida Statutes) requires insurers to offer premium discounts for wind loss mitigation features, and opening protection is one of them. You prove the features with the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form, completed by a qualified inspector. The Office of Insurance Regulation revised that form to OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), and inspections on or after April 1, 2026 must use the new version, according to Citizens Property Insurance. The form records whether all of your glazed openings, including garage doors and skylights, are protected, so one unprotected opening can change your rating; ask your agent how your carrier scores partial protection. See our impact window insurance savings guide.
Common mistakes Brevard homeowners make
1. Signing before seeing the product approval. If a contractor cannot show the FL number or NOA for the exact windows quoted, the permit and the wind mitigation credit are both at risk.
2. Leaving some openings unprotected. A non-impact transom or garage door can drop you to a lower opening protection category on the inspection form.
3. Skipping the post-install inspection. Installation alone does not change your premium; the mitigation form has to be completed and sent to your insurer.
4. Choosing finish before rating. Size the design pressure first, then pick frame color, hardware and glass tint.
5. Forgetting bedroom escape openings. Laminated glass is hard to break, so keep an operable window in every bedroom.
Florida hurricane window code FAQ
Is impact glass required by code in Florida?
Not everywhere, and impact glass is not the only option. In a wind-borne debris region the Florida Building Code requires exterior glazed openings to be impact resistant or protected by an approved impact-resistant covering, such as tested shutters. Across much of coastal Florida, including Brevard County, homeowners meet that rule either with impact-rated windows or with standard windows plus approved shutters. Your building department confirms which applies to your address when you pull the permit.
Does hurricane window film meet the Florida Building Code?
Film by itself does not. What the code accepts is a window or protective system that has passed the impact and cyclic pressure tests, ASTM E1996 and ASTM E1886 outside Miami-Dade and Broward, and carries a product approval for that exact assembly. A film product only counts if it was tested and approved as part of a complete system. If a seller cannot show you a product approval number, treat the film as glass protection against small debris, not as code-approved protection.
What does impact rated mean on a Florida window?
It means the complete window, meaning frame, glass and anchoring together, passed missile impact testing and the cyclic pressure test that follows, and has a product approval listing its design pressure and installation method. Statewide approvals are searchable on floridabuilding.org, and Miami-Dade issues its own Notice of Acceptance for products used in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. The label and approval number on each unit are what your inspector and your wind mitigation inspector check.
What is the wind impact building code in Palm Bay?
Palm Bay builds to the same Florida Building Code as the rest of the state, currently the 8th Edition (2023), which took effect December 31, 2023. Palm Bay is outside the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so the general wind provisions apply: in a wind-borne debris region, openings need impact-rated products or approved protection, and each window needs a product approval rated for the design pressure at your house. The permit office reviews the approval paperwork when you apply.
Can you break an impact window to escape in an emergency?
Not easily, which is why escape planning matters. Impact glass is laminated, so when it cracks the interlayer is designed to hold the glass in the frame, which makes it very hard to break through. That is why the code requires bedrooms to have an emergency escape opening, a window or door that opens to the outside. When you replace bedroom windows with impact units, keep at least one operable window that meets the escape opening size, and make sure everyone in the home knows how to open it.
Planning a replacement? See ELSO impact window installation, our Palm Bay impact windows page, or request a free estimate.
References and further reading
- Florida Building Commission, Florida Building Code 8th Edition (2023), effective December 31, 2023
- Investigation of the Wind-borne Debris Regions in ASCE 7-22, Florida Building Commission and University of Florida, interim report, December 15, 2024
- Florida Product Approval search, Florida Building Commission
- Miami-Dade Building Code Compliance Office, Notice of Acceptance database
- Citizens Property Insurance, Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form changes, March 19, 2026
- FEMA P-762: Local Officials Guide for Coastal Construction