4-point vs wind mitigation vs roof certification: what each is for

They are three different documents for three different questions. A 4-point inspection tells an insurer whether the home’s roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC are acceptable. A wind mitigation inspection records the wind-resistant features that can earn premium credits, on a state form. A roof certification (often called a roof inspection or roof condition form) reports the roof’s age, estimated remaining life and condition. None of them replaces a full roof inspection with repair recommendations.

The three side by side

	4-point inspection	Wind mitigation inspection	Roof certification / roof condition form
Purpose	Insurability of four systems	Premium credits for wind-resistant construction	Insurability of the roof
Form	Insurer’s own (e.g. Citizens Insp4pt 03 25) or an equivalent with the same detail	State form OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26)	Insurer’s own (e.g. Citizens RCF-1 03 25) or an equivalent
Roof content	Covering, age, remaining useful life, last permit, condition, visible damage and leaks, photo of each slope	Roof covering and its product approval or permit date, deck attachment, roof-to-wall attachment, roof shape, secondary water resistance, roof slope	Same roof fields as the 4-point
Other content	Electrical, plumbing, HVAC	Building code era, wind region, opening protection	None
Who usually asks	Insurer at new business, often for older homes	You or your agent, to claim discounts	Insurer, when the roof’s age or condition is in question
Accepted for	Set by each insurer (Citizens: 12 months for new business)	Up to 5 years if nothing material changes	Set by each insurer

The 4-point inspection

There is no single state 4-point form; each insurer sets its own requirements. Citizens’ sample 4-Point Inspection Form (Insp4pt 03 25) is the one most Florida agents recognize, and Citizens says other forms are acceptable if they carry at least the same level of detail.

• What it covers: the age, type and condition of the roof, electrical system, plumbing and HVAC, with photos of each side of the house, each roof slope, the open electrical panel, the water heater and any hazard found.
• Who may sign (Citizens): a verifiable Florida-licensed professional, such as a general, residential or building contractor, a building code inspector or a home inspector. Citizens’ FAQ adds Florida-licensed architects, engineers and building code officials. A trade-specific licensee (an electrician, for example) may sign only the section for that trade.
• When Citizens requires it: on new applications for homes more than 20 years old, not including tenant or condominium risks (Citizens FAQ).
• How long it is accepted (Citizens): the report must be dated within 12 months before the new-business application, with shorter windows in a few special cases (Citizens FAQ).

Other carriers set their own age thresholds and time limits. Ask your agent before you book.

The wind mitigation inspection (OIR-B1-1802)

This is the only one of the three that is a state form, adopted by rule 69O-170.0155 of the Florida Administrative Code. The Office of Insurance Regulation revised it, and the new version, OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), took effect April 1, 2026; the previous version dated from January 2012 (OIR wind mitigation resources).

What it records (nine questions on the current form): the building code in force when the house was permitted, the wind region, roof slope, roof covering, roof deck attachment, roof-to-wall attachment, roof geometry, secondary water resistance, and opening protection. The form requires at least one photo or document as proof for each attribute claimed in questions 2 through 9, and it accepts a FORTIFIED Home certificate to validate certain features.

Who may sign. Under s. 627.711(2), Florida Statutes, insurers must accept the form when signed by:

• a home inspector licensed under s. 468.8314 who has completed the required hurricane mitigation training and a proficiency exam;
• a building code inspector certified under s. 468.607;
• a general, building or residential contractor licensed under s. 489.111;
• a professional engineer licensed under s. 471.015;
• a professional architect licensed under s. 481.213;
• any other person the insurer recognizes as qualified.

A roofing contractor licence on its own is not in that list; a roofer can sign only if the insurer accepts them under the last item. Contractors and engineers may have a qualified direct employee perform the inspection, but they sign and are responsible for it; other signers must inspect personally.

How long it is accepted. The form states it is “valid for up to five (5) years provided no material changes have been made to the structure or inaccuracies found on the form” (OIR-B1-1802 Rev. 04/26). A new roof is a material change worth re-documenting.

Older forms. Citizens announced it will still accept the previous Rev. 01/12 form if the structure has not changed and the inspection was completed within the five years before April 1, 2026 (Citizens bulletin, March 19, 2026). Other insurers may differ.

For what the individual features mean for your premium, see our wind mitigation guide.

The roof certification or roof condition form

“Roof certification” is an industry term rather than a legal one. What insurers usually want is a roof condition report on their own form. Citizens’ sample Roof Inspection Form (RCF-1 03 25) asks, for each roof covering:

• covering material, roof age and remaining useful life in years;
• date of the last roofing permit and whether the last update was a full or partial replacement (and what percentage);
• overall condition, satisfactory or unsatisfactory;
• visible damage (cracking, curling, granule loss, exposed felt, missing or cracked tiles, soft decking and others) and visible leaks in the attic or ceilings;
• photos of every slope and of any deficiency.

On that Citizens form the signer may be a Florida-licensed general, residential, building or roofing contractor, a building code inspector or a licensed home inspector. The form also notes that it does not verify mitigation features; that is the 1802’s job. Citizens’ 4-point form says its roof section, with photos of each slope, can take the place of the separate roof form.

If the reason for the request is the roof’s age, Florida law gives you a specific right to an inspection before a replacement can be required. Read the 15-year roof rule, which also covers who counts as an “authorized inspector” under s. 627.7011. Citizens’ own thresholds are in Citizens roof requirements.

What affects the cost

We don’t publish inspection prices. What moves the price of any of these is:

• How many forms you need in one visit (a 4-point and a wind mitigation are often done together).
• House size, number of roof areas and roof access (steep, high or fragile roofs take longer).
• Attic access, which the wind mitigation form depends on for deck and roof-to-wall attachment.
• Documentation available: permit records and product approvals can support answers that would otherwise need more investigation.
• Re-inspections after repairs, if the first report shows deficiencies.

Which one do you actually need?

Ask your agent which form, which version and how recent it must be, in writing, before booking. Then:

• Buying an older home or switching insurers: probably a 4-point, and a wind mitigation to capture credits.
• Insurer flagged the roof’s age: a roof condition form, or the roof section of a 4-point, from an inspector your insurer accepts.
• Just replaced the roof or added shutters or impact openings: a new wind mitigation form.
• Leak, damage or an uncertain roof: a full roof inspection first; the forms come after any repairs. See our roof inspection guide.

Next step

Art’s Roofing & Construction produces wind-mitigation documentation as part of our hurricane work. If you are replacing or upgrading a roof and want the paperwork handled with it, see our hurricane protection service or request a free estimate.