How to Get the Texas WPI-8 Windstorm Certificate of Compliance

To get a Texas WPI-8 Windstorm Certificate of Compliance, file a WPI-1 application with the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) before construction begins, have either a TDI field inspector or an appointed Texas licensed professional engineer inspect the work at each major phase, and TDI issues the certificate once every phase passes.¹ The certificate confirms your building meets the state’s windstorm codes and is what the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) requires before it will write a wind and hail policy on the structure.²

Who Needs a WPI-8

The requirement applies to property in the designated catastrophe area: all 14 first-tier coastal counties, plus a portion of Harris County east of Highway 146. The first-tier counties are Aransas, Brazoria, Calhoun, Cameron, Chambers, Galveston, Jefferson, Kenedy, Kleberg, Matagorda, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, and Willacy.³

In these areas, private insurers generally do not offer windstorm and hail coverage, so TWIA is often the only option. TWIA requires a valid WPI-8 (or WPI-8-E for structures inspected after completion) on file with TDI before it considers the property eligible for a policy.⁴ Without one, TWIA treats the structure as uninsurable.²

What Construction Requires a Certificate

Any new construction, addition, alteration, or repair to a building in the catastrophe area triggers the requirement. That covers new homes, roof replacements, window upgrades, and structural additions, on both residential and commercial properties.⁵

Some work is generally exempt:

Painting, carpeting, and refinishing
Plumbing and electrical repairs
Fence repair
Gutter repair or replacement
Temporary repairs after a storm

TDI publishes the full exemption list. If your project falls outside those exemptions, start the certification process before work begins, not after.²

Step 1: File a WPI-1 Application Before Construction Starts

Before breaking ground, you or your builder must file a WPI-1 Application for Certificate of Compliance with TDI. State law requires the application before any construction begins.¹ You can submit the WPI-1 online through the TDI Windstorm System at appscenter.tdi.texas.gov/windstorm.⁶

Step 2: Choose Your Inspector

You have two options:

A TDI field inspector. Availability depends on the size and scope of your project, so contact the TDI Field Office nearest to the property to see if yours qualifies. TDI inspectors do not charge for inspections.¹
An appointed Texas licensed professional engineer. This is an engineer licensed by the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and formally appointed by TDI under Insurance Code Section 2210.254(a)(2). TDI publishes a searchable list of appointed qualified inspectors through its Windstorm System. Engineers set their own fees; TDI does not regulate or publish rates.⁷⁸

Step 3: Schedule Inspections at Each Phase

Inspections must happen during active construction. For ongoing construction, the inspector evaluates compliance at four major stages:⁹

Foundation: anchor bolts, slab connections, and foundation layout.
Rough framing: wall framing, roof framing, and structural connections.
Final framing: attachment of exterior components, cladding, and windborne debris protection such as impact-resistant windows or shutters.
Mechanical equipment installation: securing HVAC units, vents, and other rooftop or exterior equipment against wind loads.

Contact TDI each time you are ready for the next phase inspection. If work does not comply, TDI posts a notice at the job site listing the specific deficiencies, and the inspector returns after you correct them.¹

Step 4: Receive the Certificate

After every phase passes, TDI issues the WPI-8 Certificate of Compliance. If an appointed engineer performed the inspections, that engineer files the certification forms with TDI. You can also submit forms yourself by mail, by fax at 512-490-1051, or by email to windstorm@tdi.texas.gov.¹ If your application was entered through the online Windstorm System, no separate paper copy is needed. TDI typically processes submitted forms within 48 hours, though volume can slow things down after a disaster or during system changes.⁶

If Construction Already Finished Without an Inspection

When a project was completed without a windstorm inspection, only an appointed Texas licensed professional engineer can perform the post-construction inspection. A TDI field inspector cannot handle this situation.¹ The resulting certificate is a WPI-8-E rather than a standard WPI-8. TWIA accepts either one.⁴

Post-construction inspections tend to cost more and take more work. The engineer has to verify code compliance for framing, fasteners, and connections that are no longer visible, which can mean opening finished walls or using other invasive methods.⁵ The practical takeaway: schedule inspections while work is still open, not after the drywall goes up.

What It Costs

TDI field inspectors do not charge, so if your project qualifies for a TDI inspection, the certificate itself is free.¹ Appointed engineers set their own rates, and TDI does not regulate or publish a fee schedule. Costs vary with the size of the structure, the number of inspection phases, and whether the inspection is during or after construction. A post-construction inspection on a completed building will almost always cost more than phase-by-phase inspections on active construction.

What Happens Without a Certificate

Without a Certificate of Compliance on file, TWIA will not issue a wind and hail policy on the structure, and in the catastrophe area that generally leaves the property with no windstorm coverage at all.²

The WPI-8 Waiver for Certain Homes

TWIA offers a limited waiver for one- or two-family residential dwellings where construction began on or after January 1, 1988, but before June 19, 2009, and no certificate was obtained. Under the waiver, the property can be insured, but the owner pays a 15% surcharge on top of the full policy premium. The surcharge is non-refundable and non-commissionable.²

To qualify, the property must still meet current building code requirements for any work performed on or after June 19, 2009, satisfy TWIA’s flood insurance requirements, and meet all other underwriting criteria. If you later obtain the missing certificates, TWIA drops the surcharge at your next renewal but does not refund surcharges already paid during the current term.¹⁰

The waiver does not cover commercial properties, homes built before 1988, or homes built on or after June 19, 2009. For post-2009 construction, there is no substitute for obtaining the actual certificate.

Looking Up an Existing Certificate

Before starting a new application, check whether a certificate already exists. TDI provides a free public certificate search at appscenter.tdi.texas.gov/windstorm. Click “Find a Certificate,” and search by partial street address with the city, zip code, or county, or by application or certificate number. No login is required, and entering the first few letters or numbers of a field is enough to start a search.⁶

Keep a copy of the certificate with your property records. Insurance agents, lenders, and future buyers will all ask for it.

1
Texas Department of Insurance. What Is the Windstorm Inspection Process
2
Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. Windstorm Certification
3
Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. Insurance from A to Z
4
Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. Minimum Policy Eligibility Criteria
5
Texas Department of Insurance. What You Need to Know About Windstorm Inspections
6
Texas Department of Insurance. Windstorm System Information
7
Legal Information Institute. 28 Texas Administrative Code 5.4601 – Definitions
8
Texas Department of Insurance. Appointed Inspectors
9
Legal Information Institute. 28 Texas Administrative Code 5.4621 – Certification of Ongoing Improvements Inspected by Appointed Qualified Inspectors
10
Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. TWIA Instructions and Guidelines Manual