We're a licensed Florida General Contractor. We can't approve your grant — only the state does that — but we can tell you whether you're likely to qualify and handle the code-compliant installation once you're approved.
Section 1
What the program actually gives you
My Safe Florida Home (MSFH) is run by the Florida Department of Financial Services and has two parts:
- A free wind-mitigation inspection. A state-assigned inspector documents your home's current hurricane resistance and recommends improvements. This report alone can help you claim insurance credits you're already owed — even if you never take the grant.
- A matching grant — up to $10,000 — toward the improvements the inspection recommends, including impact windows and doors.
Section 2
How the grant money works
The grant is a 2-to-1 state match, with an important exception for lower-income homeowners:
The state pays $2 for every $1 you contribute, up to a $10,000 state maximum. A $15,000 project = $5,000 from you + $10,000 from the state.
You can receive up to $10,000 with no match required.
| Your project cost | You pay (moderate-income) | State grant |
|---|---|---|
| $9,000 | $3,000 | $6,000 |
| $15,000+ | $5,000 | $10,000 (max) |
Income brackets follow county Area Median Income, published annually. Check your bracket and the current cycle rules at mysafeflhome.com.
Section 3
Do you qualify? The 2026 checklist
The current (2025–2026) cycle is limited to low- and moderate-income homeowners. You'll generally need:
- Homestead exemption on the property (your primary residence — no rentals or second homes).
- Home insured for $700,000 or less (raised from $500,000 under HB 811; low-income applicants are exempt from the cap).
- Proof of homeowners insurance.
- Building permit issued before January 1, 2008 (older homes are the target).
- Household income at or below 120% of your county's median (low-income = ≤80%; moderate = 80–120%).
Priority order (funding is issued in queue order): low-income age 60+, then low-income under 60, then moderate-income age 60+, then moderate-income under 60.
Section 4
The one mistake that disqualifies people
Beginning your project early is the single most common way applicants disqualify themselves. The correct order is: inspection → grant application → approval → permitted installation → final inspection → reimbursement. We sequence every grant project around that approval so you don't forfeit the money. If a contractor tells you to start before approval, that's a red flag.
Section 5
What the grant covers
MSFH funds the wind-mitigation categories your inspection recommends:
- Opening protection — impact windows, impact doors, hurricane shutters, impact-rated garage doors (this is our lane).
- Roof improvements — re-roofing, secondary water resistance, roof-deck attachment.
- Roof-to-wall connections — clips, single wraps, double wraps.
For impact windows and doors, we install code-compliant products (Miami-Dade NOA in Miami-Dade and Broward, Florida Product Approval in Palm Beach — see our building-code page) and hand you the documentation that closes out both the permit and the grant reimbursement.
Section 6
Stack it: grant + financing + insurance + the new $500 refund
The grant is rarely the only savings in play. Layered together:
- The grant covers a large share of a qualifying project.
- PACE financing (Ygrene or HomeRun) can cover your out-of-pocket contribution so you're not fronting cash while you wait for reimbursement. See the financing page →
- Wind-mitigation insurance credits — documented impact products can qualify your home for premium credits; your carrier confirms the exact figure.
A state sales-tax refund of up to $500. Under HB 7031E (effective July 1, 2026), homeowners with a homesteaded, site-built home valued at $700,000 or less can get a refund of the Florida sales tax paid on impact-resistant windows, doors, and garage doors purchased July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029. Note how it works: it's a refund, not a discount at the register — you pay the sales tax at purchase, then apply to the Florida Department of Revenue (up to $500 per home) with your receipts. We'll give you the documentation you need to file.