My Safe Florida Home Program: How the Grant Works and How to Make It Count

Hardening a Treasure Coast home against hurricanes is expensive, and the work that matters most, like stronger roof connections or impact-rated openings, is hard to see once it is done. The my safe florida home program exists to help with exactly that: a free hurricane mitigation inspection for eligible homeowners and, for those who qualify, a state grant of up to $10,000 toward recommended upgrades.

The program has real limits, though. Funding depends on the Legislature, applications open in phases, and doing the steps out of order can cost you the grant. This guide explains who qualifies, where the program stands, how the process runs from account to check and how to make sure your insurer actually credits the work.

Where the Program Stands in Late 2026

Before planning a project around grant money, check the official site. As of October 2026, mysafeflhome.com invites homeowners to create an account and start an application, and the program’s support center says it is accepting applications. The program’s FAQ is just as clear about the limits: applications open in phases, with the schedule posted on the site as dates are set, and the program is subject to annual legislative appropriations. So the door is open, but funding is finite, and no grant is certain until the program approves yours in writing.

The practical move is to get in line. Creating an account and completing the prioritization questionnaire costs nothing, and it puts you in the queue for inspection group placement. Keep an eye on your email, including spam, and on your portal status. If you need to check where your application stands, the support center on mysafeflhome.com takes questions.

Who Qualifies for What

The program has two parts with different rules. Many homeowners qualify for the inspection but not the grant.

The free inspection

To qualify for the free hurricane mitigation inspection, the home must be site-built, owner-occupied and carry a Florida homestead exemption, and it must be a single-family detached home or a townhouse. Mobile and manufactured homes, second and vacation homes, rentals and retirement homes are not eligible, and condominiums are not eligible for the single-family inspection either.

You do not choose the inspector. Once you are approved, the program assigns a wind mitigation inspector to your home.

The grant

To move on to a grant, the home also needs:

• An initial inspection completed through the program, with the report less than 24 months old when you apply
• An insured value of $700,000 or less
• A home built before January 1, 2008, as shown on the county property appraiser’s website
• Household income in the low or moderate range, with a current homeowners insurance declarations page to prove coverage

The program defines low income as household income at or below 80% of the area median and moderate income as below 120%. Homeowners above the moderate range can still get the free inspection but cannot receive a grant. Applications are prioritized in this order: low-income applicants 60 or older, other low-income applicants, moderate-income applicants 60 or older, then other moderate-income applicants.

How the Money Works

For moderate-income homeowners, the grant is a match: the state pays $2 for every $1 you contribute, up to a $10,000 state contribution. On a $9,000 project, for example, the program would cover $6,000 and you would cover $3,000. To reach the full $10,000 from the state, the project would need to cost $15,000, and anything above that is yours.

Low-income homeowners can receive up to $10,000 with no match required, and they do not have to submit a paid-in-full invoice with their draw request. For everyone else, the grant is a reimbursement paid after the work is finished and inspected, so plan how you will cover the cost in the meantime.

What the Grant Can Pay For

Under section 215.5586 of the Florida Statutes, grant money can only go to improvements your initial inspection recommends, in two groups.

Opening protection

Exterior doors, garage doors, windows and skylights. Garage doors deserve more attention than they get: a failed garage door lets wind into the house, which raises pressure on the roof from inside. One limit to know: if your home already has compliant impact-rated shutters, the program will not pay to swap them for impact windows, because the openings are already protected.

Roof improvements

Reinforcing roof-to-wall connections, improving roof-deck attachment and installing secondary water resistance, which the statute pairs with replacing the roof covering. Secondary water resistance is a sealed layer beneath the shingles or tile that slows water entry if the outer covering is torn away, and it is often done during a reroof. If your roof is getting close to replacement age anyway, our guide to roof age requirements for Florida homeowners insurance can help you think about timing.

The Steps, in the Order That Matters

The official homeowner’s guide lays out a fixed sequence. Skipping ahead is the most common way people lose a grant.

From account to inspection

Create your account in the applicant portal and complete the prioritization questionnaire. The system sorts homeowners into inspection groups several times a week and emails you when you are placed. Then you complete the inspection application, the assigned inspector contacts you to schedule, and the report arrives in your account with recommended improvements and estimated insurance discounts.

From report to approval

If you qualify and opt in to a grant, you submit a grant application naming your contractor and the contractor’s state license number, along with your declarations page. Do not sign a contract, buy materials or start any work until the program emails you that your grant is approved. Work done before approval is not eligible.

From approval to check

You choose and manage your own contractor, and it is on you to confirm their license covers the work through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The program suggests getting at least three bids. Make sure permits are pulled and closed with your local building department. When everything is finished, request your final inspection. You get only one, so do not request it until every item is complete. Then send the final inspection report to your insurer, and submit your draw request with the invoice, proof of payment if required, proof of any insurance discount and your payment details. Finish within the deadline stated in your approval notice.

This is a good point to bring in your agent. Assured Insurance Services in Stuart can look over your inspection report and current declarations page with you, talk through which upgrades you are planning and why, and explain how the carriers they work with treat each feature. Call 772-220-7600 when your report lands.

Turning the Work Into Insurance Credits

Florida law requires residential property rate filings to include discounts or credits for construction features shown to reduce windstorm losses. Your wind mitigation report is how an insurer knows you have them, and credits only apply to features on file.

Send your initial report to your insurer as soon as you have it, since it may document features your carrier is not crediting today, such as a hip roof or existing roof-to-wall clips. After the upgrades, send the final report and permits. The program also requires proof of your insurance discount as part of the draw request, so ask for written confirmation of the change.

Keep expectations realistic. Mitigation credits apply to the wind portion of the premium, and your total bill can still rise if base rates go up; our post on why Florida homeowners insurance renewals jump explains why. Different carriers also weigh the same features differently, which is one reason a fresh report is a good moment to compare.

If you would like the credits checked properly, Assured Insurance Services can go through the work you have done to the house, review how your current policy is rating it and compare the home coverage options they place with the carriers they work with to see who gives the work the most weight. Spanish speakers are welcome to ask for help in Spanish. Call 772-220-7600 or reach the office online.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a wind mitigation report I already paid for?

For the program, no. Grant eligibility is based on the initial inspection done through the program by the inspector it assigns. Your private report is still useful for your insurer, so make sure your carrier has it on file in the meantime.

What if my home was built in 2008 or later?

You may still be able to get the free inspection if you meet the homestead and home-type rules, but the grant is limited to older homes under the 2008 build-date rule above. Newer homes were generally built to stronger code, and the inspection can still document features for insurance credits.

Can I do the work myself?

The work has to be performed by properly licensed contractors with the required permits, and your grant application must name the contractor and license number. Owner-performed work does not fit the program’s rules.

Is there a separate program for condominiums?

The single-family program excludes condos, but the state has a separate My Safe Florida Condo Pilot Program with its own website, mysafeflcondo.com. Check that site for who can apply, and ask your association whether it is taking part.

How long does the process take?

The program’s homeowner guide says an inspector should contact you within 7 days of being assigned and that you should be notified of your report within 14 days of the inspection. The longer waits usually come before that, while you wait for group placement, and after it, during construction and permitting. Many homeowners should plan on several months from account to check.