Roofing decisions

What Makes a FORTIFIED Roof Different?

A FORTIFIED Roof is a whole-roof standard from IBHS that needs a certified roofer and an outside evaluator. Learn what it requires and how to plan for it.

Remi Editorial Team

Roofing research and homeowner education

October 8, 20265 min read
Roofer in a safety harness working along the edge of a white gable roof
In this guide

If you live where high winds or hail are common, you may have heard that a FORTIFIED roof can help with insurance costs. FORTIFIED is a voluntary construction and re-roofing program run by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), a nonprofit research group supported solely by property insurers and reinsurers. Instead of focusing purely on shingles, it sets rules for how the complete roof is built. This designation requires planning before a reroof begins.

What a FORTIFIED Roof requires

A FORTIFIED Roof adds upgrades beneath and around the shingles that a standard reroof may not include. The program’s FORTIFIED Roof (opens in a new tab) lists four:

  • Stronger edges. A wider drip edge and a fully adhered starter strip help keep wind from getting under the roof edge.
  • A sealed roof deck. The seams in the deck are sealed so water is less likely to get in if wind strips off the shingles.
  • Better deck attachment. Ring-shank nails in an enhanced pattern replace common smooth nails to help keep the deck attached in high winds.
  • Tested and rated roof covers. Asphalt shingles must carry the highest wind ratings, ASTM D3161 Class F or ASTM D7158 Class H. Metal panels must be tested for the design pressures at your site.

The program works with almost any roof cover, including shingles, metal, tile, and low-slope roofs. A FORTIFIED (opens in a new tab) Roof is required for every level of designation, including FORTIFIED Silver and Gold, which add upgrades to other parts of the home.

The rules are updated over time. The program’s 2025 technical documents (opens in a new tab) indicate that all projects permitted on or after November 1, 2025 must meet the 2025 FORTIFIED Home Standard. Where roof permits are not required, roofs installed on or after that date must meet the requirements.

How Class 4 shingles fit in

Class 4 impact-resistant shingles and FORTIFIED are related but not the same. Class 4 is a product rating from an impact test. IBHS’s Roof 101 guide (opens in a new tab) explains that the UL 2218 test drops various sizes of steel balls on a product and grades it Classes 1 to 4.

FORTIFIED treats hail as an optional Hail Supplement. To qualify, asphalt shingles must be rated Good or Excellent in the IBHS Hail Impact-Resistant Shingle Ratings, which IBHS says outperform typical Class 4 shingles. Metal panels must meet UL 2218 Class 4. Thus a Class 4 shingle alone is not a FORTIFIED designation, and it may not meet the hail supplement either.

Who installs it and who verifies it

According to FORTIFIED (opens in a new tab), every FORTIFIED Roof must be installed by a certified FORTIFIED Roofing Contractor. A FORTIFIED Evaluator, an independent third-party inspector trained in the program, documents and verifies the work.

Refer to the program’s getting started page (opens in a new tab). It indicates that during the reroof, the evaluator collects proof that key requirements were met, such as photos of material labels and of the underlayment going on. The evaluator sends that documentation to IBHS, which reviews it and issues a designation certificate that the evaluator delivers to you. Some contractors have evaluators they prefer, but IBHS lets you choose your own.

Since the evaluator documents the work while it happens, the program’s first step is to select a contractor and an evaluator before the reroof begins. Without this verification, you cannot receive a designation or qualify for its financial benefits. You can look up certified roofers and evaluators through the “Find a Professional” link on fortifiedhome.org (opens in a new tab).

Insurance discounts and incentives

Whether a designation lowers your premium depends on your insurer and state. Some insurers discount the wind portion of the premium. Many of those insurers require the designation to be renewed every five years to keep the discount.

The program’s incentives page (opens in a new tab) lists incentives offered specifically for FORTIFIED in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and South Carolina. In Georgia, it points to the Georgia Underwriting Association Mitigation Program, which spells out discounts for FORTIFIED construction and how to qualify. Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Kansas do not appear on that page as of October 2026. If your state is not listed, the program suggests asking your insurance agent directly about FORTIFIED and about discounts for storm-resistant upgrades.

Minnesota sets the discount in law. Minnesota Statutes section 65A.298 (opens in a new tab) requires insurers to give a premium discount or rate reduction for a home designated under the FORTIFIED standards with a hail supplement. The owner must first give the insurer a certificate from IBHS. In March 2026, the Minnesota Department of Commerce (opens in a new tab) set 35% of the wind and hail part of the premium as its benchmark for a FORTIFIED Roof plus hail discount. Insurers that file a smaller discount may be asked to justify it. A Class 4 shingle by itself does not trigger the law, though insurers may file their own roof credits. Minnesota’s example shows that a large percentage can apply to only part of the premium.

What the upgrade costs and how to compare quotes

The FORTIFIED FAQ (opens in a new tab) puts the added cost at $1,000 to $3,000 when reroofing a 2,000-square-foot home, and the third-party verification also has a cost. That’s the program’s general example, not a Remi quote. To see what the upgrade adds for your house, ask for the base reroof, each FORTIFIED item (edge details, sealed deck, nailing, and the roof cover), and the evaluator’s fee as separate parts of the price.

On the shingle side, Remi can quote an impact-resistant shingle upgrade and confirm what is available in your area. Insurance discounts vary by carrier and state. However, a shingle upgrade on its own is not a designation. If FORTIFIED is your goal, it is worth checking the directory before you sign to confirm that your roofer is a certified FORTIFIED Roofing Contractor.

He just made me feel confident and well informed throughout the entire process
Chris P. · Remi customer review

Chris describes communication during one project. Confirm FORTIFIED provider certification and evaluation separately.

Planning a FORTIFIED roof

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Knowing your base reroof price makes it easier to judge what an upgrade adds.

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Questions homeowners ask

No. Refer to the FORTIFIED FAQ page that says IBHS expects some FORTIFIED homes to see damage in extreme weather. Some parts of a home, like siding, are not addressed by the standards. The program’s layers of defense significantly reduce the chances of a cascade of damage.

A new roof is handled at renewal time. Designation certificates last five years, and renewal takes a redesignation inspection. If you have replaced the roof since, the evaluator will work with you to determine whether the home still meets the standard, typically by talking with the contractor and documenting the materials and methods used.

Sources and further reading

Product instructions, warranty terms and local requirements can change; use the documents that apply to your project.

About the author

The Remi Editorial Team researches roofing materials, project planning and homeowner questions using manufacturer documents, public agencies and industry guidance. This article explains the decision; a contractor’s assessment and the written scope establish what your roof needs.

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Knowing your base reroof price makes it easier to judge what an upgrade adds.

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