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A windstorm certificate covers the work that was inspected, and only that work. If your house on the Texas coast has a WPI-8 from when it was built, that certificate doesn’t carry over to a new roof. A roof replacement is an improvement under the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) windstorm rules, and it needs its own inspection and roof windstorm certificate.
That surprises a lot of homeowners (usually after the roof is already on). Here’s what TDI requires, what the inspector needs to see, and what to confirm with your roofer before the first shingle comes off.
If windstorm certificates are new to you, start with what a WPI-8 is. To check what’s already on file for your address, see how to look up a Texas windstorm certificate.
Does a New Roof Need a Windstorm Inspection?
In TDI’s designated catastrophe area, yes. TDI says most new construction, roof replacements, major repairs, and other alterations require an inspection and a certificate of compliance. The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) lists “replacing a roof or repairing a significant portion of a roof” among the improvements that need certification before a property is eligible for its wind and hail coverage.
The exception is small. TDI’s list of work that doesn’t need an inspection includes “roof repairs of less than 100 square feet not involving roof decking or framing members.” Temporary repairs after a storm are also exempt. A full tear-off and replacement does not fall into either of those exempt categories.
What Happens If the Roof Goes On Without One?
The certificate on file still covers the original roof, but the house now has an uncertified roof. TWIA’s position is that a structure without the required certificate “may be considered uninsurable and ineligible for coverage with TWIA.” Whether that affects a particular policy is a question for your insurance agent. What it affects as it relates to the inspection is this: the roof can still be certified, but now it goes through post-construction certification, where a licensed engineer needs to verify work that’s already covered up. That can mean removing some of the new roofing to check the deck, underlayment, and fastening. We cover that process in post-construction windstorm certification.
It’s simpler and less invasive to have the roof inspected while it’s going on.
Who Inspects a Roof Replacement?
For work that’s still in progress, TDI gives two options:
- A TDI windstorm inspector: TDI says its inspectors can inspect most non-structural work, including repairs, alterations, and re-roofs. TDI inspectors charge no inspection fee, and they must inspect during construction — not before or after.
- A TDI-appointed engineer (AQI): Appointed engineers also inspect during construction, and they too can certify work after it’s finished. TDI doesn’t regulate or track engineers’ rates.
Either way, the inspection must be scheduled before the work starts. TDI requires a Form WPI-1, Application for Certificate of Compliance, to be filed before construction begins. If an engineer is doing the inspection, the engineer files it. Also, if a TDI inspector disapproves an inspection, TDI’s guidance is that you may hire an appointed engineer to complete it.
What Does the Inspector Need to See?
On a reroof, the wind-resisting details get covered up quickly. Once the covering is on, nobody can see the deck fastening or the underlayment laps without pulling it back up. TDI’s rules spell out what a roof-covering certification needs to establish. The requirements include:
- Every component of the roof covering is identified
- The manufacturer’s installation instructions, or test reports, are on hand
- The products meet the design pressures the code requires for the house
- The products were installed according to those instructions and the code
The roofer’s product choices matter before the inspection, not after. TDI publishes product evaluations for roofing and other building products, and the rules require products to meet the location’s design pressures. Ask your roofer which products they are using and whether they have a TDI product evaluation. You can check the TDI product evaluation listings yourself.
Which Code Applies to My New Roof?
The code edition is set by when the work begins (not when the house was built). TDI adopted the 2024 International Residential Code and International Building Code for work that begins on or after April 1, 2026. A roof replacement that started after that date is inspected to the 2024 codes and verified on Form WPI-2-BC-8. Work that began earlier is inspected to the code that was in effect at that time.
That’s one good reason to settle the inspection before the work starts: the inspector knows which edition applies, which design pressures the products need to meet, and what the inspection needs to document.
What Should Homeowners Settle Before the Old Roof Comes Off?
Before you move forward with work, ask your roofer these three questions:
- Who is filing the WPI-1 with TDI, and when? It has to be filed before work begins.
- Who is inspecting, and at which stages? A TDI inspector or an appointed engineer, with the site visits scheduled into the job.
- Which products are going on, and do they have TDI product evaluations? Keep the product documentation. The inspector needs it, and so will anyone who looks up the certificate later.
Hang on to the paperwork after the job: the certificate itself, the product documentation, and photos of the work in progress if you have them. A certificate doesn’t need to be renewed, but the next owner, their agent, and their insurer will ask for it.
What Does This Mean for Roofers?
Roofers on the Texas coast see this from the other side. A job where the inspection happens before the work is completed cleanly: the certificate issues, the homeowner’s agent has what they need, and nobody calls about pulling up a new roof. A job that skips the inspection tends to emerge again later as a problem, usually when the house sells, or the policy renews.
WindForce works with roofing companies on the Gulf Coast to schedule inspections during construction so the certificate is part of the job rather than an afterthought. If you’d like to set that up for your crews, get in touch with us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need a Windstorm Inspection for a New Roof in Texas?
If the property is in TDI’s designated catastrophe area, a roof replacement generally requires an inspection and a certificate of compliance. TDI exempts roof repairs under 100 square feet that don’t involve decking or framing, and temporary repairs after a storm.
Does My Existing WPI-8 Cover a New Roof?
No. A certificate covers the work that was inspected. A roof replacement is a new improvement, and it needs its own inspection and certificate. That’s why one property can have several certificates on file.
What If My Roof Was Already Replaced Without an Inspection?
It can still be certified. A Texas-licensed professional engineer evaluates the finished roof, which may involve removing some roofing to verify the deck, underlayment, and fastening, and submits a sealed report to TDI. TDI issues a WPI-8-E for completed work. Having the inspection done during construction avoids that.
Replacing a Roof on the Coast?
WindForce inspects roof replacements during construction for homeowners and roofing companies on the Texas Gulf Coast, and certifies completed roofs that were never inspected. Get in touch to schedule an inspection, or call us at 409-422-9463.
11/2/2026
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409-422-9463
