From First Call to Designation Certificate. Here's Exactly How It Works
First, the Most Important Thing to Understand
The FORTIFIED process involves two distinct roles and confusing them is the most common mistake homeowners make. Getting this right upfront saves you time, money, and the risk of doing work that doesn't result in a designation.
The FORTIFIED Evaluator is an independently certified third party trained and authorized by IBHS. They inspect your current roof, document the installation process, and submit everything to IBHS for certification review. The evaluator is the only person who can get your home a FORTIFIED designation. They do not do the roofing work.
The FORTIFIED Contractor does the actual roofing work installing materials to FORTIFIED standards, using approved products, and following the evaluator's documentation requirements. Not every roofing contractor is FORTIFIED-trained. The contractor you choose matters.
These two roles must work together and the evaluator must be involved before construction begins, not brought in after the fact. Starting roofing work without an evaluator engaged can disqualify you from certification.
The FORTIFIED Process — Step by Step
Engage Your FORTIFIED Evaluator
This is your first move. Contact a FORTIFIED-certified evaluator and schedule a pre-construction inspection. The evaluator reviews your current roof, identifies what upgrades are required to meet the FORTIFIED standard for your home and wind zone, and produces a Current Conditions Report (CCR). Nothing should happen to your roof before this step is complete.
Select a FORTIFIED-Trained Contractor
Your evaluator can recommend contractors in your area, or you can search the IBHS-approved contractor directory. For Louisiana homeowners pursuing grant funding, your contractor must also be LFHP-approved. You'll collect bids, select your contractor, and align on the scope of work based on the evaluator's CCR.
If you're pursuing grant funding, this step has specific requirementsRoof Installation to FORTIFIED Standards
Your contractor completes the roofing work according to FORTIFIED specifications — ring-shank nail patterns, sealed roof deck, reinforced edge sealing, and any other requirements for your designation level. Throughout installation, your evaluator documents the process: photographing material labels, nail patterns, edge details, and other critical elements that IBHS will review. This is not a final inspection alone — the evaluator needs to be present during construction.
Documentation Compiled and Submitted to IBHS
Once installation is complete, your evaluator compiles the full documentation package — photos, material verification, installation records — and submits it to IBHS engineers for review. This is where the independent certification happens. IBHS reviews the submission against the FORTIFIED standard and confirms whether the work qualifies.
Full details on what's required in the documentation packageDesignation Certificate Issued
Once IBHS confirms your home meets the standard, a Designation Certificate is issued to your evaluator, who delivers it to you. From the time documentation is submitted, certification typically processes in less than 48 hours and appears in the IBHS database within a week. Your designation is valid for five years. Take the certificate to your insurance carrier and request your discount.
What the Evaluator Is Actually Verifying
The FORTIFIED Roof™ standard addresses three specific failure points that cause the majority of wind-related damage to roofs during Gulf Coast storms:
Roof Deck Attachment — Standard construction uses smooth-shank nails. FORTIFIED requires 8D ring-shank nails installed in an enhanced pattern. The rings on the shank roughly double the nail's resistance to wind uplift keeping the deck attached to the structure when wind pressure tries to separate them.
Edge Sealing and Drip Edge — Wind gets under roofs at the edges. FORTIFIED requires a wider drip edge and a fully adhered starter strip to close that entry point. Specific overlap requirements at joints prevent progressive failure during sustained winds.
Sealed Roof Deck — If roof covering is damaged or lost during a storm, water follows immediately. A sealed roof deck limits water intrusion even when the outer layer is compromised the difference between a manageable repair and a gutted interior.
Your evaluator verifies each of these through direct observation and documentation during installation not just at the end when everything is already covered up.
How Long Does It Take?
Evaluation & Planning
1–3 days Scheduling your evaluator, completing the Current Conditions Report, and confirming the scope of work. In active roofing seasons this may take longer — plan ahead, especially if you're on a grant deadline.
Roofing Installation
1–5 days (typical) Depends on the size of your roof, complexity, and contractor availability. A standard re-roof is usually a 1–2 day job. Your evaluator needs to be on-site during installation, so coordinate schedules in advance.
Certification
Under 1 week Once your evaluator submits documentation to IBHS, review typically completes in less than 48 hours. Your certificate appears in the IBHS database within a week. Carrier discount takes effect at your next policy renewal or midterm endorsement, depending on your insurer.
Your Designation Is Valid for 5 Years — Here's What Renewal Looks Like
A FORTIFIED designation doesn't expire without warning. As your five-year mark approaches, you'll go through a recertification process: your evaluator inspects the roof again to confirm it still meets the standard, and a new certificate is issued.
As long as the roof is maintained and hasn't been significantly damaged or altered, renewal is typically straightforward. The key is not letting the designation lapse, once it expires, your insurance discount may be suspended until you recertify.
We track designation timelines for all of our clients and reach out before your renewal window so you're never caught off guard.
Process Questions — Answered
It has to be a contractor trained in FORTIFIED standards and using approved materials. Not every roofing contractor qualifies. If you're applying for the Louisiana grant, your contractor must also be on the LFHP-approved list. We help match clients with qualified contractors in their area.
No. The evaluator must be an independent third party, they cannot be the same person or company doing the roofing work. This separation is intentional: independent verification is what makes FORTIFIED certification meaningful to IBHS and to your insurer. It's also what gives the program its credibility.
It depends on how the roof was installed. If it meets FORTIFIED specifications, right nails, right edge details, right deck sealing, and if documentation can be verified, certification may still be possible. But because the evaluator wasn't present during installation, documentation of subsurface elements (like nail patterns) may be difficult or impossible to confirm. In most cases, a roof installed without evaluator oversight needs to be re-done to earn the designation. Contact us and we can assess your situation.
Neither — and that's the point. The FORTIFIED Evaluator is an independent professional certified by IBHS. They represent the standard, not any party to the transaction. Their job is to verify that the work was done correctly and document it accurately for IBHS review. You hire and pay the evaluator, but their loyalty is to the standard.
IBHS will identify what's missing or non-compliant. Your evaluator works with your contractor to address the deficiency, and documentation is resubmitted. This is why choosing an experienced evaluator and FORTIFIED-trained contractor matters — experienced teams very rarely have submissions fail review.
The FORTIFIED certification process is the same — but the grant adds a layer of sequencing. You must be selected for the grant before work begins. Your contractor must be LFHP-approved. And the grant check goes to the contractor after the work is complete and certified. If you're pursuing the grant, the process needs to be coordinated carefully.
Ready to Start? We'll Walk You Through Every Step.
We handle the coordination — connecting you with a qualified evaluator, a FORTIFIED-trained contractor, and if applicable, walking you through the grant process at the same time. You don't have to figure out the sequencing on your own.