Last reviewed October 31, 2026.
The tear-off is scheduled for May, and one of the three quotes on the counter has an extra line for a FORTIFIED upgrade. The other two never mention it. Before you pay for that line, find out what the standard asks of the roofer, who checks the work, and what New York insurers do and do not have to do about it.
Who writes the FORTIFIED standard
FORTIFIED is a program of the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, which describes it as a voluntary construction and re-roofing program. IBHS publishes its residential rules as technical resources, and its current set took effect on November 1, 2025. The older 2020 set is still posted separately, so ask any roofer which edition a quote is built to.
IBHS frames the program around how roofs fail in wind. Its FORTIFIED Roof page says roof damage often begins when wind gets under the roof edge and starts ripping it away, and it requires a sealed deck to keep water out if the covering is lost.
What goes into a FORTIFIED roof
The IBHS roof page lists these core pieces:
- Ring-shank nails in an enhanced pattern to hold the deck down. IBHS says switching from smooth nails to ring-shank nails nearly doubles the roof’s strength against wind.
- A sealed roof deck, so water that gets past the shingles does not pour through the seams.
- Stronger edges, including a wider drip edge and a fully adhered starter strip.
- Shingles with the top wind ratings, which IBHS gives as ASTM D3161 Class F or ASTM D7158 Class H. Metal, tile and low-slope systems must be tested to the design pressures for the specific site.
The same page also requires attic vents that resist wind and rain, chimneys anchored to the home, and extra bracing for gable ends.
Nailing, deck seams and drip edge in detail
IBHS’s roofing compliance form for its High Wind standard, which the roofer fills out and signs, spells out the numbers. The form is undated, so confirm the figures against the edition on your quote.
On nailing, the form accepts the whole deck nailed or renailed with 8d ring-shank nails at 6 inches on center on every framing member, or existing 8d nails supplemented with ring-shank nails so no two are more than 4 inches apart.
For the sealed deck it offers three methods. One is tape over every sheathing joint, at least 4 inches wide for ASTM D1970 tape, covered with #30 felt or an approved synthetic. Another is two layers of #30 felt lapped 19 inches. The third is a self-adhering membrane over the entire deck.
The drip edge goes on at the eaves and rakes, extending 1/2 inch below the sheathing and at least 2 inches back onto the roof, with 3 inch overlaps and nails no more than 12 inches apart in a staggered line. The form also asks for the warranty terms and, where the local building department requires a permit, the permit number and the date of the final inspection. Our roofing permits guide covers what each town requires.
The optional hail supplement
IBHS offers a hail supplement on top of the wind items. Shingles must rate Good or Excellent in the IBHS hail impact ratings, metal and low-slope systems need UL 2218 Class 4, and tile needs an FM 4473 Class 4 rating. Our impact-resistant shingles guide explains those tests and what Long Island roofers charge for the upgrade.
How a roof gets certified
IBHS’s Getting Started page lays out the order. You pick a contractor and an evaluator from its network. You may choose your own evaluator even if the roofer prefers a different one. Evaluators are independent third parties trained in the program.
During the job, the roofer works with the evaluator so the key steps get inspected and photographed, down to the labels on materials. IBHS auditors review that file and decide whether the standard was met. The certificate goes to the evaluator, who passes it to you.
The timing matters. By the end of the job, the deck nailing and seam sealing are buried under shingles, so the evaluator has to be lined up before tear-off. Ask the roofer for the evaluator’s name at signing. IBHS does not post a price for the evaluation on the pages we read, and we found no published Long Island price for the upgrade, so get it as its own line on each quote.
According to IBHS’s redesignation page, each certificate carries a FORTIFIED ID and is valid for five years. To renew, a certified evaluator must confirm the home still meets the requirements. The designation belongs to the property and transfers with a sale.
Where New York insurance rules stand
IBHS’s redesignation page says a current designation is generally required to receive FORTIFIED insurance discounts. We found no New York rule that requires insurers to give one. The Department of Financial Services guide to saving on homeowners insurance, posted in February 2026, does not mention FORTIFIED or IBHS. The discounts it says insurers must give are for shutters, windows and doors built to resist hurricanes.
Under possible discounts it lists roof deck attachments, roofs with secondary water resistance, roof to wall connections and high wind rated coverings, which line up with parts of the standard, but each insurer decides.
A bill would change that. Senate bill S7265, sponsored by Senator Jamaal Bailey, with A5874 as its Assembly version, would create a Strengthen Homes Program offering grants to retrofit roofs to meet or exceed the FORTIFIED roof standard. The program would depend on federal grants or funds. The bill would also require insurers to offer a discount on certified homes, but only where actuarially justified.
The Senate’s page shows the Insurance Committee reported it to the Finance Committee on April 20, 2026. It is not law. Until it is, ask your insurer in writing what a FORTIFIED certificate would change on your premium before paying for the upgrade, and compare that with the roof replacement cost on the rest of the quote.
