Your roofer just finished, and someone asks: "Did you get the WPI-8?" Or you're buying near the bay, and the lender wants wind coverage before closing. Either way, one piece of paper can decide whether the house gets a TWIA policy.
This guide covers that paper. For TWIA and private wind in general, see our Texas windstorm insurance guide. We're Watson Insurance, an independent agency in Friendswood, a city split between Galveston and Harris counties.
What is a WPI-8, and how is it different from a WPI-8-E or WPI-8-C?
The short answer: All three are certificates of compliance showing work met the windstorm building code; the difference is who issued it and whether the work was inspected during construction or after it was finished.
TDI's windstorm inspections began on January 1, 1988, under a 1987 law, according to TDI's windstorm questions page (updated July 21, 2025). They apply in the designated catastrophe area: 14 first-tier coastal counties and parts of Harris County east of SH 146.
| Certificate | Issued by | When the work is inspected | Who inspects |
|---|---|---|---|
| WPI-8 | TDI | While construction is underway | An appointed Texas licensed professional engineer or a TDI windstorm inspector |
| WPI-8-E | TDI | After the work is finished | A Texas licensed professional engineer |
| WPI-8-C | TWIA | Completed construction, January 1, 2017, to May 31, 2020 only | No longer issued; TDI took over completed work on June 1, 2020 |
The first two rows come from TDI's "Do you need a windstorm inspection?" page (updated May 8, 2026). The third comes from TWIA's overview page (updated May 27, 2026), which says WPI-8-C certificates remain valid unless the structure changes afterward. In plain English: a WPI-8-C issued in, say, 2018 still counts if the structure hasn't been changed since, and any work you do today gets its certificate from TDI.
Which projects need a windstorm inspection, and which don't?
The short answer: TDI says most new construction, roof replacements, major repairs and other alterations in the designated area need an inspection and certificate, while small roof patches, cosmetic work and glass replacement don't.
Structural work
New construction, roof replacements, major repairs and other alterations, per TDI's inspection page.
Small roof repairs
"Roof repairs of less than 100 square feet that don't involve decking."
Finish work
Painting, carpeting, cabinets and other non-structural items.
Exterior extras
Fences, gutters, decorative shutters, steps and screen doors, plus plumbing, electrical and window or door glass.
Not sure? TDI's WPI-8 fact sheet puts it simply: "Contact your local windstorm inspections office before you start any work to ask if you need an inspection." TDI's field offices are in Angleton, Beaumont, Corpus Christi and La Marque, all reached through 800-248-6032, option 4.
How do you get a WPI-8 while the work is underway?
The short answer: Before the job starts, your contractor enrolls the project with TDI, an approved inspector checks the work at the right stages, and TDI issues the WPI-8 once the work is found to comply.
This is the easy path:
- Ask your contractor how they'll handle it. TDI's inspection page says to ask how they will meet the inspection and certificate requirements before you sign.
- Get the project enrolled. The application is TDI's WPI-1. To confirm enrollment, TDI says to ask your contractor for the WPI-1 they submitted or check TDI's online search.
- Choose an inspector. TDI's inspection process page (updated July 21, 2025) says "TDI inspectors do not charge an inspection fee." Or hire a Texas licensed professional engineer or an appointed qualified inspector from TDI's list; TDI doesn't regulate their rates, so compare quotes.
- Schedule inspections before work gets covered up. TDI notes that a finished structure is harder to inspect.
- Get the certificate. When the work complies, TDI issues the WPI-8. TDI says it sends inspection and WPI-8 information to TWIA nightly and publishes certificates online.
What if the work is already finished without an inspection?
The short answer: A Texas licensed professional engineer can inspect the finished work and submit it to TDI for a WPI-8-E, but TDI warns this may cost more because finished work is harder to check.
Maybe a previous owner re-roofed and never filed. It's fixable. TDI's completed construction page (updated June 18, 2025) explains the process:
- Any licensed professional engineer can inspect completed construction, appointed by TDI or not.
- Two things go to TDI: a signed WPI-2E application, and a sealed post-construction inspection report with supporting documentation, or a sealed design.
- The documents are emailed to Windstorm@tdi.texas.gov with the address and application ID on each one. TDI says applications are processed after the documents arrive.
TDI asks for supporting documentation with the engineer's report, so hand the engineer whatever you have from the job, such as the contract, permits and product details. When you can plan ahead, the during-construction route is the calmer choice.
How do you look up a home's windstorm certificate?
The short answer: Search TDI's online windstorm database by address, or call TDI at 800-248-6032, option 3; for a WPI-8-C from 2017 to 2020, use TWIA's separate lookup.
- TDI certificates (WPI-8 and WPI-8-E): TDI's online windstorm search lets you view and print certificates on file. TDI's windstorm questions page also lists 800-248-6032, option 3, and the email Windstorm@tdi.texas.gov.
- TWIA certificates (WPI-8-C): TWIA's certificate lookup covers applications from January 1, 2017, through May 31, 2020. Enter the ZIP code and street number, and TWIA sends you a copy.
Expect a certificate for each project, not one for the whole house. For example, a home built in 1995 with a later re-roof and a later addition would usually show a separate certificate for each. Wrong address on one? TDI explains how to request a revised certificate.
Buying a coastal home: what should you check before closing?
The short answer: Match every major improvement since 1988 to a certificate, and do it during your option period, because a missing certificate is far easier to solve before closing than after.
TDI's windstorm insurance page (updated June 1, 2026) says state law doesn't require wind coverage, but a lender probably will. Our checklist:
- Ask the seller for a list of work since January 1, 1988, the date TWIA's overview uses for its certificate requirement: roof, additions, windows, doors.
- Run both lookups yourself with the exact address.
- Older original structure? TDI says structures built before January 1, 1988 can be eligible for TWIA under certain conditions, using TWIA's BC-10-85 Building Certificate. Later work on that house still needs its own certificate.
- A gap from 1988 to mid-2009? TWIA's certification page (updated October 29, 2024) says some uncertified residential construction from 1988 to June 18, 2009 may still be eligible, but those properties "must pay a 15% surcharge based on, and in addition to, their policy premium amount." Ask us whether that exception fits the house before you count on it.
- Inside a Coastal Barrier Resources Act area? These are federally mapped zones, not every barrier island lot. TDI says such a property is insurable through TWIA only if a building permit or plat was filed with the city, the county or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before June 11, 2003.
- Bind early. TDI says you can't get a TWIA policy if there's a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico.
Local examples: our Galveston insurance page covers island homes, and our Dickinson insurance page covers the mainland.
Repairing after a storm: how do you keep the certificate trail intact?
The short answer: Before hiring anyone for storm repairs, ask your agent whether the work must meet the windstorm code, confirm it qualifies for a WPI-8, and, as TDI advises, hold the final payment until the certificate is issued.
TDI's repair guide says to ask your insurance agent whether repairs must meet the code; the rules apply in the first-tier coastal counties and in the Harris County cities east of SH 146 (La Porte, Morgan's Point, Pasadena, Seabrook and Shore Acres).
- Watch for contractor red flags. TDI's contractor scam page (updated December 9, 2025) says it's against the law for a contractor to offer to waive your deductible, and to be wary of a large or full down payment.
- Mind the claim clock. TDI says you have one year from the storm to file a TWIA claim.
Our Texas roof claim guide walks through the claim, and our actual cash value roof guide covers how roof age affects payment.
How does the certificate affect your TWIA eligibility and price?
The short answer: Without a required certificate, TWIA says a property may be considered uninsurable, and with one, homes built to current codes or with protected openings can qualify for TWIA discounts.
TWIA's certification page says Texas Insurance Code Chapter 2210 requires your property to be certified as meeting the windstorm building code. If TWIA has no proof, "it may be considered uninsurable and ineligible for coverage with TWIA." TWIA also requires a turndown from at least one private insurer and a home in good repair.
There's a brighter side. TDI's windstorm questions page says TWIA offers discounts for homes built to the IRC or IBC, and for existing homes that add windborne debris resistant protection over windows and doors. Replacing windows anyway? Ask about the certificate and the discount together.
Our public carrier lineup is Geico, Progressive, Liberty Mutual and Safeco, plus TWIA and private wind markets. We re-confirm which carriers can write your specific policy before every quote, because appetite and appointments change. We are not appointed with every carrier in Texas. Our wind and hail deductible guide explains how the deductible you pick changes the dollars at stake, and our old roof guide covers what carriers ask about roof age.
The bottom line
On the Texas coast, a WPI-8 is often what keeps a house eligible for TWIA. Ask before the work starts, enroll the project, schedule inspections on time and, as TDI advises, hold the final payment until the certificate is issued. If the work is done already, an engineer can pursue a WPI-8-E. If you're buying, match certificates to the work during your option period.
Send us the address and any certificates you have. We'll look up what's on file, tell you what's missing, and quote TWIA and private wind alongside your home insurance. Clients who let us re-shop their coverage save on average about $500 a year. Ready now? Start a free quote, or call (832) 703-1289.
Last reviewed by the Watson Insurance team on October 28, 2026. We re-check TDI's windstorm inspection pages, adopted building codes and forms, and TWIA's certificate and eligibility rules when they change. Educational only, not personalized insurance advice.
