What the program is
My Safe Florida Home (MSFH) is run by the Florida Department of Financial Services. It pays for a free hurricane mitigation inspection of your home, then offers matching grants for the upgrades the inspector recommends. For most Miami homes, the biggest recommended upgrade is opening protection: impact windows and doors.
How much you can get
The state contributes up to $10,000 per home. How much you pay depends on household income compared with the area median income (AMI) for Miami-Dade County:
- Low income (at or below 80% of AMI): up to $10,000 with no match required.
- Moderate income (above 80% and under 120% of AMI): the state pays $2 for every $1 you pay, up to the $10,000 cap.
- Above 120% of AMI: you can still get the free inspection, but not the grant. The report still helps with insurance discounts.
Estimate your share
Example: a 3-bedroom house. Use the cost calculator to get your number.
Rough estimate only. The grant covers only work the inspection recommends, and final amounts are set by the program.
Who qualifies
Rules change with each law update. As of 2026, your home generally needs to meet all of these:
- You own and live in it as your primary residence, with a homestead exemption
- A site-built single-family home on its own parcel, attached or detached, up to three stories (no mobile homes)
- Built before January 1, 2008
- Insured value of $700,000 or less
- A program hurricane mitigation inspection within the last 24 months
- Household income at or below 120% of AMI for grant money
Condo owners: individual units don't qualify for the homeowner grant. Florida runs a separate condo pilot program that works through condo associations, so ask your board.
What it covers
Grants only pay for improvements your inspection report recommends. Opening protection includes:
- Impact windows and skylights
- Impact entry doors and sliding glass doors
- Impact-rated garage doors
If you already have impact glass or shutters
Having some protection doesn't disqualify your home, but it limits which openings the grant can pay for:
- Openings that are already protected by compliant shutters can't be funded again. The grant can't be used to swap shutters for impact windows.
- Only openings listed in your inspection report as needing protection qualify.
- You don't have to replace every opening. You can choose which recommended openings to upgrade.
If every opening on your home is already protected, the grant likely won't pay for new windows. Your inspector will confirm which openings qualify.
Roof upgrades such as roof-to-wall connections and secondary water barriers can also qualify. Many Miami homeowners use the grant for windows and doors first, since those openings are the most exposed.
How to apply
- Request the free inspection
Apply on the official My Safe Florida Home site. There's no income test for the inspection.
- Review your report
The inspector documents your home's current protection and lists the upgrades that qualify.
- Get estimates
Get written estimates for the recommended impact windows and doors from a licensed contractor.
- Apply for the grant
Applications open in priority tiers over about 60 days, and homeowners 60 and older are prioritized within each income group.
- Install and pass the final inspection
After approval you have 18 months to finish. Funds are released after a final inspection, so ask your installer how they handle payment timing.
Already had an inspection and still waiting? You don't need to reapply. Keep your contact information current with the program.
Tips for Miami homeowners
- Don't sign before you're approved if you're counting on the grant. Work done before approval may not qualify.
- Keep the inspection report. Even without a grant, it can be used to request wind mitigation discounts from your insurer once the new windows are in.
- Ask about the sales tax exemption. Florida recently passed a sales tax exemption for impact-rated windows and doors. Ask your installer whether it applies to your purchase.
- Plan for HOA approval while you wait on the grant, so you're ready to install once it's approved.
Common questions
Can I get the grant and still choose my own installer?
You hire a licensed contractor for the recommended work. Make sure their estimate matches the improvements listed in your inspection report.
Does the grant cover the permit and engineering?
Grant rules are set by the program. Ask the program and your installer which costs can be included, and get every fee, including permit processing and engineering, in writing.
What if funding runs out?
Grants depend on money the Legislature approves each year. If funding runs out, you can still use the inspection for insurance discounts and finance the project instead.
Price your project first
Know your total before you apply. Our calculator includes the permit, processing and engineering, so your grant math starts from a real number.
Impact Quote Miami is not affiliated with the State of Florida or the My Safe Florida Home program. Program rules, income limits and funding change; confirm details at mysafeflhome.com before making decisions.