My Safe Florida Home 2026: Free Inspection and Grants (Official $10,000 Cap)

If you own a home in South Florida — Florida City, Homestead, Cutler Bay or anywhere in Miami-Dade — you have probably heard of My Safe Florida Home (MSFH). It is the state program run by the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS): a free hurricane mitigation inspection for eligible homes and, if you meet additional criteria, a grant toward the improvements that inspection recommends.

This guide is about the program — who can apply, how the grants work, the steps in the portal and where funding stands. It is not a walkthrough of Form OIR-B1-1802, the private wind mitigation form; for that, see our guide to the wind mitigation inspection in Florida. Facts below come from mysafeflhome.com, the program’s support center and s. 215.5586, Florida Statutes. The dollar amounts are official program limits, not a promise about your homeowners insurance premium.

Funding status (checked October 4, 2026)

According to the program’s support article “Is funding currently available?” (last updated August 17, 2026), My Safe Florida Home is accepting applications. Homeowners create an account in the Applicant Portal (Neighborly) and complete the Prioritization Questionnaire; the program then places them in an Inspection Group or a Grant Group, and they can submit the matching application.

The call center number listed by the program is 850-427-2559. You can also submit a ticket through the official MSFH Support Center.

What the program offers (two parts)

Official program materials describe two main components:

1. Free hurricane mitigation inspection — no cost and no obligation to apply for a grant. An inspector under contract with the program reviews your home’s wind-resistant features and recommends improvements.
2. Mitigation grant — financial help toward improvements recommended in the initial inspection report, subject to eligibility, prioritization and available funds.

For the MSFH inspection you cannot use your own inspector: once your application is approved, the program assigns a licensed inspector it has under contract. That is different from a private OIR-B1-1802 inspection you arrange yourself for insurance paperwork.

Who can get the free inspection

Under the program FAQs and s. 215.5586(1), the home generally must meet all of these:

• A single-family home on its own parcel — detached, or a townhouse-style attached home (the 2026 statute covers attached homes of up to three stories);
• Site-built and owner-occupied; and
• Granted a homestead exemption under Chapter 196.

Generally not eligible: multifamily buildings (apartments, duplexes, triplexes), condominiums, cooperatives, retirement homes, mobile or manufactured homes, and second, vacation or rental homes. Single-family homes attached to other units are treated as townhouses for program purposes.

Extra requirements for a grant

Not everyone who gets an inspection qualifies for a grant. The FAQs, the application page and the statute list, among other things:

• You received the initial inspection through the program (the 2026 statute says within the 24 months before you apply);
• An insured value of $700,000 or less (the program’s application page lists an exception for low-income homeowners, but the 2026 statute text does not — confirm the current rule in the portal);
• The home was built before January 1, 2008, as shown on the county property appraiser’s website;
• You provide the name and Florida license number of the contractor you chose;
• You agree to a final inspection when the project is done; and
• You agree to share with the program any information your insurer sends you about premium changes tied to the funded improvements.

The statute directs the program to prioritize low- and moderate-income applicants (as defined in s. 420.0004), and the 2026 version requires grant applicants to fall in one of those groups. Review order: (1) low-income, 60 or older; (2) other low-income; (3) moderate-income, 60 or older; (4) other moderate-income; then everyone else, in timed windows. Program materials define low-income as household income at or below 80% of the county median and moderate-income as below 120%, using HUD income rules.

Grant types and the official $10,000 cap

The FAQs describe two grant types (both subject to legislative appropriation):

• Matching grants: the state pays $2 for every $1 the homeowner contributes (on a reimbursement basis), up to a maximum state contribution of $10,000.
• Low-income grants: up to $10,000 with no matching contribution and, per the FAQs, no paid-in-full invoice required.

Do not start work before official grant approval. The FAQs are explicit: starting early disqualifies you from reimbursement. Payment is made through a Draw Request after the work is finished and the portal steps (including the final inspection) are complete.

Improvements a grant can cover

When they appear in the Initial Inspection Report, the program lists four eligible categories:

1. Opening protection — impact-rated windows, doors, garage doors and skylights that protect against flying debris;
2. Roof-to-wall attachment — strengthening the roof-to-wall connection with clips or wraps;
3. Roof deck attachment — better nailing and fastening of the roof deck;
4. Secondary water resistance (SWR) — self-adhering underlayment that limits leaks if the roof covering is lost.

Only improvements recommended in the initial report and observed in the final report qualify; no other construction work counts. Older versions of the statute limited townhouse grants to opening protection. The program FAQ describes a 2026 legislative update (SB 1452) that lets townhomes receive roof grants like single-family homes, and the 2026 statute text no longer has the opening-protection-only limit — if you own a townhouse, confirm the current rule on mysafeflhome.com.

Practical steps in the portal

1. Create your Applicant Portal account and complete the Prioritization Questionnaire.
2. When your group’s window opens, submit the inspection application (if you don’t have an MSFH inspection yet).
3. Review the initial report in the portal; if improvements are recommended and you qualify, move on to the Grant Phase.
4. Choose a Florida-licensed contractor (general, building, residential, specialty or roofing, per DBPR) and verify the license on MyFloridaLicense.com.
5. Wait for written grant approval before any work begins.
6. When the work is done, request the final inspection in the portal (the FAQs say you get one opportunity) and complete the Draw Request with the required documents.

Deadlines: both the program FAQs and the 2026 text of s. 215.5586 say to finish construction and request the final inspection within 18 months of grant approval. Miss it and the application can be deemed abandoned, with the grant money returning to the department. Answer any Request for Information (RFI) within 60 days, or the application can be deemed abandoned.

How this fits with your homeowners insurance

MSFH is a state mitigation program. Your homeowners policy is a separate contract. Documenting improvements or sending mitigation paperwork to an insurer does not ensure a credit, a lower rate or a policy offer. At M&K Agency, a licensed agent can help you review your declarations page and understand what paperwork insurers usually ask for — without promising any premium outcome. For the private form insurers use, read our wind mitigation inspection guide.

If you also want help with coverage, request a quote or call (305) 859-3953. Office: 33550 S Dixie Hwy, Suite 102, Florida City, FL 33034. Hours: Monday–Friday 9–6; Saturday by appointment.

This page is general information based on official program sources and the statute. It is not a quote, legal advice, or an assurance of eligibility or funding. Always confirm the criteria and funding status on mysafeflhome.com on the day you apply.