2026 program year
The NC FORTIFIED Roof Program, Explained
What the FORTIFIED roof program is, who qualifies in North Carolina, how the grant and evaluation fit together, and exactly what happens at each step — written for homeowners, by the certified evaluator who does the inspections.
What the FORTIFIED roof program is
FORTIFIED is a construction standard published by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). It is a set of tested, above-code requirements for how a roof is attached, sealed and edged so it performs better in high wind and wind-driven rain. FORTIFIED is not hurricane proof — it is a measurable reduction in the most common way homes fail.
North Carolina runs the money side separately. The Strengthen Your Roof grant program, administered by the NC Insurance Underwriting Association, reimburses eligible coastal homeowners for the cost of bringing a roof up to the FORTIFIED Roof standard. So: IBHS writes the standard, the state funds the grants, a trained roofer installs, and an independent certified evaluator documents it.
IBHS
NCIUA
NC Fortified
Who is eligible
The state grant program is location-based, not income-based. Award amounts differ between the barrier island territories and the inner-coastal and mainland coastal counties, and the program publishes the qualifying territories on its own site. Confirm your exact address on the official program site before planning around an award — territory lines do not follow town boundaries.
A separate, income-qualified grant is offered by the Clean Energy Fund of the Carolinas for households at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. It is a different program with its own application, not an add-on to the state grant. Details are on our income-qualified grant page.
Current amounts by area are broken out on our NC roof grants page.
The full sequence, start to finish
- 1
Confirm your home qualifies
Check the property against the Strengthen Your Roof grant map and program rules. Eligibility is based on the location of the home (insurance territory), not on income, for the state grant program.
- 2
Apply for the grant
Applications are submitted through the NC Insurance Underwriting Association at strengthenyourroof.com. Funding rounds are first-come, first-served, so a complete application matters more than a fast one.
- 3
Select a FORTIFIED-trained roofing contractor
The roof must be installed by a contractor trained in the FORTIFIED Roof method. Get written quotes that spell out the sealed roof deck, ring-shank nailing pattern, and edge-metal details the standard requires.
- 4
Have the roof evaluated by an independent certified evaluator
The IBHS standard requires an independent, credentialed FORTIFIED evaluator — separate from the contractor — to document the work during and after installation. That is the role NC Fortified performs.
- 5
Receive the FORTIFIED designation
The evaluator submits documentation to IBHS, which issues the FORTIFIED designation certificate. The designation is tied to the home and is valid for five years before redesignation.
- 6
Take the certificate to your agent
Carriers file wind-mitigation credit structures with the NC Department of Insurance. The designation certificate is what triggers that conversation — ask your agent for a written premium illustration for your specific policy.
What it costs and what the grant covers
There are two separate costs: the roofing contractor's installation, and the independent FORTIFIED evaluation. The grant is a reimbursement toward the qualifying roof work, paid after the designation is issued — not an upfront payment, and not a payment to the evaluator.
Our current evaluation, Silver, Gold and redesignation fees are published on the prices page. Roofing costs vary by home; get written quotes from FORTIFIED-trained contractors.
For how a designation factors into wind-mitigation credits with your carrier, see insurance savings. We do not quote carrier figures — ask your agent for a written premium illustration.
Participating coastal counties
We evaluate homes from Corolla to Sunset Beach, across the Outer Banks, the Crystal Coast and the southern barrier islands, plus Edenton, Washington, New Bern, Jacksonville, Swansboro and Leland.
Documentation to keep
- ✓Grant award or approval letter from the program
- ✓Signed contract and detailed scope of work from your FORTIFIED-trained roofer
- ✓Final invoice and proof of payment
- ✓Product data sheets for underlayment, sealant and ring-shank fasteners
- ✓Evaluator photo documentation from the in-progress and final inspections
- ✓The IBHS FORTIFIED designation certificate (keep the digital copy)
FORTIFIED roof program FAQ
Keep reading
Need help with any step?
We are the certified evaluator in this process, and we will walk you through the rest of it.
Program details change between funding rounds. Always confirm current amounts, territories and deadlines with strengthenyourroof.com and fortifiedhome.org .