The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) has rolled out the 2025 FORTIFIED Home, FORTIFIED Commercial and FORTIFIED Multifamily construction standards, which set the benchmark for beyond-code construction and re-roofing.
Since 2010, the FORTIFIED program aims to reduce storm damage by strengthening areas of homes, commercial buildings, and multifamily properties typically vulnerable to high winds and heavy rain. In the updated 2025 standards, the requirements for a FORTIFIED Roof designation in inland areas will be more consistent with requirements in hurricane-prone areas.
“When we looked at the recent severe weather events that impacted inland states, we realized much of the interior damage could be reduced by strengthening the roof system,” says Fred Malik, managing director of FORTIFIED. “Our market research found materials and methods long used on the coast to prevent damage are now consistently available in inland markets, so it is the right time to make this shift.”
All FORTIFIED roof decks will now have the tighter nailing pattern of hurricane-prone areas, and all roof-mounted vents will have to meet testing standards showing they prevent wind-driven rain from entering a building. These requirements will increase performance of residential and commercial structures as well as reduce the risk of damage from severe convective storms, including derechos, tornadoes, and straight-line winds.
Additionally, the 2025 FORTIFIED Home Standard requires that roofs be installed by certified FORTIFIED roofing contractors. “Trained and certified roofers are, on average, more successful at achieving FORTIFIED designations than roofers who aren’t. So, it’s in the best interest of homeowners for us to make this change,” says Malik. “And with reasonably priced, self-paced training available online, interested, qualified roofing contractors should have no trouble meeting the requirement.”
FORTIFIED offers three progressive levels of protection for new and existing buildings, tailored to specific weather hazards. By studying homes impacted by severe weather, IBHS identifies common construction weaknesses and tests solutions at the only research center capable of subjecting full-scale structures to realistic storm conditions, including wind-driven rain, hail, and high winds.
“The 2025 FORTIFIED standards reflect the latest high wind research conducted by IBHS, along with input from other experts and building industry stakeholders,” Malik adds. “They lay out proven strategies for improving the durability of single-family homes, multifamily, and commercial developments addressing wind, wind-driven rain, and hail.”
Detailed information on the updated standard is available on FORTIFIEDHome.org. Contractors seeking a FORTIFIED Home designation can begin implementing the new standard on January 1, 2025, and compliance will be required by November 1, 2025. The transition period allows contractors and evaluators, who document compliance on each FORTIFIED project, to prepare for the new requirements. Developers seeking a FORTIFIED Commercial or FORTIFIED Multifamily designation will be required to meet the updated standard if their application is dated after January 1, 2025.
According to IBHS, approximately 70,000 properties across 31 states have been built or re-roofed using FORTIFIED, including 15,000 buildings this year. Malik says, “This progress reflects the growing recognition of the importance of resilient construction in protecting homes and communities from severe weather."
