Guide
Windstorm Certificates (WPI-8) in Jefferson and Chambers Counties
What the certificate is, where it applies, which work typically needs it, and how the inspection works.
In plain English
What a WPI-8 Is
A WPI-8 is a windstorm Certificate of Compliance. It is the paper that says a roof, a window, a door, an addition or a new building on the Texas coast was inspected while it was being built and meets the state windstorm building code.
The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) issues it. Since June 1, 2020, every certificate comes from TDI. Before that, TWIA ran a separate program for certifying finished work, and that program is closed.
The rules only apply inside the TDI designated catastrophe area. In our part of Texas that means Jefferson County and Chambers County. The county the property sits in decides it.
Where it applies
Inside and Outside the Windstorm Area
Inside: WPI-8 rules apply
- Jefferson County: Beaumont, Port Arthur, Nederland, Port Neches, Groves, Fannett, China, Nome, Bevil Oaks
- Chambers County: Winnie, Anahuac
Outside: no WPI-8, city permits still apply
- Orange County: Orange, Vidor, Bridge City, West Orange, Pinehurst, Mauriceville
- Hardin County: Lumberton, Silsbee, Kountze, Sour Lake
- Liberty County: Liberty, Dayton, Ames, Hardin
- Tyler County: Woodville
- Jasper County: Jasper, Buna, Kirbyville, Evadale
- Newton County: Newton, Deweyville
What needs one
Work That Typically Needs a WPI-8
Inside Jefferson and Chambers counties, these are the jobs that typically need the inspection and certificate. Small repairs often do not. The line depends on the scope, so ask before the job starts.
Roof replacement
A new roof, and roof repair large enough to count as significant, including the deck attachment, underlayment, shingles or metal panels and edge details.
Windows and exterior doors
Replacement windows, entry doors, garage doors and skylights. The products must be on the TDI evaluated products list.
Additions
A room addition, garage or sunroom attached to the house, from the framing connections to the roof.
New construction
A new home, garage or other structure, inspected at stages from the foundation ties to the roof.
Siding, patio covers and decks
Re-siding exterior walls, and new patio covers and decks attached to the house, can also fall under the rules.
Related: Roof replacement, Home additions, New construction, Siding, windows and doors
How it works
The Inspection, Step by Step
- 01
Check the county
The property's county decides it, not the mailing address or the nearest city. Jefferson and Chambers are in. Orange, Hardin and the counties north and east are out.
- 02
Arrange the inspection before work starts
The homeowner or the contractor arranges it. The inspection is done by a Texas Department of Insurance inspector or by a Texas licensed professional engineer appointed by TDI.
- 03
Inspections during construction
The inspector has to see the work before it is covered up: roof deck nailing before the underlayment goes on, framing connections before the sheetrock. Work that is already closed in cannot be inspected the same way.
- 04
Approved products only
Shingles, windows, doors and other rated products must be on TDI's evaluated products list for the certificate to issue.
- 05
The certificate is issued
Once the work passes, TDI issues the WPI-8 Certificate of Compliance. It typically posts online within about three working days after approval.
What You Do as the Homeowner
- Confirm which county the property is in before you get estimates.
- Ask every contractor how the windstorm inspection fits into their schedule.
- Make sure the inspection is arranged before the work starts, not after.
- Ask for the product names on the estimate, so they can be checked against the TDI list.
- Get a copy of the WPI-8 when it issues and send one to your insurance agent.
Timeline
The inspections happen at the stages the work is open, so they add scheduling time, not a separate project. A re-roof typically has an inspection at the deck and another at the finish. An addition or a new home has more stages. After the work passes, the certificate typically posts online within about three working days.
On jobs in Jefferson and Chambers counties, Rocha's General Construction builds to the windstorm code requirements so the work is ready for the inspection, and plans the job around the inspection stages. Bring it up at your estimate.
See also: After the storm: what to do in the first 72 hours.
WPI-8 Questions
What is a WPI-8 certificate?
A WPI-8 is a Certificate of Compliance from the Texas Department of Insurance. It shows that a roof, window, door, addition or new building in the coastal windstorm area was inspected during construction and meets the Texas windstorm building code.
Who issues the WPI-8?
The Texas Department of Insurance. Since June 1, 2020, TDI issues all windstorm Certificates of Compliance. The older TWIA program for certifying completed work closed in May 2020.
Do I need one in Beaumont?
Yes, for the work the rules cover. Beaumont is in Jefferson County, which is inside the TDI designated catastrophe area. A new roof, windows, exterior doors, an addition or new construction typically needs the inspection and certificate.
Do I need one in Orange, Vidor or Lumberton?
No. Orange County and Hardin County are outside the designated catastrophe area, so the WPI-8 rules do not apply there. The same is true for Liberty, Tyler, Jasper and Newton counties. City permits still apply.
Why does the certificate matter?
TWIA, the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, is the wind and hail insurer of last resort for the coast. To be insurable by TWIA, a structure in the catastrophe area generally needs a WPI-8 for covered work. Without it, renewing TWIA coverage can be a problem.
Can work be certified after it is finished?
The inspection is meant to happen during construction, before the work is covered. Once a roof deck or wall framing is closed in, the inspector cannot see what they need to see. That is why the inspection has to be arranged before work starts.
Does Rocha's General Construction do the inspection?
No. The inspection is done by TDI or a TDI-appointed engineer, and the homeowner or contractor arranges it. On jobs in Jefferson and Chambers counties, we build to the windstorm code requirements so the work is ready for the inspection, and we plan the job around the inspection stages.
Answered by Rocha's General Construction · Updated
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