WPI-8
Coverage · Cloudbreak team · Updated October 29, 2026 · 8 sources
Definition
A WPI-8 is the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) certificate of compliance showing that a building, repair or addition on the Texas coast meets the windstorm building code. It is a Texas-only document: the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) requires one for a structure to be eligible for its wind and hail coverage.1,3
How it works
The certificate applies only inside the area covered by TDI's Windstorm Inspection Program, which took effect January 1, 1988: the 14 first-tier coastal counties and parts of Harris County east of Highway 146.3,4,5
There are two routes to a certificate. For new or ongoing work, the owner or builder files Form WPI-1 with TDI before construction starts, and a TDI windstorm inspector or an appointed Texas-licensed professional engineer inspects the work in progress. TDI inspectors charge no fee and try to inspect within 48 hours of the requested date, excluding weekends and holidays. When every inspection passes, TDI issues the WPI-8.6
Work finished without inspection takes the completed-construction route. A Texas-licensed professional engineer submits Form WPI-2E with a sealed post-construction inspection report or sealed design, and TDI issues a WPI-8-E. TDI notes this can cost more, because a finished structure is harder to inspect.7,4
The code the work is checked against is the one TDI has adopted for the area. Commercial structures insured through TWIA must at minimum meet it, and since April 1, 2026 that has been the 2024 International Residential Code and International Building Code. Once issued, a certificate stays: since June 14, 2021, state law bars TDI from rescinding a WPI-8.6,3
| Form | Issued by | Covers | Inspection |
|---|---|---|---|
| WPI-8 | TDI | New and ongoing improvements | During construction, by a TDI inspector or appointed engineer |
| WPI-8-E | TDI, applications since June 1, 2020 | Completed improvements | After construction, by a Texas-licensed professional engineer |
| WPI-8-C | TWIA, applications January 1, 2017 to May 31, 2020 | Completed improvements | No longer issued; copies through TWIA's lookup tool |
Example
Take, as an example, a retail building in Nueces County built in 1985 that gets a new roof in 2026. The original building needs no WPI-8 for TWIA because it was built before January 1, 1988, but the new roof must meet the windstorm code for the building to stay eligible.3
The owner files a WPI-1 before work starts, a TDI inspector checks the roof as it goes on, and TDI issues a WPI-8 for the roof. If the roof is finished without an inspection, an appointed engineer's post-construction inspection is needed instead.6
| Needs a certificate | Doesn't need an inspection |
|---|---|
| New structures and additions | Roof repairs under 100 square feet that don't involve decking |
| Windows, entry doors and garage doors | Painting, carpeting, cabinets and other non-structural items |
| Replacing a roof or repairing a significant portion of one | Plumbing and electrical repairs |
| Re-siding a significant portion of an exterior wall | Fences, gutters, and replacement glass in windows or doors |
Where you'll see it
- TWIA applications: the certificate must be given to TWIA before a property is eligible, and TWIA says a structure without one may be considered uninsurable. The Texas Insurance Code allows two exceptions to this requirement, both for residential properties only.8,3
- TDI's online windstorm system, which publishes every certificate TDI has issued for completed and ongoing construction.7
- TWIA's certificate lookup tool, for WPI-8-C certificates. TWIA says the certificates it issued are not on TDI's website.8
- Insurer checks: TDI says insurers and TWIA can both look up a certificate to confirm that a property, repair or addition is certified.1
Questions
- What is a WPI-8 in Texas?
- It is the certificate TDI issues to show that a building, repair or addition on the Texas coast meets the windstorm building code. TWIA requires one for coverage, with limited exceptions.1,8,5
- What is the difference between a WPI-8 and a WPI-8-E?
- A WPI-8 covers work inspected while it is underway. A WPI-8-E covers completed work inspected afterward by a Texas-licensed professional engineer.4
Cloudbreak
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Sources
Written by the Cloudbreak team. Numbers, dates and rules cite the published sources below.
- 1. Texas Department of Insurance: WPI-8 fact sheet
- 2. Texas Department of Insurance: What is windstorm insurance?
- 3. Texas Department of Insurance: Texas Windstorm Insurance Association Overview (October 1, 2026)
- 4. Texas Department of Insurance: What you need to know about windstorm inspections
- 5. Texas Windstorm Insurance Association: Coverage and Eligibility
- 6. Texas Department of Insurance: What is the Windstorm Inspection Process? (last updated July 21, 2025)
- 7. Texas Department of Insurance: Completed construction certificates
- 8. Texas Windstorm Insurance Association: Windstorm Certification