Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast
On the Texas coast, the roof certificate that counts comes from TDI
On the upper Texas coast, the most useful piece of paper after a new roof is not a badge on a contractor's truck. It is the Texas Department of Insurance's WPI-8 certificate of compliance, which can decide whether a home qualifies for wind and hail coverage through the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. This National Roofing Directory publication explains who needs one, how it connects to TWIA, and what the National Hurricane Center has recorded along this coast.
Where the windstorm program applies
TDI says properties in 14 coastal counties and parts of Harris County east of Highway 146 sit in a designated catastrophe area. TDI's WPI-8 fact sheet lists them: Aransas, Brazoria, Calhoun, Cameron, Chambers, Galveston, Jefferson, Kenedy, Kleberg, Matagorda, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio and Willacy, plus Harris east of Highway 146.
Harris County is the exception that matters for Houston. TDI's page on making repairs after a storm names the Harris County cities east of State Highway 146 that are covered: La Porte, Morgan's Point, Pasadena, Seabrook and Shore Acres. TDI's adopted codes page adds that every other county on the map is covered in full, while a Harris County structure must be east of Highway 146 and inside the limits of a listed city.
Outside those areas, TDI says you probably have wind and hail coverage in your homeowners policy, though the deductible for wind may differ. That describes most homes in Houston, Katy, Sugar Land and The Woodlands. The Houston page covers the city in detail.
The certificate and its cousins
- WPI-8 is issued for ongoing construction. An appointed Texas licensed professional engineer or a TDI windstorm inspector checks the work while it is underway (TDI).
- WPI-8-E is issued for completed construction, inspected afterward by a Texas licensed professional engineer (TDI).
- WPI-8-C was TWIA's own completed-construction certificate, accepted from January 1, 2017 to May 31, 2020 (TWIA).
TDI says most roof replacements need an inspection, while roof repairs under 100 square feet that do not involve decking or framing do not. From April 1, 2026, applications must be certified to the 2024 International Residential Code or International Building Code. The full process is in the windstorm certificates guide.
Why it matters: TWIA eligibility
TWIA lists its eligibility rules: the property must be in the designated area, the applicant must have been turned down by at least one authorized insurer writing wind and hail coverage there, and the building must be certified as built to code, with limited exceptions. Properties in flood zones V, VE or V1-30 built, altered, remodeled or enlarged on or after September 1, 2009 must also show flood insurance where the NFIP offers it (TWIA). TDI adds that you cannot get a TWIA policy while a hurricane is in the Gulf of Mexico.
The hurricane record behind the rules
Each row links to the National Hurricane Center's Tropical Cyclone Report for that storm.
| Storm | Where NHC places landfall | One detail from the report |
|---|---|---|
| Allison, 2001 | Near Freeport, as a tropical storm | Total damage estimate revised to $9 billion |
| Rita, 2005 | Just east of Sabine Pass, Louisiana, at 100 knots | Storm tides of 3 to 5 feet along much of the Texas coast |
| Ike, 2008 | North end of Galveston Island, at 95 knots | 12.79 feet at Sabine Pass North, the highest NOS gauge reading |
| Harvey, 2017 | San Jose Island near Rockport, at 115 knots | 36 of Texas's 68 direct deaths were in Harris County |
| Imelda, 2019 | Near Freeport, at 40 knots | 44.29 inches of rain near Fannett |
| Hanna, 2020 | Padre Island, at 80 knots | 3 to 5 feet of inundation on the middle and lower coast |
| Laura, 2020 | Near Cameron, Louisiana, as a category 4 | An estimated $975 million of damage in Texas |
| Nicholas, 2021 | Eastern Matagorda Peninsula, at 65 knots | 3 to 6 feet of inundation from Port O'Connor to Bolivar |
| Beryl, 2024 | Near Matagorda, at 80 knots | Hurricane conditions reached parts of Galveston Island |
FEMA's major disaster declaration for Beryl, DR-4798, covers Aransas, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Jefferson, Matagorda, Montgomery and Nueces counties.
Checking a roofer on the coast
Texas has no state roofing license; a 2025 House committee bill analysis says Texas does not currently require one for reroofing contractors. On the coast, TDI's own warning signs are more specific. Its repair guidance says to watch out for contractors who are not familiar with the Windstorm Inspections Program, who take only cash, or who want money before materials are on site, and to hold the final payment until TDI issues the WPI-8. You can confirm any certificate yourself in TDI's certificate search. The National Roofing Directory's Texas licensing page covers the local rules that apply instead.
Find a roofer on the Gulf Coast
The National Roofing Directory lists roofers by coastal city, from Galveston and League City to Beaumont.
Browse by city on the directory's pages for Houston roofers and Beaumont roofers, and keep an eye on the Texas storm center when a system enters the Gulf.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a WPI-8 to replace my roof in Houston?
Only if the home is in the part of Harris County that TDI includes: east of State Highway 146 and inside La Porte, Morgan's Point, Pasadena, Seabrook or Shore Acres (TDI). Elsewhere in Houston, a city roofing permit applies, but the windstorm certificate does not.
Who can inspect a roof for a windstorm certificate?
During construction, a TDI-appointed engineer or a TDI inspector; after the work is finished, any Texas licensed professional engineer can inspect for a WPI-8-E (TDI). TDI's fact sheet notes you can request a free TDI inspector and that TDI does not regulate inspection rates.
Can a coastal home get TWIA coverage without a certificate?
TWIA describes two exceptions on its certification page: uncertified homes built from 1988 to June 18, 2009 may still qualify with a 15% surcharge, and some homes insured privately on or after June 19, 2009 that are later non-renewed or cancelled without a required WPI-8 may qualify. Otherwise, a certificate is required.
Sources
- 14 coastal counties and parts of Harris County east of Highway 146 — tdi.texas.gov
- WPI-8 fact sheet — tdi.texas.gov
- making repairs after a storm — tdi.texas.gov
- adopted codes page — tdi.texas.gov
- probably have wind and hail coverage in your homeowners policy — tdi.texas.gov
- TWIA — twia.org
- do not — tdi.texas.gov
- eligibility rules — twia.org
- Allison, 2001 — nhc.noaa.gov
- Rita, 2005 — nhc.noaa.gov
- Ike, 2008 — nhc.noaa.gov
- Harvey, 2017 — nhc.noaa.gov
- Imelda, 2019 — nhc.noaa.gov
- Hanna, 2020 — nhc.noaa.gov
- Laura, 2020 — nhc.noaa.gov
- Nicholas, 2021 — nhc.noaa.gov
- Beryl, 2024 — nhc.noaa.gov
- DR-4798 — fema.gov
- bill analysis — capitol.texas.gov
- certificate search — appscenter.tdi.texas.gov
- city roofing permit — houstonpermittingcenter.org