Florida has the most demanding wind and impact glazing requirements of any state in the country. If you're building a commercial project here — whether in Miami, Tampa, Naples, or the Treasure Coast — you need to understand when impact-rated glass is required, what product approval documentation is needed, and how the High Velocity Hurricane Zone differs from the rest of the state. This guide covers what you need to know in 2026.
Why Florida Has Strict Impact Glazing Requirements
Florida's exposure to Atlantic and Gulf hurricanes makes wind-borne debris one of the most serious structural hazards for buildings along the coast and inland. When a hurricane hits, it creates wind-borne debris — roof gravel, tree branches, construction materials — that can breach conventional glass at wind speeds well below the storm's maximum. Once the building envelope is breached, internal pressurization dramatically increases structural loads on the building frame and roof. A single broken window can be the beginning of a building's catastrophic failure.
In response to catastrophic building losses in Hurricane Andrew (1992), Florida enacted increasingly stringent glazing requirements. Today, Florida's building code — the Florida Building Code (FBC), currently in its 8th Edition — establishes the nation's most comprehensive framework for wind-borne debris protection and impact-rated glazing.
The Florida Building Code 8th Edition
The FBC 8th Edition is the current applicable version of the Florida Building Code for new construction in the state. It adopts and modifies the International Building Code (IBC) and references ASCE 7-22 (Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures) for wind load design. Together, these documents establish the design wind speeds and exposure categories that drive glazing requirements on any Florida project.
Under the FBC, glazing protection requirements depend on the building's location, the applicable design wind speed from the ASCE 7-22 wind maps, and whether the building is in a wind-borne debris region. The structural engineer of record on your project is responsible for determining the applicable design wind speed and specifying the required glazing performance criteria. Your glazing subcontractor is responsible for providing products that meet those criteria and documenting compliance through the product approval process.
Wind-Borne Debris Regions: Where Impact Glass Is Required
Under the FBC, a wind-borne debris region is defined as an area where the basic wind speed exceeds certain thresholds, or where the building is within a specified distance of the coastline. These thresholds are established by ASCE 7-22 and are mapped across the state.
In practice, most of Florida's coastal areas — and many inland areas — fall within a wind-borne debris region where impact protection is required on commercial buildings. This includes:
All of South Florida — Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and the Keys are entirely within wind-borne debris regions. The coastal areas of these counties are also in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone.
Most of the Gulf Coast — Naples, Fort Myers, Sarasota, and Tampa Bay's coastal zones are in wind-borne debris regions requiring impact-rated glazing on commercial buildings.
Florida's Atlantic Coast — From the Florida Keys through the Space Coast and up to the First Coast, coastal commercial buildings require impact-rated glazing.
Inland areas may or may not require impact protection depending on the specific design wind speed at the project location. The wind speed maps in ASCE 7-22 must be consulted — do not assume inland locations are exempt.
The High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ)
The HVHZ is a special designation within the FBC that applies only to Miami-Dade and Broward counties. It represents the most stringent glazing requirements in the state — and arguably in the nation. Every glazing product installed in the HVHZ must carry a current Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) demonstrating that the product has passed HVHZ-specific testing.
HVHZ testing requirements include large-missile impact testing, small-missile impact testing, and cyclic pressure testing. The large-missile test involves a 9-pound 2x4 lumber projectile fired at the glazing at high velocity. A product that passes this test and is correctly installed can withstand debris impacts from hurricane-force winds without breaching the building envelope.
Miami-Dade NOA vs. Florida Product Approval
This is one of the most commonly confused aspects of Florida glazing code compliance. The two product approval systems serve related but distinct purposes:
Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA)
The Miami-Dade NOA is issued by Miami-Dade County's product control division. It is required for any glazing product installed in the HVHZ (Miami-Dade and Broward counties). To obtain an NOA, a product must pass the HVHZ test protocols administered by an approved testing laboratory. The NOA specifies exact installation requirements — anchor patterns, sealant types, and installation sequences — that must be followed exactly in the field. Deviation from the NOA installation requirements voids the approval.
Florida Product Approval (FL PA)
The Florida Product Approval is a statewide system administered by the Florida Building Commission. It covers glazing products installed anywhere in Florida — including outside the HVHZ. FL PA products are tested to Florida's wind and impact standards, but the specific test protocols may differ from HVHZ NOA requirements. For projects outside the HVHZ, an FL PA is typically sufficient. For projects in Miami-Dade or Broward, an NOA is required (an FL PA alone is not sufficient).
Every glazing subcontractor in Florida must provide FL PA documentation (or NOA documentation for HVHZ projects) for every system they install. This documentation becomes part of the project's permit package and must be available for inspector review.
Large-Missile vs. Small-Missile Impact Zones
Within wind-borne debris regions, Florida's code distinguishes between large-missile impact zones and small-missile impact zones based on a building's height and location. Generally, ground-floor glazing and glazing on low-rise portions of buildings is subject to large-missile impact requirements. Upper-floor glazing on taller buildings may be in a small-missile impact zone, where less severe testing is required because large debris is less likely to reach higher elevations in a storm.
The determination of which zone applies to specific glazing locations is made by the engineer of record and should be clearly specified in the glazing specification. Your glazing sub needs to know this before selecting products — large-missile-rated systems are a smaller product universe than small-missile-rated systems.
Impact Glass vs. Shutters for Commercial Buildings
For commercial buildings in Florida's wind-borne debris regions, the code permits either impact-rated glazing OR an approved opening protection system (shutters or storm panels) to protect glazed openings. In practice, the vast majority of commercial buildings use impact-rated glazing rather than shutters for several reasons.
Shutters require manual deployment — someone must physically close them before a storm. Commercial buildings, especially multi-tenant and hospitality properties, often lack consistent occupancy to ensure shutters are deployed. Impact glazing provides permanent protection without any action required by occupants or building staff.
Impact glazing also has no visual impact on the building's day-to-day appearance and no operational impact on access or egress. Storm shutters, by contrast, can obstruct emergency egress if improperly deployed and can interfere with signage, emergency lighting, and the building's architectural character.
That premium is usually justified by the operational and liability benefits of a permanently protected building envelope. See our guide to impact glass vs. shutters for commercial buildings for a detailed comparison.
How ACG Manages Impact Glass Compliance
ACG has completed impact-rated glazing projects across Florida — from HVHZ projects in Miami-Dade requiring NOA documentation to impact storefront projects in Tampa and Naples. We manage the full product approval process: selecting products with appropriate FL PA or NOA coverage, preparing compliant shop drawings, and installing to the exact requirements of the approval documentation.
Our project portfolio includes work in both HVHZ and non-HVHZ Florida markets. You can review completed projects on our portfolio page. To get a scope for an impact-rated glazing project, use our Scope Engine or send us your plans directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tampa in the HVHZ?
No. Tampa and the greater Tampa Bay area (Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco counties) are not in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone. The HVHZ covers only Miami-Dade and Broward counties. However, many Tampa Bay commercial projects are in wind-borne debris regions that require impact-rated glazing — the applicable requirement depends on the design wind speed and the building's distance from the coastline.
What happens if an inspector finds non-compliant glazing?
An inspector who finds glazing that does not match the approved product approval documentation — wrong product, wrong anchor pattern, missing sealant — will fail the inspection. The glazing may need to be removed and reinstalled, which is expensive and schedule-damaging. This is why working with a glazing sub who has direct experience with Florida product approval compliance matters enormously.
Does impact glass also satisfy energy code requirements?
Not automatically. Impact-rated glass addresses wind and debris resistance. Energy code compliance — meeting ASHRAE 90.1 or Florida's energy code requirements for U-factor, solar heat gain coefficient, and visible light transmittance — is a separate requirement that must be addressed through glass selection regardless of impact rating. Many impact-rated IGU products can be specified with Low-E coatings to meet energy code, but this must be specified correctly and verified.