If you're building or renovating in Florida, Texas Gulf Coast, the Carolinas or any other high-wind coastal zone, your building department will require products with specific impact certifications. The terminology, HVHZ, NOA, FL Product Approval, ASTM E1886, is often used loosely and misspecification can mean failed inspections, required replacements and significant cost.

The Testing Standards

The foundational test for impact-rated products in the U.S. is ASTM E1886 (performance standard) and ASTM E1996 (specification standard). E1996 defines three missile impact levels:

  • Missile Level A (Small Missile): Steel ball bearings. Applies to products more than 30 feet above grade.
  • Missile Level C (Large Missile): 9-pound 2x4 at 34 mph. Required below 30 feet in most jurisdictions.
  • Missile Level E (Larger Missile): 9-pound 2x4 at 50 mph. Required for HVHZ.

After impact testing, the product undergoes cyclic wind pressure testing per ASTM E1886, simulating the pressure fluctuations of a hurricane, not just a single static load.

HVHZ: The Strictest Standard

High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) covers Broward and Miami-Dade Counties in Florida and is widely regarded as the most stringent impact product standard in the U.S. HVHZ requires Missile Level E large-missile impact and 110+ mph cyclic pressure testing. Products approved for HVHZ carry a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA), a specific product approval document that lists every approved configuration, size and installation method.

An important point: HVHZ approval is configuration-specific. An NOA covers a specific product type in specific sizes with specific anchor patterns. If your opening is larger than what's listed in the NOA, the product is not code-compliant for that opening, even if it carries the same brand name.

FL Product Approval

Outside of HVHZ, Florida uses the FL Product Approval database (managed by the Florida Building Commission). FL Product Approvals cover statewide use outside HVHZ and list approved configurations, sizes and design pressures. Most other coastal states accept FL-approved products or have their own equivalent approval systems.

How We Specify

When we quote an impact-rated project using our impact-rated windows and doors, we provide the specific NOA or FL Product Approval number for the exact system, size and configuration in your opening. We include the approved installation method and anchor schedule. This documentation is submitted with the building permit and is what the inspector checks at rough-in. Doing it right from the spec stage eliminates the most common source of failed inspections on fenestration.