Impact Windows and Doors for Pinellas County Homes

Updated November 4, 2026

What impact windows and doors do

Impact windows and doors use laminated glass: two layers of glass with a tough plastic layer between them. If something hits the window during a storm, the glass may crack, but the plastic layer is designed to hold the pieces in place so wind and rain stay out of the house.

The frame and the way it is anchored matter as much as the glass. A tested product only performs the way it was tested if it is installed the way its approval says. That is why the installer matters so much.

Do Pinellas homes need hurricane protection?

The Florida Building Code has a wind-borne debris region. It covers areas within about a mile of the coast where design wind speeds are 130 mph or higher, plus areas where design wind speeds are 140 mph or higher. New homes in the region need protection for every opening, either tested impact products or approved shutters.

The City of Dunedin's building forms state that all of Pinellas County is a wind-borne debris region. See the Dunedin opening-protection form. Because Pinellas is a narrow peninsula surrounded by water, that fits what most homeowners here already know.

For an older home, the rules for replacing windows are different, and they can depend on when your house was permitted and how much glass you replace. Your city or county building department has the final say.

Impact windows or shutters?

Both can meet code. Impact windows are protected all the time, with nothing to put up before a storm. Shutters are installed on the outside of existing windows and are put up or closed when a storm approaches.

• Impact windows work every day, including when you are away.
• Shutters mean someone has to deploy them in time.
• Costs vary a lot by home, so get written quotes for both options.

Read our full comparison in the guides below.

Permits and product approval

Replacing windows and doors normally takes a permit. Every product has to have a Florida Product Approval number (an FL number) or a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA). Pinellas County's permit form asks the contractor to list the approval number for each opening, with a diagram of where each unit goes. You can look up an FL number on the state product approval search.

Which office issues your permit depends on where you live. Unincorporated areas use Pinellas County, and homes inside a city use that city's building department.

Insurance credits for opening protection

Florida law requires insurers to offer discounts, credits or other rate reductions for qualifying wind-resistant features, and opening protection is one of the listed features. See Florida Statute 627.0629.

To claim them, a qualified inspector fills out the state's wind mitigation form and you send it to your insurer. How much you save depends on your insurer, your home and your other features, so ask your agent. We do not promise any specific savings.

Help paying: My Safe Florida Home

My Safe Florida Home is a state program that has offered free wind inspections and matching grants for qualifying homes. Opening protection (windows, doors, garage doors) is one of the eligible upgrades. Availability depends on state funding and changes from year to year, so check the official program site for current status before you plan around it. Our guide explains what we could and could not confirm.

What to put in every quote

Whatever route you choose, ask each company to put the same things in writing so you can compare quotes fairly:

• The number of openings and the size and type of each one
• The Florida Product Approval or NOA number for every product
• Whether the price includes the permit, removal and disposal of old units, and interior and exterior finish work
• The expected start and finish dates
• Warranty terms for both the product and the installation
• The contractor's state license number

Florida's licensing agency suggests getting written estimates from several licensed contractors that cover the work, the materials, the completion date and the total cost, and being wary of anyone promising to be the fastest or cheapest. See DBPR's hiring tips.

Mistakes to avoid

• Starting work before a grant is approved. If you plan to use a state grant program, its FAQ says approval must come before construction begins.
• Skipping the permit. A permit creates the inspection record that insurers and future buyers may ask about.
• Paying most of the cost up front. This is one of the payment red flags the state lists.
• Protecting only some openings. Garage doors, sliding doors and skylights count as openings too.
• Not keeping paperwork. Save the contract, permit, final inspection and product approvals.

How the process usually goes

1. Decide whether you want impact products, shutters or a mix, and gather quotes.
2. Confirm who issues your permit (Pinellas County or your city).
3. If you live in a condo or HOA, get any required approval first.
4. Your contractor measures, orders products and submits the permit.
5. Installation, then inspection by the building department.
6. Request a wind mitigation inspection and send the form to your insurer.

Timelines vary by company and product, so ask for dates in writing.

How to vet an installer

Ask for the state contractor license number and check it on the Florida DBPR site (MyFloridaLicense.com). An occupational license or an LLC registration does not make someone a licensed contractor. Be careful with anyone who wants most of the money up front or says you do not need a permit.

Our installation guide has a longer checklist.

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