Miami-Dade NOA Approved Windows: What It Means & Why It Matters
A Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) is the strictest impact-resistance certification for windows, doors, and roofing in the United States. It is legally required for every exterior opening installed in Florida's High Velocity Hurricane Zone — all of Miami-Dade and Broward counties — and is the de facto standard across coastal Florida.
NOA = Notice of Acceptance, issued by the Miami-Dade Product Control Section after a product passes the Miami-Dade Test Protocols (TAS 201, 202, 203). Required in HVHZ (Miami-Dade + Broward). Every legitimate impact window has an NOA number you can verify online at miamidade.gov/building.
What is a Miami-Dade NOA?
An NOA is an official certificate issued by the Miami-Dade County Product Control Section confirming that a specific window, door, or building product has passed an exhaustive battery of impact-resistance, water-intrusion, structural-load, and durability tests. Every NOA lists:
- The product name, manufacturer, and approved configurations (sizes, glass thicknesses, frame anchor patterns)
- The test reports that support approval
- The expiration date (typically renewed every 3 to 5 years)
- The conditions of use (e.g., maximum design pressures the product is approved for)
If a window does not have a current NOA, it cannot legally be installed in the HVHZ. A contractor who installs a non-NOA product in the HVHZ exposes the homeowner to permit failure, insurance denial, and a forced rip-out.
The tests behind the NOA
To earn a Miami-Dade NOA, an impact window must pass the Miami-Dade Test Application Standards (TAS), administered by an independent accredited laboratory.
TAS 201 — Large missile impact test
A 9-pound 2x4 lumber projectile is fired at 50 feet per second (about 34 mph) from a compressed-air cannon directly at the glass. The 2x4 must hit each window in three locations — center and two corners — and the glass must not penetrate. The interlayer must hold the broken glass together. This is the headline test most people associate with "impact glass."
TAS 202 — Uniform static load (structural)
The window is pressurized to its rated design pressure (typically 70–100+ pounds per square foot, equivalent to a Category 4–5 hurricane) plus a 50% safety factor. It must not deflect more than 1/175th of its span and must remain operable after the test.
TAS 203 — Cyclic wind pressure
After the missile impact, the window is subjected to 9,000 cycles of alternating positive and negative pressure simulating sustained hurricane-force winds. The glass must remain in the frame and the broken glass must continue to hold together — no penetration, no failure.
Water infiltration and air infiltration
Additional tests verify the product does not leak water at hurricane wind speeds and does not allow excessive air infiltration under normal conditions.
The combined TAS 201/202/203 regime is widely considered the most demanding production window test in the world. It exceeds the requirements of ICC 500 tornado standards and the international ASTM E1886/E1996 standards.
Where is NOA required?
The High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ)
The Florida Building Code defines the HVHZ as all of Miami-Dade County and all of Broward County. Within the HVHZ, every exterior window, door, skylight, garage door, and roofing system installed in a residential or commercial building must be Miami-Dade NOA approved.
Outside the HVHZ — Florida Product Approval (FPA)
In Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Lee, Collier, and other non-HVHZ Florida counties, the legal requirement is Florida Product Approval (FPA), which can be satisfied by either:
- A Miami-Dade NOA (the stricter standard), or
- Passing ASTM E1886/E1996 testing with FPA certification
Because nearly every major manufacturer (PGT, CGI, ECO, ESW, CWS) certifies their HVHZ products to the NOA standard, NOA-approved products are universally accepted across Florida, while FPA-only products are accepted only outside the HVHZ.
NOA vs FPA vs ASTM — what's the difference?
| Certification | Issuing body | Required where | Missile test severity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade NOA | Miami-Dade Product Control Section | HVHZ (Miami-Dade + Broward) | 9-lb 2x4 @ 50 ft/s (TAS 201) |
| Florida Product Approval (FPA) | FL Building Commission | Florida outside HVHZ | Uses ASTM E1886/E1996 — typically equivalent to TAS 201 Level D |
| ASTM E1886 / E1996 | ASTM International | Other US coastal codes (TX, NC, SC) | Up to 9-lb 2x4 @ 50 ft/s (Level D) |
| ICC 500 (tornado shelter) | ICC / NSSA | FEMA P-361 shelters | 15-lb 2x4 @ 100 ft/s (much higher) |
How to verify any product's NOA
Every NOA can be looked up in the public Miami-Dade Product Control online directory. Before you sign a contract for impact windows or doors, ask the contractor for the NOA number for each product they're proposing, then verify each one yourself.
Step-by-step
- Go to the Miami-Dade Product Control search (
miamidade.gov/building) - Search by NOA number, manufacturer, or product description
- Confirm the product is listed, the expiration date is in the future, and the approved sizes cover your openings
- Download the PDF and check the design pressure rating against your building's required pressures (your contractor should provide these)
If a contractor refuses to provide NOA numbers or says "we'll figure it out at install" — that is a warning sign. Walk away.
Common NOA-approved manufacturers in South Florida
The bulk of the South Florida impact window market is supplied by a relatively small number of manufacturers that maintain comprehensive NOA portfolios. The biggest by market share:
- PGT Innovations (PGT, WinGuard, EnergyVue, Eze-Breeze) — the largest US impact window manufacturer; broadest NOA library
- CGI Windows & Doors — Miami-based, deep aluminum NOA catalog, strong commercial presence
- ECO Window Systems — Hialeah-based, large extruded-aluminum NOA portfolio
- ESW (ES Windows) — Colombian-manufactured, strong on large sliding glass doors
- CWS (Custom Window Systems) — Ocala, FL-based manufacturer with both aluminum and vinyl NOA-approved lines for residential remodels
For brand-by-brand differences see our best hurricane impact window brands guide.
What an NOA does NOT cover
The NOA approves the product. It does not approve the installation. A properly NOA-approved window installed incorrectly — wrong anchors, wrong spacing, missing structural buck, no perimeter sealant — fails to meet code just as badly as a non-NOA product.
Every NOA specifies installation conditions (anchor type, spacing, buck requirements, screw embedment) that must be followed. A licensed Florida contractor with HVHZ experience knows the install spec for each NOA they work with. The final building department inspection verifies the install matches the NOA install drawings.
NOA and your homeowners insurance discount
The wind-mitigation insurance discount in Florida (via the OIR-B1-1802 form) requires "opening protection" — which means every opening must be NOA approved (or shutter-NOA approved). Mixing one or two non-NOA windows into an otherwise compliant install can void the entire discount. Always insist on NOA documentation for every opening.
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Start My Free Quote →Frequently asked questions
- What does Miami-Dade NOA approved mean?
- It means the product has passed the Miami-Dade Test Protocols (TAS 201/202/203) — the strictest impact-resistance certification in the US — and is legally installable in Florida's High Velocity Hurricane Zone.
- Are all impact windows NOA approved?
- No. Some impact windows carry only the broader Florida Product Approval (FPA) or generic ASTM certification. Those are not code-compliant in Miami-Dade or Broward counties. Always verify the NOA number before signing a contract.
- How often does an NOA expire?
- Typically every 3 to 5 years. Manufacturers renew them by re-submitting test reports. Always check that the NOA being installed has an expiration date in the future.
- How is NOA different from FPA?
- NOA is stricter and requires Miami-Dade test protocols (TAS 201/202/203). FPA accepts ASTM E1886/E1996 testing. Every NOA-approved product qualifies for FPA, but not the other way around.
- Where can I look up an NOA online?
- The Miami-Dade Product Control online directory at miamidade.gov/building/pc-search.asp. Free, public, searchable by NOA number, manufacturer, or product type.
- Does NOA approval guarantee the product survives a hurricane?
- NOA-approved products are tested to design pressures with a 50% safety factor, and to date have performed extremely well in real hurricanes including Andrew (1992), Wilma (2005), Irma (2017), and Ian (2022). No certification provides an absolute guarantee, but NOA approval represents the highest-confidence standard available.