Impact Window Sales Tax Refund in Florida: How to Claim Up to $500
The impact window sales tax refund returns Florida sales tax paid on qualifying impact-resistant windows, doors, and garage doors bought July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029 and installed on a site-built homestead with a just value of $700,000 or less. It is capped at $500 per owner, for one property, and claimed with Forms DR-26S and DR-26HH.
What Is the Impact Window Sales Tax Refund?
The Legislature created a sales tax exemption for home-hardening products in Section 27 of Chapter 2026-239, Laws of Florida. The Florida Department of Revenue (DOR) explains it in Tax Information Publication (TIP) 26A01-09, issued July 16, 2026.
Key Dates
Purchase period
July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029.
Refund filing window
July 1, 2026 through September 30, 2029.
Not eligible
Purchases before July 1, 2026. DOR's TIP states a June 2026 purchase does not qualify.
Who Is Eligible for the Impact Window Sales Tax Refund?
Only the owner holding legal title to an “eligible residential property” can claim. According to DOR, that means:
- A site-built dwelling, constructed at its permanent location.
- A homestead exemption granted under Section 196.031, Florida Statutes.
- A just value of $700,000 or less, as set by the property appraiser.
Mobile homes, manufactured homes, trailers, and homes titled or registered under Chapters 319 or 320 do not qualify. An owner can claim for only one property, and the total refund cannot exceed $500. Check your homestead status and just value on your county property appraiser’s website.
Which Products Qualify?
DOR defines three home-hardening products that qualify for the impact window sales tax refund, each rated for impact resistance and wind pressure under at least one of these standards:
- Impact-resistant windows: ASTM E1886 and E1996, AAMA 506, or Florida Building Code TAS 201, 202, and 203. Glazing must be laminated or a polycarbonate system.
- Impact-resistant exterior doors: the same standards as windows.
- Impact-resistant garage doors: the same standards, or ANSI/DASMA 115.
A glazing or door system includes the frame and attachment hardware when bought in the same sale. The product’s Florida Product Approval or Miami-Dade NOA shows which standards it was tested to; see our Florida product approval guide.
How to Claim the Impact Window Sales Tax Refund
Confirm eligibility
With your county property appraiser (homestead and just value).
Collect receipts
Showing Florida sales tax paid on the qualifying products.
Complete Form DR-26S
Sales and Use Tax Application for Refund. DOR allows online filing.
Complete Form DR-26HH
Home Hardening Products Sales Tax Refund, and submit it with your documents.
File between July 1, 2026 and September 30, 2029
DOR’s Refunds team, (850) 617-8585, can check claim status.
The Furnish-and-Install Nuance
Most homeowners hire one contractor to supply and install impact windows. DOR treats that contract as a real property improvement, not a retail sale of windows:
- The contractor does not charge you sales tax on the lump-sum price.
- The contractor pays Florida sales tax when buying the products from the manufacturer or supplier.
- To claim, DOR says the owner must include the receipt issued to the contractor showing the Florida sales tax paid on that purchase.
So your contract invoice alone may not show a sales tax line to claim. Florida’s Department of Revenue says owners of furnish-and-install jobs can claim using the supplier receipt showing Florida sales tax paid, so ask Storm Pro for that documentation. Also ask for an itemized invoice listing each qualifying window and door. If you buy products from a retailer and hire an installer separately, the retailer’s receipt is the document DOR requires.
Worked Example
Here is how the impact window sales tax refund cap works, for illustration only and assuming every eligibility requirement is met. A Pasco County homeowner with a homesteaded, site-built home (just value under $700,000) signs a furnish-and-install contract in August 2026. The contractor pays Florida sales tax when buying the windows, and the supplier receipt shows $1,400 in tax on this home’s products.
- Sales tax paid on qualifying products: $1,400
- Refund cap: $500
- Maximum possible refund: $500
If the tax paid were $300, the maximum refund would be $300. Actual results depend on DOR’s review.
How Storm Pro Helps with Refund Paperwork
Storm Pro Window and Door is a Florida-licensed contractor (CRC1334277) installing impact windows, impact doors, and impact entry doors across Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida. For your refund file, we provide an itemized invoice listing each window and door with its product approval number. We cannot determine eligibility or file the claim for you. For how the refund fits with grants and financing, see the impact window cost guide and My Safe Florida Home.
This page is general information, not tax or legal advice. For your situation, contact DOR Taxpayer Services at (850) 488-6800 or a tax professional.
Official Sources
Every rule, number and deadline on this page comes from the agencies below. Check them directly anytime.
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Florida Department of Revenue
floridarevenue.com ↗
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a sales tax exemption on impact windows in Florida?
Yes, but only as a refund. Florida sales tax paid on qualifying impact windows, doors, and garage doors bought July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029 can be refunded to the owner of an eligible homestead property. The exemption cannot be taken at the register, and the refund is capped at $500.
What forms do I need for the impact window sales tax refund?
DOR requires Form DR-26S (Sales and Use Tax Application for Refund), Form DR-26HH (Home Hardening Products Sales Tax Refund), and copies of receipts showing Florida sales tax paid on the qualifying products. Forms are on DOR’s Forms and Publications page, and DR-26S can be filed online.
Can I get the refund if my contractor bought the windows?
Yes. Florida’s Department of Revenue says owners of furnish-and-install jobs can claim using the supplier receipt showing Florida sales tax paid, so ask Storm Pro for that documentation. A lump-sum contract usually does not show a sales tax line, so the supplier receipt is the document the claim relies on.
Does my home have to be homesteaded?
Yes. The property must be a site-built dwelling with a homestead exemption under Section 196.031, Florida Statutes, and a just value of $700,000 or less. Mobile and manufactured homes are excluded, and rentals or second homes without a homestead exemption do not qualify.
Can I claim the refund on more than one home?
No. DOR states an owner may claim for only one eligible residential property, and the total refund may not exceed $500. If you own more than one home, use the homesteaded property where the qualifying products were installed and keep receipts for that property.
Do impact garage doors qualify?
Yes. DOR includes impact-resistant garage doors rated under ASTM E1886 and E1996, AAMA 506, Florida Building Code TAS 201, 202, and 203, or ANSI/DASMA 115. The same homestead, date, one-property, and $500 cap rules apply, and the cap covers all qualifying products combined.