Buyer handbook
Impact Window Playbook

Impact Rated Windows

Rated means a label tied to a named test. PNNL prints that products must be rated and labeled to ASTM E 1996 and ASTM E 1886 or AAMA 506, and cites TAS 202 for Broward and Miami-Dade. FORTIFIED Home, as quoted there, requires hurricane-zone windows, exterior doors, and skylights to pass ASTM E1996 and E1886 for large missile “D.”

Source: Building America Solution Center

Last updated: August 23, 2026

Which rating names were printed today?

NamePrinted context
ASTM E 1996 and ASTM E 1886Rate and label impact-resistant products
AAMA 506Alternate label path printed with the ASTM pair
Large missile “D”FORTIFIED qualified opening protection
TAS 202Example local standard for Broward and Miami-Dade
Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA)PGT / county Product Control vocabulary

Sources: PNNL BASC; PGT; Miami-Dade

What plywood exception does PNNL print?

As an exception, wood structural panels (plywood) at least 7/16-inch thick are acceptable if installed in accordance with specific code criteria (2018 IRC R301.2.1.2).

Source: Building America Solution Center

No invented PSI and no invented NOA digits. Florida path: impact resistant windows florida.

Frequently asked questions

What does impact-rated mean on a label?

The Building America Solution Center states that impact-resistant products must be rated and labeled in accordance with ASTM E 1996 and ASTM E 1886 or AAMA 506. It also notes TAS 202 for Broward and Miami-Dade Counties as an example local standard.

What FORTIFIED opening rule does PNNL print?

For houses located in hurricane zones, the FORTIFIED Home standard requires that all windows, exterior doors, and skylights be impact rated or protected with qualified protection systems. They must pass ASTM E1996 and E1886 impact tests for large missile “D.”