FEMA elevation certificate

Checked against FEMA and other official sources · Last reviewed October 8, 2026

What the elevation certificate is

FEMA calls the elevation certificate "an important administrative tool of the NFIP." It can be used "to ensure compliance with community floodplain management ordinances, to inform the proper insurance premium, and to support a request for a LOMA, CLOMA, LOMR-F, or CLOMR-F."

The form has nine sections:

• A: property information
• B: Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) information, such as the flood zone and base flood elevation
• C: building elevations (survey required), such as the top of the bottom floor and the lowest and highest ground next to the building
• D: certification by the surveyor, engineer, or architect
• E: building measurements (survey not required), for certain zones
• F: property owner certification for Section E
• G: community information, recommended for completion by a community official
• H: the building's first floor height, for insurance purposes only (survey not required)
• I: property owner certification for Section H

The EC is used only for building elevations. A separate certificate is required for floodproofing. [1]

Current form and edition

The current form is FEMA Form FF-206-FY-22-152 (formerly 086-0-33), edition 10/22. Its printed expiration date is 06/30/2026.

In a July 15, 2026 bulletin, FEMA said the form is "currently under a 60-day Notice of Request for Comments in the Federal Register." Until that review is complete, FEMA says to "continue to use the existing forms available on FEMA's website." FEMA will issue a memo and update its website when a newly approved form is ready. On October 7, 2026, FEMA published a 30-day notice in the Federal Register that it will submit the form to the Office of Management and Budget for review as an "extension of a currently approved information collection," with comments due by November 6, 2026. When we checked on October 8, 2026, FEMA's underwriting forms page still listed Form FF-206-FY-22-152.

A completed EC does not expire. The form says the expiration date "does not apply to certified and completed Elevation Certificates." A completed certificate stays valid unless a physical change to the building invalidates certain certified information, and a change of ownership doesn't invalidate it. A flood map change alone does not require a new EC. If the building is substantially improved, you need a new one. [1][4][5][6][7]

Who fills it out

The EC "is to be completed by a land surveyor, engineer, or architect who is authorized by state law to certify elevation information" when elevation information is required or used for high-risk zones with a base flood elevation. Community officials authorized to provide floodplain management information may also complete it.

Some parts don't need a surveyor:

• The property owner, the owner's representative, or the local floodplain official can fill in Sections A and B.
• For zones AO, AR/AO, and A without a base flood elevation, the owner, representative, or local official may complete Section E, unless the elevations will support a LOMA or similar map change request.
• For insurance purposes only, the owner, representative, or local official may provide first floor height details in Section H for any zone.

Photographs are required for finished-construction certificates. The certifier must provide at least two (four when possible) photos showing each side of the building, taken within 90 days of certification. [1][7]

When you need one

Building permits. Communities in the NFIP must obtain the elevation of the lowest floor of all new and substantially improved buildings in high-risk areas and keep a record of it. The EC provides a way for a community to document that. FEMA notes "a community may require an EC before and after construction," and homeowners in high-risk A and V zones "may need ECs to verify their properties meet local floodplain management ordinances."

Map changes. An EC can support a Letter of Map Amendment or Letter of Map Revision Based on Fill. In that case, lowest adjacent grade elevations certified by a surveyor, engineer, or architect are required. You can also put the certified elevation on the elevation form in the MT-EZ or MT-1 application instead of a full EC. (One FEMA fact sheet says an EC "must accompany" a Letter of Map Change submission, but the EC form itself allows the elevation form instead, so check the instructions for the request you are filing.)

Flood insurance. An EC is optional for NFIP rating. See the next section.

An EC by itself does not remove a flood insurance requirement. "Only a LOMA or LOMR-F from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can amend the FIRM and remove the federal mandate" for a lender to require flood insurance. [1][2][3][8]

Elevation certificates and flood insurance today

Under FEMA's current pricing approach, Risk Rating 2.0, "An EC is not required to purchase coverage." Instead, FEMA uses its own tools to estimate a building's first floor height as one of the factors in the rate.

An EC is now an optional way to give FEMA better data. FEMA says: "While not required, policyholders may acquire an elevation certificate, which provides more refined elevation information about their building, and submit it to their agent to determine if it will lower their rate." If the EC shows more detailed first floor height and elevation information, "the flood insurance rating engine may return a lower annual premium."

FEMA advises policyholders to contact their insurance company or agent to find out if an EC would help their premium. See flood insurance cost and do I need flood insurance? [2][3][9]

How to find out if one already exists

Before paying for a new survey, check these sources FEMA suggests:

• Your local floodplain manager. They may be able to provide one, especially if your community is in the Community Rating System. FEMA notes this official may also be called the stormwater manager, environmental manager, or environmental office.
• The previous owners. When buying a property, ask the sellers if they have a copy.
• The developer or builder. They might have been required to get an EC at construction if the building was in a mapped high-risk flood area.
• Your community's planning and zoning office. FEMA notes that communities often require ECs as part of the permitting process.

[3][10]

What an elevation certificate costs

FEMA's fact sheet does not give a price. It says a licensed professional, "like a land surveyor, professional engineer or certified architect," "may be able to provide one for a fee."

To find a surveyor authorized to certify elevations, FEMA suggests checking with your state's professional association for land surveyors, asking your state NFIP coordinator, or talking to your local building permit office.

For insurance only, you may not need a surveyor. FEMA's website has a fillable EC, and property owners can complete it to self-certify their first floor height in Section H. Surveyed elevations are still needed for a LOMA and for floodplain permit compliance in high-risk zones with a base flood elevation. [1][3]

Questions people ask