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Data updated October 22, 2026

Data updated October 22, 2026

Elevation Certificate: what it records and when you need one

Updated October 22, 2026

An Elevation Certificate is FEMA's form for documenting a building's elevations against the base flood elevation. Communities use it to check construction, insurers can use it for rating, and FEMA uses it to decide map amendment requests. It is not required to buy NFIP flood insurance, and a completed certificate does not expire unless the building changes.

An Elevation Certificate (EC) is the National Flood Insurance Program form that records how high a building sits compared with the base flood elevation (BFE), the water level FEMA expects in a 1%-annual-chance flood. The current version is FEMA Form FF-206-FY-22-152, which was formerly numbered 086-0-33.

What the certificate is for

FEMA’s instructions give the EC three uses:

  • to show compliance with a community’s floodplain management ordinance;
  • to inform the insurance premium;
  • to support a request to FEMA for a Letter of Map Amendment or Letter of Map Revision based on fill (LOMA, CLOMA, LOMR-F or CLOMR-F).

The compliance use comes from the NFIP’s deal with participating communities. Each community must record the elevation of the lowest floor (including basement) of every new and substantially improved building in the high-risk zone. The EC is how most communities keep that record for post-FIRM buildings, meaning those built after the community’s first Flood Insurance Rate Map.

The form itself states a limit: an EC “does not provide a waiver of the flood insurance purchase requirement.” Only a LOMA or LOMR-F from FEMA can amend the map and remove the federal requirement, and even then a lender may still require coverage. The LOMA guide covers that process.

What each section records

The form has eight sections:

Section Content
A. Property information Owner, address, building use, building diagram number, photographs, and the area of crawlspaces, enclosures and attached garages with their flood openings
B. FIRM information Community and panel number, map date, flood zone, BFE and its source, and whether the building is in a Coastal Barrier Resources System area or seaward of the Limit of Moderate Wave Action
C. Building elevation information (survey required) Surveyed elevations of the bottom floor, the next higher floor, the lowest horizontal structural member, attached garage slab, lowest machinery and equipment, and the lowest and highest adjacent grade next to the building
D. Surveyor, engineer or architect certification Signature, license and seal of the certifier, plus comments
E. Building measurement information (survey not required) Heights measured from grade, for Zones AO and A without a BFE
F. Property owner certification Owner’s or representative’s signature for Sections A, B and E
G. Community information Completed by the local floodplain official; required fields apply in Community Rating System communities
H. First floor height for all zones Measured first floor height, for insurance purposes only

FEMA’s EC FAQ adds that finished-construction certificates must include at least two photographs (four when possible) showing each side of the building, taken within 90 days of certification. All elevations must use the same vertical datum as the BFE.

Who can complete it

Under FEMA’s instructions, a land surveyor, engineer or architect authorized by state law to certify elevations must complete the certificate where elevation information is required. That covers Zones A1-A30, AE, AH, AO, A with a BFE, VE, V1-V30, V with a BFE, the AR zones and A99.

There are three narrower roles:

  • Sections A and B. The owner, the owner’s representative or the local floodplain official may fill these in and pass the form to the surveyor.
  • Section E. In Zone AO, Zone AR/AO and Zone A without a BFE, a local floodplain official, the owner or the owner’s representative may provide the measurements. This is not allowed when the certificate supports a LOMA, CLOMA, LOMR-F or CLOMR-F, which require certified elevations.
  • Section H. The owner, a representative or the local official may give first floor height details in any zone, for insurance purposes only.

When you need one

To buy flood insurance: not required. FEMA’s FAQ says “an EC is not required to purchase flood insurance.” Under Risk Rating 2.0 an owner may provide one with Section H completed, and it will be considered for rating. Surveyed elevations in Section C take precedence over Section H measurements.

Whether a certificate lowers a given premium depends on how its data compares with FEMA’s own estimate for the building. The flood insurance cost guide explains the other rating variables.

To build or substantially improve in a high-risk zone: in practice, yes. Communities must record lowest-floor elevations for that work, and FEMA’s form is the standard way to do it. Local ordinances may ask for more, such as freeboard above the BFE, recorded in Section G.

To request a LOMA or LOMR-F: certified elevations are required. FEMA needs the lowest adjacent grade (LAG) certified by a licensed land surveyor, engineer or architect. The EC is one way to supply it. The other is the elevation form that comes with the MT-EZ and MT-1 applications (FEMA, How to Request a LOMA or LOMR-F).

Does a certificate expire?

No, not on its own. FEMA’s FAQ says a complete and correct EC “does not expire unless there is a physical change to the building that invalidates information that was previously certified.” A new FIRM or Letter of Map Change that changes the zone or BFE does not by itself require a new certificate, even if the old one is on an earlier version of the form. Substantial improvement, lateral additions, or changes to the building or its adjacent grade that alter Sections A, C, E or H do require a new one.

This matters in Miami-Dade, where new flood maps take effect on February 19, 2027. An existing certificate stays usable for an unchanged building, but its Section B will describe the old map.

The form’s OMB status

Federal forms carry an Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number with an expiration date. The current EC shows OMB Control No. 1660-0008 with a printed expiration date of 06/30/2026.

The OMB record shows a “Reinstatement without change” request received on October 9, 2026, still pending at the time of writing. The form states that its expiration date “does not apply to certified and completed Elevation Certificates.” Certificates already completed remain valid whatever happens to the paperwork approval.

Where to find an existing certificate

Before hiring a surveyor, check whether a certificate already exists:

  • The seller or previous owner. They may have one from a past policy or loan.
  • The community floodplain office or building department. Communities must keep lowest-floor records for buildings permitted in the high-risk zone, and FEMA notes an EC “may be available from the community.”
  • Miami-Dade County. The county says it has collected Elevation Certificates from builders and developers as a building permit requirement since 1995, and offers an Elevation Certificate Search Application for homes built after 1995. For older homes that have not been substantially improved, the county says owners may need to hire a surveyor or ask the prior owner. Some municipalities in the county, such as Palmetto Bay, run their own elevation certificate pages. The Miami-Dade County report shows how many buildings in the county sit in the high-risk zone.

What it costs

FEMA does not set or publish a price for an Elevation Certificate, and we found no official figure. The fee is set by the surveyor, engineer or architect who prepares it, so costs vary. A certificate already on file with the community or held by a previous owner may make a new survey unnecessary.

Questions

Do I need an Elevation Certificate to buy flood insurance?

No. FEMA says an Elevation Certificate is not required to purchase NFIP flood insurance under Risk Rating 2.0, but an owner may provide one and it will be considered for rating.

Does an Elevation Certificate expire?

A complete and correct certificate does not expire unless a physical change to the building invalidates the certified information. A new flood map or map change alone does not require a new certificate.

Who can fill out an Elevation Certificate?

A land surveyor, engineer or architect authorized by state law must certify elevations where they are required. Owners, their representatives or local floodplain officials may complete Section E in Zones AO and A without a base flood elevation, and Section H for insurance in any zone, but not when the certificate supports a LOMA or LOMR-F.

How much does an Elevation Certificate cost?

FEMA does not set or publish a price. The fee is set by the surveyor, engineer or architect who prepares it, so costs vary.

Sources

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