TheFEMAElevationCertificate

The FEMA Elevation CertificateYour Instructors:

2

Carol Tyau-BeamState NFIP CoordinatorDepartment of Land and Natural Resources

Sarah OwenNatural Hazards SpecialistFEMA Region IX

Course Objectives

Explain uses of the Elevation Certificate (EC)

Be able to properly and completely fill out an EC

Explain the building diagrams and how they relate to elevations on the EC

Explain responsibilities of the Surveyor

5

• This course assumes a basic understanding of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

• Discussion pertains to minimum NFIP requirements

• Discussion applies to Special Flood Hazard Areas, i.e. “100-year” floodplain

Comments

Questions and comments are encouraged!

6

Acronyms…. BFE Base Flood Elevation DLNR Dept. of Land and Natural Resources EC Elevation Certificate FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency NFIP National Flood Insurance Program FIRM Flood Insurance Rate Map DFIRM Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map LOMA Letter of Map Amendment LOMR Letter of Map Revision SFHA Special Flood Hazard Area NGVD National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 NAVD North American Vertical Datum of 1988

7

• Introduction – FEMA Elevation Certificate – What is it used for?

• The Seven Sections of the EC – What’s on the form?

• Exercise #1 – Filling out the Elevation Certificate

• The “Nine” Building Diagrams – Explanation and examples

• Exercise #2 – Trouble-shooting Elevation Certificates

Course Outline

8

Elevation Certificate• 4 page form with 9 pages

of instructions• Seven different versions

since 1990 – revisions approximately every 3 years

• Current March 2009 version effective through March 31, 2012

• The current form can be used for one year after the new form comes out

• New form comes out when?

9

What is the purpose of the Elevation Certificate

The Elevation Certificate is an important administrative tool of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). It is used to:

Determine the proper flood insurance rate

Document compliance with the community’s floodplain management regulations

Necessary for CRS credits

Support map amendments and revisions

10

In order to be rated properly, the insured needs a professional like you to certify the building elevation information.

Who certifies building elevations?

Surveyor Engineer Architect

11

Anyone who has applied for flood insurance on a building that is located in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) . . .

Who needs an Elevation Certificate?

12

Flood Insurance Elevation Certificates are required to obtain flood

insurance for post-FIRM buildings For Pre-FIRM buildings an elevation certificate may

help obtain a lower insurance premium, but is not required

Provides documentation required for “grandfathering” should flood zones change or BFE’s increase over time

If a surveyor fills out EC incorrectly, a client might end up paying too much in flood insurance

13

Who needs an Elevation Certificate?

. . . Obtain the elevation (in relation to mean sea level) of the lowest floor (including basement) of all new and substantially improved structures, 44 CFR 60.3 (b) (5) (i)

. . . Maintain record of all such information with the official designated by the community . . . , 44 CFR 60.3 (b) (5) (iii) 14

NFIP participating communities to document compliance . . .

Floodplain Management Compliance

Comprehensive form to document all necessary elevations and other related information

Can easily determine lowest floor or lowest attendant utility and certify compliance with elevation and flood venting requirements

Provides documentation for FEMA or State review during Community Assistance Visit (CAV)

If a surveyor fills out ECs incorrectly a community’s standing in the NFIP could be jeopardized

15

Communities participating in the Community Rating System (CRS) must utilize the FEMA EC to record building compliance as a condition of participation . . .

Who needs an Elevation Certificate?

16

Community Rating System

CRS communities are required to use the EC

CRS standards now require 90% accuracy of ECs

Additional points are awarded for using the EC to document past construction

17

Who needs an Elevation Certificate?

Anyone applying for a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) or Letter of Map Revision based on Fill (LOMR-F) to remove the mandatory requirement to purchase flood insurance . . .

18

LOMAs and LOMR-Fs

If completely and correctly filled out, Elevation Certificate provides supporting data for a LOMA or LOMR-F application which can remove the owner from the mandatory purchase requirement for flood insurance

19

20