Flood · Glossary
Elevation Certificate
Updated 2026-07-18
Elevation Certificate is FEMA's standardized form for documenting a building's elevations, flood-zone information, and related characteristics. It supports floodplain compliance and insurance rating but does not itself change a FEMA flood-zone designation.
What it means
The certificate records surveyed elevations and building information using FEMA's current form and instructions.
Why it matters for land decisions
Existing certificates can clarify a structure's relationship to the BFE and identify compliance or insurance issues.
- Check form date and completeness.
- Confirm the survey datum.
People also ask
Who prepares an Elevation Certificate?
Elevation fields are generally certified by a land surveyor, engineer, or architect authorized under applicable law; local officials may complete certain sections.
Does an Elevation Certificate remove a property from the SFHA?
No. A FEMA Letter of Map Change process is required to revise the mapped determination.
Official sources
Related terms
Check this on a California parcel
Parcel View screens zoning, flood, fire, soils, and planning layers for any California lot — every finding linked to the official source.