What Is an Elevation Certificate?

Short answer

An elevation certificate (EC) is a FEMA National Flood Insurance Program form that compares a building's height to the expected height of local floodwaters and records its First Floor Height. Under Risk Rating 2.0 it is no longer required to buy NFIP coverage, but submitting one may lower your premium (FEMA, as of November 2026).

Definition

A FEMA form, usually completed by a licensed land surveyor, engineer or architect, that documents a building's location, elevation and First Floor Height, the height of the lowest floor above the adjacent ground. Insurers use it for rating and local governments use it to enforce floodplain building rules.

Worked example

Example only: a buyer is under contract on a 1990s house in an AE zone in South Miami-Dade. The lender requires flood insurance because the home is in a high-risk zone and the loan is federally backed. The agent's first NFIP quote uses FEMA's own data for First Floor Height. The seller has an EC from a past survey showing the floor sits well above grade, the agent resubmits with it, and the rating engine may return a lower annual premium.

How an EC affects flood insurance under Risk Rating 2.0

FEMA's Risk Rating 2.0 prices each building using flood types, distance from a flooding source, flood frequency, elevation and the cost to rebuild. Key points from FEMA, as of November 2026:

• An EC is no longer required to buy NFIP coverage.
• You may choose to submit one; FEMA starts with its own First Floor Height estimate, and a detailed EC may lower the annual premium.
• Annual increases on existing policies are capped at 18% for most policyholders until the full-risk rate is reached.
• A policy can be assigned to a new owner when the home sells, which can help a buyer keep a discount.

An EC does not set your rate by itself. Ask your insurance agent to run quotes with and without it.

Where to get one and how it fits your loan

FEMA suggests these sources:

• Your city or county floodplain manager, usually in the building or permitting department.
• The former owner, the builder or developer.
• A licensed land surveyor, engineer or architect, for a fee.

For your mortgage, the lender orders a flood determination. If the home is in a high-risk zone, you need flood insurance in place by closing, along with your homeowners insurance binder. Flood premiums go into your monthly PITI and escrow, so a lower premium can help your DTI. Rates vary daily; call 305-425-1990 for today's pricing.

In South Florida

South Florida has large A and V flood zones along the coast, Biscayne Bay and canals. FEMA says that in NFIP communities, flood insurance is mandatory for government-backed mortgages in high-risk zones, and that properties in Zone A or coastal Zone V may need an EC to verify local building compliance. In unincorporated Miami-Dade, the County says ECs for many homes built after 1995 can be found in its online Elevation Certificate Search; for older homes you may need a surveyor or the prior owner's copy. Cities like Miami Beach keep their own records. See flood zones.