How to Get an Elevation Certificate for Flood Insurance
You can get an elevation certificate by contacting your local floodplain manager or licensed surveyor.
Engineers and architects can also create elevation certificates. And your home's previous owner, builder or developer could already have a copy that you can get for free. An elevation certificate shows how high up your home's first floor is. Elevation certificates can help you get a lower rate for flood insurance, but they aren't required to buy a policy.
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How to get an elevation certificate
You might be able to find an existing elevation certificate for your property, or you might need to get a new one.
If your home is newly built or if no prior owner has gotten an elevation certificate, you probably have to get a new one.
But first, check to see if your home already has an elevation certificate. As long as there haven't been any big changes, like a change to the flood zone you're in or a change to your home's elevation, an old certificate should be fine.
Where to get a free, existing elevation certificate
- Your local floodplain manager: Floodplain managers are responsible for updating the flood maps and making sure buildings in high-risk zones are as protected as they can be. They play a crucial role in minimizing flood damage. You can find your floodplain manager on the Association of State Floodplain Managers website. They may already have a certificate on file for your home.
- Your home's prior owner: If you're buying a property, the sellers may already have the certificate. Ask them for it before closing.
- The property developer or builder: The developer of your property may have needed to get an elevation certificate, especially in high-risk areas.
But if you need a new elevation certificate, you'll have to contact a licensed land surveyor, engineer or architect. Your local floodplain manager should have recommendations for who to call.
How much does an elevation certificate cost?
An elevation certificate costs $600, on average.
But they can range between $169 to $2,000, according to Xactus Flood Solutions, a company that specializes in flood zone determinations and elevation certificates.
The size of your property, how it's built, where and what modifications have been made to it can all affect the final cost of an elevation certificate. The best way to know how much you'll pay for an elevation certificate is to call a few different surveyors to get quotes.
What is an elevation certificate?
An elevation certificate is a form that shows how high your home is elevated above the level of flood waters.
Specifically, it shows how high your home's first floor is. In areas that have a high risk of flooding, elevated homes are less likely to be damaged since the flood waters can't reach them, or can only reach a small section.
Elevation certificates list a lot of important information about your home and its potential for flooding.
- Lowest floor elevation: This is the part of the elevation certificate that shows how high your home's lowest floor is above the average level of flood waters in your area, called the base flood elevation or BFE. This is one of the most important parts of an elevation certificate.
- Flood zone: Your property's flood zone can help you understand how likely it is that your home will flood. Homes in flood zones that start with an A or V have a 1% chance of flooding in a year.
- Building info: This includes details about your home, such as if you have equipment like a furnace or water heater in your home's lower level, if your home has an attached garage and how many water drainage vents are in your home.
Getting an elevation certificate can make your flood insurance cheaper.
The certificate shows specific information about your house and how likely it is to be damaged by a flood. If your home is elevated well above the level of flood waters, you might get a cheaper rate even if you're in a high-risk area.
Do you need an elevation certificate to buy flood insurance?
As of October 2021, you don't need an elevation certificate to buy flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
The NFIP began using a new way of setting rates, called Risk Rating 2.0, in October 2021. Before then, you might have needed an elevation certificate if your home was in a high-risk flood area.
Even though you don't need an elevation certificate to buy flood insurance, you might get a lower rate if you have one. Get quotes for an elevation certificate and work with your agent or insurance company to make sure the policy savings make up for the cost. If a certificate costs you $600 but only saves you $20 per year, it probably doesn't make sense to get one.
You also probably don't need an elevation certificate to buy private flood insurance.
Most private companies don't require you to get an elevation certificate. Private flood insurance is coverage that comes directly from an insurance company, not from the federal government through the National Flood Insurance Program. But private companies can set their own rules, so you might still need an elevation certificate depending on where your home is and your insurance company's requirements.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get an elevation certificate?
You can get a new elevation certificate by contacting a surveyor, engineer or architect. If you're buying your home from a prior owner or a builder, check to see if they have an elevation certificate already. You can also check with your floodplain manager to see if the form is on file.
What is the purpose of an elevation certificate?
An elevation certificate shows how high your home's first floor is elevated above the level of flood waters. It's used to help assess how likely your home is to be damaged by flooding, and it can help you get a lower rate on flood insurance.
Why is house elevation important?
Elevating a home above flood level means that it's less likely to be damaged if a flood happens. Even a small amount of flooding can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage to the lowest floor of your house. Reducing the risk of flood damage by having an elevated home can save you money and give you peace of mind.
Sources
Sources for this article include the Association of State Floodplain Managers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and Xactus Flood Solutions.
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