Elevation certificates in Florida

Check my flood zone free

What is an elevation certificate?

It is a FEMA form filled out after a survey of the building. It records how high the lowest floor sits, how high the ground next to the building sits, the type of foundation, and any enclosed area or flood vents below the living space. Those heights are compared with the base flood elevation on the flood map.

A licensed land surveyor, engineer or architect fills it out and signs it. The county does not make one for you.

So do you need one to buy a policy? No. Here is why.

Do you need one to buy flood insurance?

No. Since Risk Rating 2.0, FEMA says an elevation certificate "will no longer be required to purchase coverage." FEMA already has its own estimate of how high your first floor sits.

You may still want one. It is the only way to show FEMA that your first floor sits higher than its estimate.

Buying a private flood policy instead? Private companies set their own rules. Ask the agent whether that company wants one.

When does it actually help? See how FEMA uses it.

Can an elevation certificate lower your price?

It can, and it cannot raise your NFIP price. When you send one in, FEMA prices the policy two ways: once with the certificate's numbers and once with its own. You get the lower price. FEMA's manual says: "Providing EC information will not increase a premium."

It helps when the certificate shows a first floor higher than FEMA thought. If it shows the same or lower, your price stays the same. FEMA does not publish how much a certificate saves, so be wary of anyone who promises a number.

How high the first floor sits is only one part of the price. See everything that goes into a Florida flood insurance price.

An elevation certificate does not change your flood zone. Your zone still decides whether a lender requires flood insurance.

Before you hire a surveyor: check if one is already on file.

Is there already an elevation certificate on file for your home?

A new survey costs money. An old certificate may be free. Look in these places first.

1. Ask the seller or the last owner. If you are buying, ask the seller for any elevation certificate they have. It can save you a new survey, and you can send it in with your application. Florida sellers must also give buyers a flood disclosure.
2. Search Florida's statewide records. Since January 1, 2023, Florida law requires a surveyor to send the state a digital copy of each elevation certificate within 30 days of finishing it. The Florida Division of Emergency Management lets anyone search for a property's certificate. The state does not promise every certificate there is accurate, so have your agent look it over.
3. Call your county or city floodplain office. The office may keep copies of certificates filed with building permits. For example, Pinellas County keeps copies for buildings in the unincorporated county built in the floodplain since 1992, and shows them on a public map. Your county's office may keep its own.

Check the survey date. If the home was raised, rebuilt or added to since then, its height may be different now.

Found nothing? Here is who can make a new one.

Who makes an elevation certificate?

A licensed land surveyor, engineer or architect. In Florida, the surveyor must also file a copy with the state within 30 days.

Ask for the price before the work starts. Ask too how soon you will get the signed form.

When it is done, send it to your agent with your application or your policy.

Are there other reasons to have one? Yes, two.

When else do you need an elevation certificate?

Building or a big renovation. Your county or city floodplain office may ask for one before a permit or a certificate of occupancy on a home in a high-risk zone. That is a building rule, not an insurance rule.

Asking FEMA to take your home out of the high-risk zone. If your house stands on natural ground at or above the base flood elevation but the map puts you in the high-risk zone, you can ask FEMA for a Letter of Map Amendment. You need a surveyor's elevation certificate or a signed elevation certification. FEMA charges nothing for it. The lender then decides whether to drop its requirement.

Not sure what zone your home is in? Check my address and see the FEMA zone for that exact spot.

Questions Florida homeowners ask about elevation certificates

Do I need an elevation certificate to get flood insurance?

No. Since Risk Rating 2.0, you do not need one to buy an NFIP policy. FEMA uses its own estimate of how high the first floor sits. Private flood companies set their own rules, so ask the agent.

Can an elevation certificate raise my flood insurance price?

Not on an NFIP policy. FEMA prices the policy with the certificate and without it, and you get the lower price. FEMA's manual says: "Providing EC information will not increase a premium."

How do I find an elevation certificate for my home in Florida?

Ask the seller or the last owner first. Then search the Florida Division of Emergency Management's public records, where surveyors must file new certificates within 30 days. Your county or city floodplain office may also have one filed with a building permit.

Who can make an elevation certificate?

A licensed land surveyor, engineer or architect. The county does not make them, though its floodplain office may keep copies of ones filed with permits.

Does an elevation certificate change my flood zone?

No. It records how high the home sits. Your zone comes from FEMA's flood map, and the zone still decides whether a lender requires flood insurance. To ask FEMA to change how the map treats your home, the request is a Letter of Map Amendment, and an elevation certificate is part of it.

Facts last checked November 11, 2026. Every figure comes from the federal or state source listed above.