NFIP Elevation Certificate

Policy Guide

Standard Flood Insurance Policy

Applications

Equinox Procedure
Waiting Periods : Occupancy Foundations : Discounts

New Business

Elevation Certificates
Primary Residence
BRCV : Venting : Condos

Renewals

Equinox Procedure
Billing Changes

Changes

Equinox Procedures
Mortgagee : Insured
Transfer of Ownership
Coverage Limits

Cancellations

Equinox Procedure
Request Forms : Signatures
Reasons : Documents

Elevation Certificates (ECs) were originally designed to provide detailed elevation data that was used to identify a building's floor elevation position relative to an established floodplain. Since October, 2021, their function has been repurposed to record the First Floor Height (FFH) measurement. Elevation Certificates are still required for LOMA applications.

ECs are optional for NFIP insurance.

Use Equinox to Complete an EC

Required Information

Property Address:

• Used to identify the building and/or geolocation
• The owner's name is not required, as the EC is part of the public record

Building Diagram Number:

• Identifies the type of foundation and structure
• Used to determine the lowest floor of the building
• Assistance is provided in the Equinox Wiki and/or the application process to assist in getting the corrent foundation information

Top of the Bottom Floor:

• Typically the lowest floor of the building
• If the foundation is basement or enclosure, then the Next Higher Floor is needed

Lowest Adjacent Grade (LAG):

• The elevation of the ground next to the building's foundation
• Used to determine sub-grade (below ground) foundations
• Used to calculate First Floor Height

Sections of the EC

• Section A of the Elevation Certificate is required. However during the application completion process in Equinox, the required information will automatically be moved into the Elevation Certificate form from the information provided in the application. Section B of the Elevation Certificate is also required. Section B is comprised of the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) information. This information is included as a third party lookup during the application process and is moved into the Elevation Certificate form during the application process.
• Sections C, D, E, F, and G are no longer required.
• Section H (New Addition):
  • May be used for all flood zones
  • Does require a minimum of two photographs (one of the front and one of the rear of the building) clearly showing the foundation of the building

Documentation Requirements

• Include at least two photographs of the building’s front and rear, showing the foundation.
• For buildings under construction, a revised EC must be submitted once construction is complete.

Key Points for Agents

• Providing an EC will not cause an increase in premium; FEMA’s system calculates and applies the lower rate between FEMA-sourced and EC-provided data.
• Properly completed ECs can qualify properties for lower premiums through accurate elevation data or mitigation discounts.
• Ensure all required sections and photographs are included to avoid processing delays.
• Elevation Certificates that have been completed using Sections C and D or E and F or Section G may still be used.

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