Announcements

FEMAs new Elevation Certificate EC was approved for use, effective March 16, 2009, through March 31, 2012. The new EC will be phased in on a voluntary basis until March 31, 2010. Although the old version of the form is no longer available for distribution, existing copies may be used until March 31, 2010. Elevations certified on or after April 1, 2010, must be submitted on the new form.

Whats New?

• Section A adds items A8.d and A9.d to identify whether the enclosure, crawlspace, or garage has engineered flood openings.
• Section C now captures the lowest adjacent grade at lowest elevation of deck or stairs, including structural support. This information is required if the EC is being used to support a request for a LOMA or LOMR-F.
• Instructions for Section A for items A.8.b-c and A.9.b-c have been revised, in part, to allow the height of flood openings to be determined from the interior grade or floor.
• Instructions for other sections have been clarified and expanded, as needed.
• Two new Building Diagrams have been added:
  • The new Diagram 1B is for raised-slab-on-grade or slab-on-stem-wall-with-fill single- and multiple-floor buildings. Diagram 1 from the old Elevation Certificate is Diagram 1A on the new Elevation Certificate.
  • The new Diagram 9 is for all buildings other than split-level elevated on a subgrade crawlspace.
• Elevation Certificate includes 8 building type diagrams for determining reference levels PDF 306 KB, TXT 52 KB
• Elevation Certificate MS Word Template DOC 146 KB

The EC form and instruction packet are available from the FEMA Distribution Center at 800-480-2520 ask for FEMA Form 81-31. It will also be reproduced in the May 1, 2009 NFIP Flood Insurance Manual.