An elevation certificate is a FEMA form that shows how high a building sits compared with how high local floodwaters are expected to get. It records the property’s location, its characteristics and its First Floor Height, according to FloodSmart, FEMA’s flood insurance site.

On a barrier island it’s one of the first documents worth asking for. It won’t set your flood insurance rate by itself, but it can show whether a house qualifies for a better one, and it tells you how the building sits relative to the water.

What is an elevation certificate?

An elevation certificate is FEMA Form FF-206-FY-22-152, the standard record of a building’s elevation. FEMA’s underwriting forms page gives it three jobs: showing compliance with a community’s floodplain rules, informing the flood insurance premium, and supporting a request to remove a building from a high-risk flood area.

The form itself says the certification is “to be signed and sealed by a land surveyor, engineer, or architect authorized by state law to certify elevation information.” Insurers and building departments rely on it for that reason: someone licensed measured the building.

Cities keep these records as well. FEMA’s glossary explains that a community’s permit file must show that new buildings and substantial improvements in Special Flood Hazard Areas are properly elevated, and FEMA encourages communities to use its certificate for that. That’s why so many end up on file at city hall.

Do you need one to get flood insurance?

Usually not. FloodSmart says most homeowners can buy flood insurance without a certificate. The exception is a property in a high-risk Zone A or high-risk coastal Zone V area, where the owner may need one to show the building meets local safety standards (FloodSmart).

Under FEMA’s current pricing method, a certificate is no longer required to buy coverage, though an owner can still submit one to an insurer to see whether it affects the rate (FEMA, Risk Rating 2.0 FAQ). As of April 1, 2023, FEMA had fully implemented Risk Rating 2.0 for the National Flood Insurance Program (FEMA, NFIP’s Pricing Approach). It weighs flood frequency, several flood types including storm surge, distance to water, and property details such as elevation and the cost to rebuild. FEMA notes the approach “does not use flood zones to determine flood risk,” so a zone letter alone won’t tell you the premium.

Will a certificate lower yours? FloodSmart’s answer is “Maybe!” Generally, water flows downward, so the higher the first floor, the less likely a home is to flood and the less its owner pays. Certificates “don’t set your rate, but they can identify discounts” (FloodSmart).

How do you read an elevation certificate?

Find two numbers first: the flood elevation the building is measured against, and how high the lowest floor actually sits. Everything else on the form adds detail around them. Here’s where each part lives on the current form (FEMA Form FF-206-FY-22-152).

Section A: the property

FEMA’s instructions describe this section simply: it identifies the building, its location and its owner.

Section B: the flood map information

Section B pulls from the Flood Insurance Rate Map. Item B8 is the flood zone and item B9 is the Base Flood Elevation. FEMA defines that as the elevation of surface water from a flood that has a 1% chance of equaling or exceeding that level in any given year (FEMA glossary). It’s the benchmark for the rest of the form.

Section C: the measured elevations

Section C, “Building Elevation Information (Survey Required),” holds the items a buyer should read closely:

• C2.a, the top of the bottom floor, including any basement, crawlspace or enclosure floor
• C2.c, the bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member, which is the floor measurement in V zones and other coastal-hazard areas
• C2.e, the lowest elevation of the machinery and equipment serving the building, such as air conditioning
• C2.f, the Lowest Adjacent Grade, meaning the ground next to the building

Check the flood zone in B8 first. FEMA’s instructions say the floor elevation is the top of the finished floor (C2.a) in A, B, C, X and D zones. In V zones, areas seaward of the Limit of Moderate Wave Action, and other areas regulated for coastal flooding hazards, it’s taken at the bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member (C2.c). Compare that floor figure with the Base Flood Elevation in B9. A floor above the benchmark is the reading you hope for. One below it means more questions before you make an offer, and the surveyor or your insurance agent can confirm which measurement applies to the building.

Sections D and H

Section D is the surveyor’s, engineer’s or architect’s certification. Section H records the building’s First Floor Height for insurance purposes, and the form notes it needs no survey. Treat it as a separate, simpler measurement than Section C.

The space under the house

Many island homes sit high with parking underneath. In Holmes Beach, the city’s code compliance FAQ says space below the Base Flood Elevation “can ONLY be used for parking, building access, and storage” and can’t be used for living or recreation (City of Holmes Beach). If a listing shows finished rooms at ground level, check them against the certificate and the city’s permit records.

Does an elevation certificate expire?

Not by itself. FEMA’s form states that a completed certificate does not expire unless a physical change to the building invalidates its information, and that a transfer of ownership doesn’t invalidate it (FEMA Form FF-206-FY-22-152).

So the seller’s certificate is usually where to start. Ask whether anything has been added, enclosed or rebuilt since it was signed, because a change to the measured details can mean a new one.

Where can you find one on Anna Maria Island?

Ask the local floodplain office first. FloodSmart says a home may already have a certificate on file with the community, and that the local floodplain manager often works in the city’s or county’s building, permitting, engineering or land use department (FloodSmart). Each island city keeps its own.

• Holmes Beach publishes a list of addresses with certificates on file. Electronic copies are free; fees may apply for printed and mailed copies (City of Holmes Beach).
• Bradenton Beach keeps the certificates provided during construction, other development requests, or by owners, and sends electronic copies free. The city notes that each municipality keeps the certificates for its own properties (City of Bradenton Beach).
• Anna Maria directs requests for certificates on file with the city to 941-708-6130 (City of Anna Maria).
• Manatee County lets owners search by address or parcel ID. The county says a structure in a Special Flood Hazard Area with construction started after January 1, 1975, needed a certificate to verify that its lowest habitable floor met the minimum elevation (Manatee County).

If nothing is on file, FloodSmart says you’ll need to hire a land surveyor, engineer or architect to complete one. Ask for a quote early, before the inspection period starts.

What should a buyer do with it?

Use it while it can still shape the offer. The carrying cost of a coastal home depends on what it shows.

1. 1
   Request the seller’s certificate as soon as you’re serious about a property, or check the city’s list yourself.
2. 2
   Give it to an insurance agent and get a flood quote for that address, rather than relying on a neighbour’s premium.
3. 3
   Ask about the seller’s flood policy. FloodSmart says a buyer moving into a higher-risk zone may be able to assume the prior owner’s current NFIP policy (FloodSmart). FloodSmart adds that an assumed policy below the full risk rate usually can’t rise more than 18% a year, while a new policy begins at the full risk rate, less any eligible discounts.
4. 4
   Plan around the waiting period. NFIP coverage normally starts 30 days after purchase, but there’s no wait when the policy is bought while making, increasing, extending or renewing a mortgage (FloodSmart).
5. 5
   Read the seller’s flood disclosure. Florida requires sellers of residential property to provide one at or before the time the contract is signed. It covers known flood damage during the seller’s ownership, flood insurance claims including with the NFIP, and flood assistance including from FEMA (Florida Statutes, s. 689.302).

If you’re financing, FloodSmart adds that an owner in a high-risk zone with a federally backed mortgage must carry flood insurance as a condition of the loan (FloodSmart).

Comparing properties across the island? Our Anna Maria Island homes for sale page covers the three island cities, and the buyer’s guide walks through the rest of a coastal purchase.

Frequently asked questions

This article explains a federal form and local record-keeping. It isn’t insurance or legal advice. Confirm the details for a specific property with your insurance agent and the local floodplain office.

The Buky Group