​​An elevation certificate is a valuable tool, and if you live in a Special Flood Hazard Area it's necessary to obtain flood insurance and ensure that your premium accurately reflects your risk. It can also guide decisions about rebuilding and mitigation after a disaster.

How to Obtain an Elevation Certificate

To obtain an elevation certificate, contact a licensed surveyor. You can request it as part of the survey that is done when you build or purchase a house. The certificate costs several hundred dollars, but you could save money on your flood insurance premium by having your policy rated using an elevation certificate.

Comparing Your Building's Elevation to a Potential Flood Level

Your insurance agent will use the elevation certificate to compare your building's elevation to the base flood elevation (BFE). The base flood is a flood with a 1% chance of occurring in any given year. Any land below the level of the BFE is part of the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), floodplain, or high-risk zone. Flood insurance rates in a SFHA (a zone beginning with the letter A or V) are based on a building's elevation in relation to the BFE.

Elevation and Flood Insurance Rates

In Special Flood Hazard Areas, the higher above the BFE a building is located, the lower the insurance premium will be for that property. An elevation certificate helps provide that determination. 

In moderate- to low-risk zones (X shaded and X unshaded), ), an elevation certificate is not required to determine flood insurance rates, but it may help lower the rate.