Elevation Certificate vs LOMA

An elevation certificate is a surveyor-completed form that documents a building's elevation relative to the Base Flood Elevation (BFE). It is used to calculate flood insurance premiums but does not change your flood zone. A Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) is an official FEMA determination that removes your property from the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). A LOMA changes your flood zone designation from Zone A/AE/V/VE to Zone X, eliminating mandatory flood insurance. An elevation certificate documents where you stand. A LOMA changes where FEMA says you stand.

No. An elevation certificate does not change your flood zone designation. It only documents your building's elevation for insurance rating purposes. If your elevation is above the BFE, the certificate will likely lower your flood insurance premium — but you remain in the SFHA and flood insurance may still be required by your lender. To be officially removed from the flood zone, you need a LOMA from FEMA.

FEMA charges no application fee for a single-lot, single-structure LOMA (MT-EZ form). The cost is the surveyor or engineer fee to prepare the supporting documentation: $500 to $2,000+ depending on complexity. This includes the elevation certificate, property survey, and LOMA application preparation. A LOMR (Letter of Map Revision, for larger areas or fill projects) costs $525 per FEMA application fee plus engineering and surveyor fees that can exceed $5,000.

FEMA targets 60 days to process a complete LOMA application, though complex cases may take longer. The process starts only after FEMA receives a complete application with all required documentation — elevation certificate, property deed, FIRM panel, and completed MT-EZ or MT-1 form. Incomplete applications are returned, restarting the clock. Your surveyor can help ensure the application is complete before submission.

Yes, in most cases. The LOMA application requires elevation data to prove your property or structure is above the Base Flood Elevation. An elevation certificate completed by a licensed surveyor provides this data. For the MT-EZ (single-lot LOMA), you need the elevation certificate, your property deed, and the relevant FEMA FIRM panel. The surveyor who completes the elevation certificate can typically prepare the entire LOMA application package.

If your building's lowest floor is below the BFE, a LOMA will not be approved — LOMAs are only for properties that are naturally above the BFE. Your options are: (1) keep the elevation certificate and use it for the most accurate insurance rating (you may still get a better rate than the default), (2) elevate the structure above the BFE (costly but permanently reduces risk and premiums), or (3) apply for a LOMR-F (Letter of Map Revision based on Fill) if your property has been filled to raise the grade above the BFE.

Yes. A LOMA removes the federal mandate to carry flood insurance, but it does not eliminate flood risk. FEMA estimates that 25-30% of flood insurance claims come from properties outside designated flood zones. After a LOMA, you qualify for Preferred Risk Policy rates — significantly cheaper than SFHA rates. Many mortgage advisors recommend maintaining coverage at the lower rate as a cost-effective safety net.

A LOMA is permanent unless FEMA issues new Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) that supersede the amendment. If FEMA remaps your area and the new study places your property back in the SFHA, the LOMA no longer applies. You would need to apply for a new LOMA based on the updated maps. This is uncommon but can happen when FEMA conducts new flood studies or updates coastal analyses.