Review of New Standards for Flood Hazard Mapping 
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) maintains a set of documents called the 
Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners to support flood risk mapping for the 
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). These documents define technical requirements, product 
specifications for Flood Hazard Maps and related NFIP products, and requirements associated 
coordination and documentation activities. As part of a broad review of FEMA policy, FEMA has 
reviewed all of these requirements and developed a set of about 450 standards for the program as a 
replacement for all of the standards in the current documents.
FEMA intends to publish these standards as a FEMA policy. The draft standards are being made 
What Are the New Standards?
These standards, with a few exceptions, are consistent with the previous requirements for FEMA flood 
risk mapping. However, they represent a significant change in the way the requirements are organized. 
The existing Guidelines and Specifications documents present mandatory and recommended elements 
integrated together in a narrative format. The new approach presents the standards as a separate 
document to avoid any ambiguity with respect to what is truly mandatory and what is recommended. The 
standards are classified into two groups aligned to the level of approval required for an exception. The 
standards most critical to program success are designated as Program Standards. These will require HQ 
approval for exceptions. The remaining standards are classified as working standards and exception will 
be approved at the Regional Branch Chief level.
These new standards represent a major step in the transition from the narrative approach of the old 
Guidelines and Specification documents to the new approach with more formal divisions between 
standards and the associated guidance. Standards are mandatory requirements. They must be followed 
unless a specific exception is granted. Guidance provides more details on appropriate methodologies or 
techniques for FEMA’s Risk MAP program. Guidance supports FEMA standards and facilitates effective 
and efficient implementation of these standards. Although the processes described in guidance are 
recommended, they are not mandatory. Alternate approaches that comply with standards that effectively 
and efficiently support program objectives are also acceptable.
Again, the vast majority of these standards are simply restating long-standing requirements of the 
mapping program, specifically identifying those that are mandatory. But, throughout the process of 
compiling these standards, a few changes were identified. Some of these were already being 
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What Was Changed?
The following is a summary of the changed standards:
- The standards for vertical datum procedures (previously Appendix B) were updated- The project certification requirements were realigned to separate certifications by licensed 
professionals of the technical adequacy of covered work products from certifications of project 
completeness and compliance with program requirements