Frequently Asked Questions

Flood Map Process

  1. Which elevation datum do I use?
  2. How does FEMA process the many thousands of Letters of Map Change requests and studies it receives every year?
  3. What is a Letter of Determination Review (LODR) and what are the requirements?
  4. Who can prepare an Elevation Certificate?
  1. Which elevation datum do I use?

    Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) reference the elevation datum used to compute flood elevations. In completing elevation certificates, the same elevation datum as that shown on the FIRM must be used to compute lot and/or structure elevations and to compute flood elevations that are not given on the FIRM.

  2. How does FEMA process the many thousands of Letters of Map Change requests and studies it receives every year?

    FEMA's Multi-Hazard Flood Map Modernization is a collaborative process and a new way of doing business for government officials, cutting across all layers of government. As part of Map Modernization, FEMA has established a partnership with a National Service Provider (NSP), the Mapping On Demand (MOD) Team. The mission of the MOD Team is to assist FEMA in meeting the goals of Map Modernization. The goals of Map Modernization include:

    • Develop enabling technology to facilitate the cost-effective production, distribution, and usefulness of modernized flood maps.
    • Provide effective program management to see that the program is run efficiently and meets the mandates established by Congress for budget and schedule.
    • Empower users to understand and accept the products developed as part of Map Modernization.
    • Encourage and enable partners to deliver results by taking ownership of their flood mapping process and products, effectively using the standardized tools and technology developed and offered at a national level.

    Letters of Map Change (LOMCs) and External Data Requests should be sent to the MOD team for processing at the address listed below:

    FEMA Depot
    3601 Eisenhower Avenue
    Alexandria, VA 22304-6425
    Phone: 703-960-8800

    To expedite processing, please address your request to the attention of the following processing specialists:

    ATTENTION: LOMA DEPOT (Use for Letters of Map Revision-Based on Fill, Letters of Map Amendment, Conditional Letters of Map Revision-Based on Fill, and Conditional Letters of Map Amendment)

    ATTENTION: LOMR DEPOT (Use for Letters of Map Revision and Conditional Letters of Map Revision)

    ATTENTION: FEMA PROJECT LIBRARY (Use for External Data Requests)

    You also have the option of faxing your request to one of the following numbers: For LOMCs: 703-960-9125 For External Data Requests: 703-751-7391.

  3. What is a Letter of Determination Review (LODR) and what are the requirements?

    A Letter of Determination Review (LODR) is FEMA's comment on the determination made by the lender or third party that the borrower's structure is in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). Borrowers who have good reason to dispute the flood hazard determination presented by a lender may request, jointly with the lender, that FEMA review that determination. Because of the fee required to process the request, borrowers should not consider this alternative unless they have already had the subject STRUCTURE plotted on the current effective Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) and are certain it is wholly outside the SFHA. It is important to keep in mind that if any portion of a structure falls within the SFHA, the flood insurance purchase requirement will apply.

    The LODR is a process in which FEMA reviews the same information that your lender used when it determined that your structure was located in the SFHA. The request for a LODR must be submitted within 45 days of the date the lending institution notified you that a building is in the SFHA and flood insurance is required. In response, FEMA will issue a LODR. If we find through our review that the structure is not located in a special flood hazard area and if the lender waives its prerogative to require flood insurance, you can obtain a full premium refund if no claim on the policy has been made. The finding by FEMA will remain in effect until we revise the flood map affecting the property.

    All LODR requests are completed and FEMA provides a written response to the joint requesters within 45 days of the date FEMA received the complete request. There are three possible outcomes of our review: (1) upheld; (2) unchanged; and (3) overturned.

    1. Upheld: Our review of the data agrees with the determination by the lender.
    2. Unchanged: Our review cannot dispute the lender's determination because the data are insufficient to reach a conclusion.
    3. Overturned: Our review of the data indicates the structure is not located in the mapped SFHA.

    As mentioned above, these types of requests MUST be postmarked no later than 45 days following the date the lender notified the borrower that the property was in a flood hazard area. The 45-day time limit cannot be extended and any requests received with a postmark after the 45-day limit will be returned to the sender.

    There are some important distinctions between this determination review and the other options available to a property owner, i.e. the Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) or the Letter of Map Revision - based on Fill (LOMR-F). First, it is important to note that the LODR process does not consider the elevation of the structure or property above the flood level. Rather, it considers only the location of the structure relative to the special flood hazard area boundary shown on the FIRM. (If you feel your structure is not within the SFHA because it is elevated above the flood level, you should request a LOMA or LOMR-F, as appropriate.) Also, our review of the lender's determination does not result in an amendment or revision to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) map. It is only our finding regarding the structure's location with respect to a delineated special flood hazard area. Finally, this process is designed to be an actual review of your lender's previous determination, and as such, only considers the same information used by your lender.

    A fee of $80 must be submitted with all LODR requests. The fee payment may be in the form of a check or money order, in U.S. funds, made payable to the "National Flood Insurance Program." The fee must be accompanied by copies of the following: (1) the completed Standard Flood Hazard Determination Form (SFHDF); (2) the dated notification letter to the property owner; (3) a letter, signed by the property owner and lending institution representative, requesting FEMA's review; (4) an annotated copy of the effective NFIP map panel for the community showing the location of the structure or manufactured home as plotted by the lending institution or designated third party; and (5) a copy of all material used by the lending institution or designated third party to make the determination. When you submit your request, you should request your lender to include a copy of all the material it or the third party used to make its determination.

    Please note that the information listed above must be received in its entirety in order for FEMA to process a Letter of Determination Review. If the submittal is incomplete in any way, the entire package will be returned to the applicant for completion. There is, again, no extension of time, even if the package is returned to the requestor to gather information for a complete submittal.

  4. Who can prepare an Elevation Certificate?

    Elevation Certificates must be prepared and certified by a land surveyor, engineer, or architect who is authorized by commonwealth, state, or local law to certify elevation information. Community officials who are authorized by local law or ordinance to provide floodplain management information may also sign the certificate. Elevations must be certified by a licensed engineer or surveyor if the elevation certificate is intended to support an application for a Letter of Map Amendment or a Letter of Map Revision - based on Fill.

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Last Modified: Friday, 12-Oct-2007 12:02:48 EDT

Fast Facts

Additional FAQ Topics

Digital Flood Data and Mapping
General Information
Flood Insurance
Flood Map Policy and Program
Flood Map Process
Flood Revision
Flood Study Data
Frequently Used Terms
Q3 Flood Data

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