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Letter of Final Determination (LFD)

What Is an LFD?
View and Download LFD Lists
What Does the Information Mean?
What Should I Look for on the LFD List?
Hard Copy to Digital Enclosures for LFDs
Where Can I Keep Track of Map Change News?
Useful Resources
For More Information

What Is an LFD?

A Letter of Final Determination (LFD) is a letter the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sends to the Chief Executive Officer of a community stating that a new or updated Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) or Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) will become effective in 6 months. The letter also notifies each affected floodprone community participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) that it must adopt a compliant floodplain management ordinance by the map effective date to remain participants in good standing in the NFIP.

View and Download LFD Lists

The LFD list is a consolidated list of all LFDs distributed to communities for a specific FIRM or DFIRM effective date. The LFD list is prepared biweekly on predetermined LFD dates, 6 months prior to the FIRM/DFIRM effective date.

The available LFD lists are listed below by year. For the LFD you are interested in, click the year the LFD became effective to view the appropriate FEMA Library record, which is organized by FIRM/DFIRM effective date. You can also view an interactive map of the United States and locate a community's LFD information.

What Does the Information Mean?

The LFD list can provide the user with the following helpful information:

CID: Community Identification Number
State: State in which the community is located
Community Name: Community name and type (City, Village, etc.)
60.3 Existing: The section of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)—Title 44, Chapter 1, Section 60.3, or 44 CFR 60.3—that the community is already enforcing, as a participant in the NFIP, based on the information shown on the current, effective FIRM
60.3 Revised: The section of 44 CFR 60.3 that the community must adopt and enforce in its floodplain management ordinance before the new or updated FIRM/DFIRM becomes effective
Letter Type: The type of LFD that was sent to the community
Number of Insurance Policies: The number of flood insurance policies in force (according to the FEMA Community Information System) at the time the LFD list was prepared
CTP: Whether or not the community is participating in the Cooperating Technical Partners Program
Number of Panels: Number of new or updated FIRM/DFIRM panels on which the community is shown

What Should I Look for on the LFD List?

The CID, State, and Community Name columns provide general information.
If a change occurs in the 60.3 Existing and the 60.3 Revised codes, this could affect the insurance industry. A change from A to B, or B to C could result in a change in the type of policy required and/or premium.
The Letter Type is helpful in determining what kind of study took place and whether the insurance industry could be affected.
The Number of Insurance Policies in Force may be compared to the community population to help identify highly insured areas.

Hard Copy to Digital Enclosures for LFDs

As part of the ongoing FEMA effort to minimize hard copy (paper) distribution of flood hazard information, FEMA has discontinued the distribution of hard-copy enclosures with LFDs. The following documents, previously distributed in paper form with LFDs, are available digitally for viewing or download:

Answers to Questions About the NFIP
Use of Flood Insurance Study (FIS) Data as Available Data
NFIP Regulations (Title 44, Chapter 1, Code of Federal Regulations); and,
NFIP Elevation Certificate and Instructions
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Effect That Revised Flood Hazards Have on Existing Structures
Changes to the Distribution of LFD Enclosures

Although FEMA will no longer distribute paper copies of LFD enclosures, hard copies of these documents may be obtained by contacting the FEMA Map Information eXchange by telephone or e-mail. (See For More Information below.)

Where Can I Keep Track of Map Change News?

Information on specific communities that may be affected by recent or upcoming changes is posted to Important Information on Recent and Upcoming Map Changes as it becomes available. Find out What's New in Flood Hazard Mapping and subscribe to e-mail updates on Flood Hazard Mapping Activities to keep up with the latest developments.

Useful Resources

For More Information

For more information or additional assistance:

Please e-mail a Map Specialist.
Please call a Map Specialist in the FEMA Map Information eXchange; toll free, at 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627).
Please register to receive updates on FEMA Flood Hazard Mapping activities via e-mail.

Last Modified: Monday, 25-Jul-2011 14:29:57 EDT

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