U.S. Department of Homeland Security
500 C Street, SW
Washington, DC 20472


W-11038 
June 14, 2011 


MEMORANDUM FOR: Write Your Own (WYO) Principal Coordinators and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Servicing Agent 

FROM: Jhun de la Cruz Branch Chief, Underwriting Risk Insurance Division 

SUBJECT: Clarification of May 1, 2011, Flood Insurance Manual Guidance on Attached Garages in Non-Elevated Buildings 

It has come to our attention that the May 2011 Flood Insurance Manual contains misleading 
information about the determination of the lowest floor in a non-elevated building located in an 
A Zone. 

An attached garage in a single-family non-elevated building is excluded for rating when there is no 
machinery or equipment servicing the building, even if the garage has no proper flood openings. 
Consequently, on page LFG 1 of the Lowest Floor Guide section of the Flood Insurance Manual, 
I. Lowest Floor Determination, A. Non-Elevated Buildings, the third paragraph is revised as follows: 

‘‘An attached garage floor elevation below the BFE can be excluded as the lowest floor for 
rating if the garage has no machinery or equipment. Otherwise, all of the following conditions 
must exist for the garage floor to be excluded for rating:’’ 

In an attempt to clarify the guidance concerning attached garages, we unintentionally changed the 
rating rule. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused. 

Page LFG 1 and related information on the building drawings in the Lowest Floor Guide section 
will be updated in the October 2011 Flood Insurance Manual revision package. If you have any 
questions concerning this memorandum, please contact the Bureau Underwriting staff at 
iServiceUnderwriting@ostglobal.com. 

cc: IBHS, FIPNC, Government Technical Representative 
Required Routing: Underwriting, Data Processing 

 
www.fema.gov