What is an Elevation Certificate?

An Elevation Certificate is a document prepared by a registered surveyor and submitted to St. Lucie County as a requirement of the building permit. It shows the elevation of a structure's lowest floor and equipment and additional pertinent information to determine compliance with FEMA, National Flood Insurance Program, and local floodplain regulations. Elevation Certificates are needed to ensure a structure has been built at or above the required elevation designated for that specific property. They are also required to obtain flood insurance, mandatory for all structures in the Special Flood Hazard Area with a federally backed mortgage and strongly recommended for all other structures.

 Simply stated, the purpose of a FEMA Elevation Certificate (EC) is to:

 1.         Evaluate a building’s First Floor Height (FFH) and adjacent elevation[s].

2.         Identify compliance with FEMA, National Flood Insurance Program, and local floodplain regulations.

3.         Help lower the cost of flood insurance coverage.

4.         Inform mitigation actions to lower flood risk.

5.         Show the location of the building, lowest floor elevation, building characteristics, and flood zone

Whenever you discuss flood insurance with your insurance agent or directly with the National Flood Insurance Program (https://www.fema.gov/flood-insurance), having your Elevation Certificate will allow them to give you an accurate quote based on your structure. If you already own the structure or are considering selling, you should do your due diligence before buying a structure.

 Who needs an Elevation Certificate?

Structures built in a Special Flood Hazard Area must have a FEMA Elevation Certificate. This includes A, AE, AH, AO and Coastal High Hazard Areas known as VE or V zones.

Structures in an "X" or "D" zone are not in the Special Flood Hazard Area, and an Elevation Certificate is not required.

Requirements for Permitting

The Elevation Certificate must be submitted with your permit for review and compliance with the Florida Building Code and FEMA Elevation Certificate Instruction Manual. Below is a link to the FEMA website on elevation certificates. The first document, the "Construction Documents" Elevation Certificate, must be submitted to the Permitting Division with your construction documents during the plan review. The second document called an “Under Construction” Elevation Certificate, must be submitted to the Permitting Division before the foundation is poured or inspected. All coastal construction will require an additional “Under Construction Elevation Certificate” for the Lowest Horizontal Structural Member. These documents ensure that everything is compliant before too much construction occurs. If there is a problem, it is easier to rectify at this point. The final certificate, called a "Final" Elevation Certificate, must be submitted before the final inspections can be scheduled. This is the official document that will be used for insurance purposes, and your permit cannot be completed without the Elevation Certificate indicating compliance.

 https://www.fema.gov/fact-sheet/understanding-elevation-certificates