Elevation Certificates in Franklin County, Kentucky
The Kentucky River is the dominant geographic feature of Franklin County, flowing through a gorge before widening as it passes through Frankfort. The river's floodplain creates flood zone exposure for properties in the city and in rural areas along the river corridor. If your property falls in a FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Area, an elevation certificate is required to purchase flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program.
Most elevation certificates in Franklin County cost $225 to $475, completed by a licensed land surveyor.
Flood Risk Along the Kentucky River in Frankfort
The Kentucky River drains a large portion of central Kentucky before passing through Frankfort and continuing northwest toward the Ohio River. The river's floodplain in Frankfort includes portions of the city near the downtown riverfront, lower-lying neighborhoods, and rural properties along the river corridor downstream and upstream of the city.
Smaller tributaries that drain into the Kentucky River in Franklin County, including Benson Creek and its branches, also contribute localized flood risk in some parts of the county beyond the main river corridor.
What an Elevation Certificate Shows in Franklin County
A licensed land surveyor visits your property and measures the elevation points required by FEMA's standard form, including your building's lowest floor elevation and the lowest adjacent grade. These measurements are compared against the base flood elevation shown on the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map for your area.
For Frankfort properties near the Kentucky River, the base flood elevation reflects the modeled flood level for a 1-percent annual chance flood event. If your building's lowest floor is above that elevation, the certificate documents that and may reduce your NFIP premium. If it is below, the certificate gives your insurer accurate data for rating the policy.
When You Need an Elevation Certificate in Franklin County
- Purchasing flood insurance for a Frankfort-area property in a FEMA flood zone
- Refinancing where your lender requires flood insurance documentation
- New construction in a Franklin County flood zone requiring elevation compliance documentation
- Applying for a LOMA to remove your property from the flood zone map
Find an Elevation Certificate Surveyor in Franklin County
Our Franklin County land surveyor directory lists 5 licensed firms from KBPELS records. Contact firms directly to ask about elevation certificate services and current availability in the Frankfort area.