What Is an Elevation Certificate?
An elevation certificate is an official document completed by a licensed Professional Land Surveyor or professional engineer that records the elevation of a building relative to the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) in its FEMA flood zone. Insurance companies and lenders use it to determine flood insurance rates and verify whether a structure meets local floodplain management requirements.
In most U.S. states, elevation certificates are a niche document needed by a minority of property owners. In Louisiana, they are routine. More than 50 parishes contain land in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas, and large portions of south Louisiana sit at or below sea level. For many homeowners in the state, an elevation certificate is not optional.
Why Elevation Certificates Matter So Much in Louisiana
Louisiana combines several conditions that make flood risk extreme: a low-lying coastal plain, a massive river delta, a dense network of bayous and lakes, and a Gulf Coast exposure to hurricane storm surge. New Orleans and surrounding Jefferson Parish sit almost entirely below sea level. Terrebonne and Plaquemines parishes are losing land to coastal erosion at some of the fastest rates in the world. The Atchafalaya Basin in St. Mary, St. Martin, and Assumption parishes creates widespread riverine flood exposure in central Louisiana.
Because of these conditions, FEMA flood zones cover enormous portions of Louisiana. AE zones cover most developed land in south Louisiana, including the New Orleans metro, the Houma area, Lake Charles, and the Lafourche corridor. VE zones appear along the Gulf Coast shoreline, barrier islands, and parts of Orleans and Jefferson parishes exposed to direct wave action.
For a homeowner in an AE or VE zone, the elevation of the lowest floor of the structure relative to the BFE determines the flood insurance rate. A structure one foot below the BFE can pay dramatically more for insurance than a structure one foot above it. An elevation certificate is the document that proves where the structure sits, and it is often the difference between an affordable flood insurance premium and one that is unworkable.
Who Needs an Elevation Certificate in Louisiana?
The following situations typically require or strongly benefit from an elevation certificate in Louisiana.
- Flood insurance purchase: Buying an NFIP policy for a property in a Special Flood Hazard Area. The insurer needs the certificate to rate the policy accurately.
- Mortgage on a flood-zone property: Federally backed lenders are required to ensure properties in SFHAs carry flood insurance, and they often require the certificate to confirm coverage is properly rated.
- New construction in a flood zone: Local floodplain administrators require documentation that new buildings meet the elevation requirements of the local flood ordinance.
- Appealing a flood zone designation: If you believe your property has been incorrectly placed in a high-risk zone, an elevation certificate is a key part of a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) request to FEMA.
- Selling a property: Sellers in flood-prone areas may provide an elevation certificate to buyers to demonstrate the flood insurance cost. Buyers increasingly request one before closing.
FEMA Flood Zones in Louisiana
Understanding which flood zone your property falls in determines what the elevation certificate will mean for your insurance.
| Zone | Description | Common Louisiana Locations |
|---|---|---|
| AE | High risk, 1% annual flood chance. BFE shown on maps. | New Orleans, Metairie, Houma, Lake Charles, Lafourche parishes |
| VE | High risk coastal zone with wave action. BFE shown. | Gulf Coast shoreline, parts of Orleans and Jefferson parishes |
| AO | Shallow flooding, sheet flow, 1-3 feet deep | Flat agricultural areas, low-lying inland parishes |
| X (shaded) | Moderate risk, 0.2% annual chance | Areas just outside AE boundaries, raised areas of metro areas |
| X (unshaded) | Minimal risk | Higher elevation areas in north Louisiana |
What an Elevation Certificate Includes
A completed elevation certificate records: the building's address and legal description, the FEMA flood zone and community panel number, the elevation of the lowest floor, the lowest adjacent grade, the top of the bottom floor, and the elevation of any attached garage. It also notes the type of construction, the presence of any enclosures or crawl spaces, and the surveyor's certification. Insurers and local floodplain administrators use all of these data points together.
How Much Does an Elevation Certificate Cost in Louisiana?
Elevation certificates in Louisiana cost $150 to $450 for most residential properties. The price varies based on several factors.
- Location and access: Properties in Terrebonne, Plaquemines, and other coastal parishes may require travel time or boat access, pushing costs higher.
- Whether it is bundled with other survey work: Ordering an elevation certificate at the same time as a boundary survey from the same firm typically reduces the total cost for both.
- Surveyor availability: In parishes with fewer licensed surveyors, prices can be higher due to lower competition and longer scheduling times.
- Property complexity: Properties with multiple structures, complex foundations, or flood zone boundaries running through the parcel cost more to certify.
How It Affects Your Flood Insurance Premium
The National Flood Insurance Program rates policies based on the difference between the lowest floor elevation and the Base Flood Elevation. A property with a lowest floor two feet above the BFE pays much less than one sitting at or below the BFE. In Louisiana, where large numbers of properties sit below BFE, an elevation certificate can either confirm a low rate or reveal why a premium is high.
If your current flood insurance policy was rated without an elevation certificate, getting one could lower your premium, particularly if improvements have been made to raise the structure or if the original rating used default assumptions that were not favorable. Talk to your flood insurance agent about whether a new certificate could help.
Find a Surveyor for Your Elevation Certificate
A licensed Professional Land Surveyor must complete your elevation certificate for it to be accepted by insurers and lenders. Our Louisiana surveyor directory lists licensed professionals by parish, sourced from LAPELS records, so you can find a qualified surveyor in your area quickly.