What Is an Elevation Certificate?
An elevation certificate is a standardized FEMA form completed by a licensed Professional Land Surveyor or licensed engineer. It documents the elevation of a building's lowest floor relative to the Base Flood Elevation shown on FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps. Mortgage lenders use it to confirm flood insurance requirements are met. Insurance agents use it to rate National Flood Insurance Program policies accurately. Property owners use it to support applications for flood zone map amendments when they believe their property has been incorrectly mapped.
Pierce County Flood Risk Overview
Pierce County has significant flood exposure driven by its Puget Sound waterfront, the Puyallup River and its tributaries, and the glacially formed low-lying areas of the county's river valleys. Several distinct corridors account for the majority of properties requiring elevation certificates.
Puyallup River Valley (Orting, Puyallup, Sumner)
The Puyallup River drains the southwest slopes of Mount Rainier and flows northwest through Orting, Puyallup, and Sumner before reaching Commencement Bay in Tacoma. The river's lower valley is among the most extensively flood-mapped areas in Pierce County. FEMA Zone AE designations cover large sections of the valley floor from Orting to the bay. Residential and commercial properties throughout this corridor frequently require elevation certificates as a condition of federally backed mortgages and flood insurance.
Orting sits in a river valley with known flood exposure from the Puyallup River. The city also sits in the path of potential lahar flows from Mount Rainier, though it is important to understand that lahar risk is a separate volcanic hazard category not addressed by FEMA flood insurance or elevation certificates. Standard flood insurance covers riverine flooding. Lahar coverage is a separate insurance question that property owners in this valley should raise with their insurer directly.
Carbon River Corridor
The Carbon River flows into the Puyallup near the town of Orting. The lower Carbon River drainage contains additional FEMA-mapped flood hazard areas. Properties near the confluence of the Carbon and Puyallup rivers in the Orting and South Prairie area may be within Special Flood Hazard Areas on current FIRM panels.
Puget Sound Waterfront (Tacoma and Gig Harbor)
Commencement Bay and the industrial tide flats of Tacoma are mapped using a combination of FEMA Zone AE and VE designations depending on location and elevation. Commercial and port properties in the tide flat area carry significant flood exposure. Residential properties on the slopes overlooking the bay may be outside flood zones, but those built at lower elevations near the waterfront should be checked.
Gig Harbor's waterfront neighborhoods front onto Puget Sound and Gig Harbor Bay. Properties near the water line in the Gig Harbor marina area and those on low-lying shoreline parcels along Henderson Bay and the Key Peninsula may carry FEMA flood zone designations. Coastal lenders routinely require elevation certificates for these properties.
White River (Auburn-Pierce Border)
The White River passes through the northern edge of Pierce County near the Auburn-Pierce County line before being diverted south. Properties near the river channel in this area may fall within mapped Special Flood Hazard Areas, particularly near the historical confluence zone.
When You Need an Elevation Certificate in Pierce County
- Your lender requires flood insurance: Federal and federally backed mortgages require flood insurance for properties in Special Flood Hazard Areas. Insurers need an elevation certificate to rate the policy accurately.
- You want to challenge your flood zone designation: If your property is above the Base Flood Elevation but mapped in the flood zone, an elevation certificate is the starting point for a Letter of Map Amendment to FEMA.
- You are building or substantially improving a structure: Pierce County's floodplain ordinance requires new construction and substantial improvements in Special Flood Hazard Areas to meet minimum elevation standards documented by an elevation certificate before occupancy is granted.
- Your flood insurance rate seems high: An elevation certificate showing your building is above the BFE can significantly reduce your annual National Flood Insurance Program premium.
How the Process Works
A licensed Washington PLS visits your property and measures the elevation of the building's lowest floor, the lowest horizontal structural member for elevated buildings, and mechanical equipment serving the structure. These elevations are compared to the Base Flood Elevation on the applicable FEMA FIRM panel. The surveyor completes the FEMA elevation certificate form, stamps it, and delivers it for use with your lender or insurance agent.
Turnaround in Pierce County is typically two to four weeks. Spring and summer are busier than winter, so plan ahead if your closing or permit has a deadline.
Checking Your Flood Zone First
Before spending money, verify your flood zone status. Search your address at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center at msc.fema.gov. The Pierce County GIS portal at piercecountywa.gov/gis also shows FEMA flood zone overlays on parcel maps. If your property is clearly outside any Special Flood Hazard Area and your lender has not specifically requested a certificate, you may not need one.
Find a Licensed Surveyor for Your Elevation Certificate
Only a licensed Washington Professional Land Surveyor or licensed engineer can complete a legally valid elevation certificate. Our directory lists licensed surveyors serving Tacoma, Puyallup, Orting, Sumner, Gig Harbor, Lakewood, and the rest of Pierce County. Search Pierce County surveyors to find a firm with flood zone experience and request quotes.