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Elevation Certificates

Elevation Certificate page bannerAn Elevation Certificate is a form created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) as a compliance and insurance tool within federally mapped floodplains. The certificates verify that structures are safely elevated above the expected 100-year flood level and that they meet other floodplain requirements. Insurance companies utilize the certificates to determine flood insurance premiums for homeowners within flood hazard zones.

While the use of the FEMA Elevation Certificate is required by the federal government within federally mapped floodplains, the District also requires its use in locally mapped floodplains. The Ordinance requires Elevation Certificates to be completed by an Arizona registered land surveyor or Arizona registered civil engineer. Although Elevation Certificates may be completed by other individuals for insurance purposes, the District cannot accept an Elevation Certificate that is not completed, signed and sealed by a registered land surveyor or engineer.

PLEASE NOTE: FEMA is not offering a grace period on the Elevation Certificate form released on February 21, 2020. Any Elevation Certificate completed after that date must be on the latest form or it will be rejected.

Fillable Elevation Certificate for Compliance/Permitting Purposes

The District has created a fillable PDF Elevation Certificate form that has community related fields pre-filled in, and also contains drop down menus to aid in the efficient and uniform completion of Elevation Certificates.  If an Elevation Certificate is required as a condition of a Floodplain Use Permit, an Elevation Certificate will be provided to you.  

Fillable Elevation Certificate for Insurance Purposes

If you need an Elevation Certificate for insurance purposes, please use the District's Insurance Only version of the Elevation Certificate.  Once completed, the District would appreciate receiving a copy of Elevation Certificates completed for insurance purposes so that we have more thorough records for structures in Pima County.

Completed Elevation Certificates

Check our list of completed Elevation Certificates to see if a certificate is on file for your property.

Elevation Certificate Information for Surveyors

ALERT: FEMA published a new Elevation Certificate on February 21, 2020. FEMA is not offering the usual grace period for this new form. Any Elevation Certificate completed after that date must be on the latest form or it will be rejected.

Surveyors and engineers should familiarize themselves with the new form by carefully reviewing the FEMA instruction manual and the Districts Elevation Certificate Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).

The District is currently requesting surveyors and engineers completing Elevation Certificates to establish a local datum of 100.0 feet at Highest Adjacent Natural Grade (HANG) for FEMA A Zones and local sheetflow floodplains.  The District will indicate the BFE in box B.9 of the Elevation Certificate as 101.0 (for example) and indicate that the datum is HANG = 100.0 ft.  Please see the December 20, 2011 memo to surveyors and engineers for more information.

The District has created a fillable PDF Elevation Certificate form. This form has certain common fields pre-filled in, and also contains drop down menus to aid in the efficient and uniform completion of Elevation Certificates.

Elevation Certificate Workshops

The District periodically coordinates with the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) to provide training for surveyors, engineers, insurance agents and floodplain management officials on how to understand and properly complete Elevation Certificates.  These work shops are an important educational tool for users of Elevation Certificates.

An Elevation Certificate workshop will be held on July 15, 2022 at the Pima County Public Works Building, Basement Conference Room (201 N. Stone Ave. Tucson, AZ 85701).  For more information please see the ADWR FEMA Elevation Certificate Training Event webpage.