An Elevation Certificate (EC) is an essential document that records a building’s elevation relative to potential flood levels, helping assess flood risk and determine flood insurance costs. Required by floodplain managers to enforce local building codes, the EC is also used by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a FEMA program, to set flood insurance premiums.

The certificate is based on a detailed field survey conducted under the supervision of a licensed land surveyor, documenting specific elevation points of the property—including floors, basements, and crawlspaces—to accurately assess flood risk.