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OC Community Development Elevation Certificates

As a public service for Unincorporated Orange County, OC Planning maintains on file elevation certificates for new and substantially improved structures in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) going back to September 14, 1979.

OC Planning files do not include elevation certificates for structures that were permitted within cities in Orange County. Please contact the City Building Department of your interest for elevation certificate information if your property is within a city.

Both OC Planning and the cities may not have elevation certificates on file that were completed by the homeowner and submitted directly to FEMA.

The Elevation Certificate is an important administrative tool of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). It is to be used to provide elevation information necessary to ensure compliance with community floodplain management ordinances, to determine the proper insurance premium rate, and may serve as documentation supporting a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) or Letter of Map Revision based on fill (LOMR-F). The Elevation Certificate is required in order to properly rate post-FIRM buildings. The expiration date for this form is March 31, 2012.

The Elevation Certificate and guidance to completing it can be found in FEMA Elevation Certificate

Use of this certificate does not provide a waiver of the flood insurance purchase requirement. Only a LOMA or LOMR-F from FEMA can amend the FIRM and remove the Federal mandate for a lending institution to require the purchase of flood insurance.

For more information on elevation certificates and Floodplain Management, click here