What an Elevation Certificate is and who signs it

FEMA describes the Elevation Certificate as 'an official record that shows new buildings and substantial improvements in all identified Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) are properly elevated.' The current form is FEMA Form FF-206-FY22-152 (formerly 086-0-33); FEMA's page was last updated September 27, 2023. Where no certificate is on file, Charleston County states 'a S.C. Registered Land Surveyor will need to survey the elevation of the structure and complete the flood elevation certificate form,' and that 'This certificate must be of the latest version available.' Why it moves money: under Risk Rating 2.0 FEMA lists the property's elevation among the rating variables, so a certificate documenting a lowest floor well above the BFE is the document that evidences it. It is also the gatekeeper document for a renovation — the Town of Mount Pleasant requires one at permit application so it can decide whether the structure already complies, and Charleston County requires one 'prior to any building inspection except for a foundation inspection' for new and substantially improved structures in A/AE/AH/AO/A99 zones. Checked 2026-09-04.