The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the collection of information under OMB Number 1660-0008, which includes the Elevation Certificate (FEMA Form 81-31) and the Floodproofing Certificate (FEMA Form 81-65).The new expiration date for both forms is March 31, 2012.

The only changes to the Floodproofing Certificate are the new expiration date and revised Paperwork Burden Disclosure Notice.  Significant changes to the Elevation Certificate and Instructions are noted below:

• In Section A, items A8.d and A9.d are added asking:
  Engineered flood openings?   [ ] Yes    [ ] No
• In Section C, item C2.h is added, which reads:
  Lowest adjacent grade at lowest elevation of deck or stairs, including structural support 
  __________.___ [ ] feet    [ ] meters (Puerto Rico only)
  (This information is provided if the certificate is being used to support a request for a LOMA or LOMR-F)
• The Instructions for Section A for items A.8.b-c and A.9.b-c have been revised, in part to allow the height of flood openings to be determined from the interior grade or floor.
• Instructions for other sections have been clarified and expanded as needed
• Two new Building Diagrams have been added:

1. The new Diagram 1B is for raised-slab-on-grade or slab-on-ste-wall-with-fill single- and multiple-floor buildings. (Diagram 1 from the old Elevation Certificate is Diagram 1A on the new Elevation Certificate.
2. The new Diagram 9 is for all buildings (other than split-level) elevated on a sub-grade crawlspace.

The new EC will be phased in on a voluntary basis until March 31, 2010. It will also be reproduced in the May 1, 2006 NFIP Flood Insurance Manual.

Source: FEMA