A Federal Register notice published Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, opens a 30-day public comment window on two National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) forms that matter to anyone who owns, buys, or insures a building near a mapped floodplain: the Elevation Certificate and the Floodproofing Certificate.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) filed the notice (FR Doc. 2026-20497, Docket FEMA-2026-0166, OMB No. 1660-0008) as a request to extend a currently approved information collection. Comments are due on or before Nov. 6, 2026, through reginfo.gov.
What the Elevation Certificate does
Communities that take part in the NFIP must adopt floodplain rules. Under FEMA’s minimum standards, new construction and substantial improvements must have the lowest floor, including a basement, elevated above the base flood elevation. Non-residential buildings can instead be floodproofed, meaning the structure is watertight below the base flood level.
The Elevation Certificate and Floodproofing Certificate are how a community documents that a building meets those rules. FEMA’s notice says the forms also work alongside the Flood Insurance Application to document elevations that support flood insurance premiums or discounts.
Why Tennessee policyholders should care
The notice spells out two direct insurance uses:
- Rating. FEMA gives NFIP policyholders the option to submit an Elevation Certificate so the policy can be rated on that elevation information instead of FEMA-sourced elevation information.
- A discount. An Elevation Certificate can also be used to show eligibility for the Machinery & Equipment premium discount.
That makes the certificate worth asking about if you are buying a house in or near a special flood hazard area, if you recently raised your HVAC or water heater, or if your area’s flood map changed. Whether a certificate helps or hurts your particular premium depends on the measurements, so treat it as information to gather, not a guaranteed savings.
Who fills it out
FEMA says respondents are primarily surveyors, architects, or engineers, while individual property owners may complete specified portions of the Elevation Certificate. The current forms are FEMA Form FF-206-FY-22-152 (Elevation Certificate) and FEMA Form FF-206-FY-22-153 (Floodproofing Certificate).
What FEMA heard the first time
This is the second round. The 60-day version of the notice ran June 1, 2026, at 91 FR 32408, and FEMA received five public comments. One came from an insurance agent and dealt with slab-on-grade construction on the Elevation Certificate form.
FEMA estimates 3,517 respondents a year, 12,735 total annual burden hours, and $714,083 in total annual respondent cost for the collection.
| Item | Detail from the Oct. 7 notice |
|---|---|
| Federal Register document | 2026-20497 |
| Docket / OMB number | FEMA-2026-0166 / 1660-0008 |
| Action | 30-day notice of extension and request for comments |
| Comment deadline | Nov. 6, 2026 |
| Forms | FF-206-FY-22-152 (Elevation) and FF-206-FY-22-153 (Floodproofing) |
| Estimated respondents | 3,517 |
What to do now
- If you already have an Elevation Certificate, keep a copy with your declarations page and share it with your agent at renewal.
- If you are buying, ask the seller whether one exists. Some sellers have one from a prior flood policy or a building permit.
- If you want to weigh in on the form itself, comments go through reginfo.gov by Nov. 6, 2026.
- Remember that most homeowners policies do not include flood. Read our earlier guides: Tennessee Flood Insurance: Everything Homeowners Need to Know in 2026 and TDCI says flood damage is not in a homeowners policy — and urges a home inventory..
For a Tennessee example of how flood-map changes reach real neighborhoods, see FEMA Finalized New Flood Lines in Pigeon Forge and Sevierville - Effective May 21. And for the program’s current authorization date, see Congress extended the National Flood Insurance Program to Dec. 11, 2026, giving Tennessee flood policyholders a new date to watch..
Related reading from All Seasons
- Tennessee Flood Insurance: Everything Homeowners Need to Know in 2026
- TDCI says flood damage is not in a homeowners policy — and urges a home inventory.
- FEMA Finalized New Flood Lines in Pigeon Forge and Sevierville - Effective May 21
- Congress extended the National Flood Insurance Program to Dec. 11, 2026, giving Tennessee flood policyholders a new date to watch.
Free policy review
All Seasons Insurance Group offers a free personal policy review. Call 865-263-1400 or visit asigtn.com/get-a-quote/. This article is informational only and does not promise coverage or eligibility; your policy forms control. Seasons change. So should your coverage.
What did FEMA publish on Oct. 7, 2026?
A Federal Register notice, FR Doc. 2026-20497, asking for comments on extending the NFIP Elevation Certificate and Floodproofing Certificate collection, OMB No. 1660-0008.
When are comments due?
The notice says comments must be submitted on or before Nov. 6, 2026, through reginfo.gov.
How can an Elevation Certificate affect a flood policy?
FEMA says NFIP policyholders may submit one so elevation information can be used in premium rating instead of FEMA-sourced elevation information. Results depend on the measurements.
Is there a discount tied to the certificate?
FEMA says the certificate can be used to show eligibility for the Machinery & Equipment premium discount.
Who completes an Elevation Certificate?
FEMA says respondents are primarily surveyors, architects, or engineers, and property owners may complete specified portions of the form.
What is a Floodproofing Certificate?
It documents that a non-residential building is floodproofed, meaning watertight below the base flood level, as an alternative to elevating the lowest floor.
Does my homeowners policy cover flood?
Most homeowners policies do not include flood. Flood coverage is usually a separate policy, so review your declarations page with an agent.
How can All Seasons help after reading this?
Call 865-263-1400 or visit asigtn.com/get-a-quote/ for a free personal policy review. Informational only; no coverage promises. Seasons change. So should your coverage.
