Getting it right the first time!

Effective July 6, the Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) Office of Plan Review Services will implement a Tie Beam Inspection Hold on all new construction and substantial additions. This means that an Under Construction Elevation Certificate showing floor elevation, adjacent grade elevation and crown of road elevation will be required. For more information, call 786-315-2800.

If you have determined that your house lies in a flood zone, a Flood Elevation Certificate can then tell you how high your house was built in relation to that flood zone.

These certificates are required for all new construction and substantial improvements to a structure. An Elevation Certificate is an important document that every homeowner should have, and in case of a disaster, would demonstrate to County authorities that your house is at or above the required elevation.

If the certificate shows that your house is lower, then the so-called "50% rule" would apply to your house. This rule means that if your house is in a flood zone and is damaged and/or improved to an amount greater than 50% of its market value, it will have to be raised to meet the current elevation requirement.

DERM has been collecting the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Elevation Certificate  from home builders/developers since 1995 as a requirement of their building permit. Elevation certificates are also required for substantially damaged or improved structures.

To obtain your flood elevation certificate:

If the home was built before 1995 and you have never substantially improved or experienced substantial damage to the structure, you may need to hire a surveyor or you can ask the prior owner for the Flood Elevation Certificate.

If the home was built after 1995, you may be able to find your elevation certificate by using our Elevation Certificate Search Application. If your home was built after 1995 and you are unable to access the information, we may have the information on file but have not scanned the Certificate as of yet. Please call DERM's Floodplain Management Program at 305-372-6466 if you experience this problem.

If you have other questions about the 50% rule or Elevation Certificates, also call at 305-372-6466.

Note to builders and surveyors:

The new FEMA elevation certificate forms and flood proofing certificate forms  are available for download. As stated in WYO Clearinghouse bulletin W-09008, dated February 26, 2009, FEMA will permit a "phase-in" of the revised Elevation Certificate on a voluntary basis.

During a 12-month transition period beginning April 1, 2009, we will accept either the new form or the old form. This voluntary transition period will allow sufficient time for coordination and training of all affected NFIP stakeholders. Elevations certified on or after the last day of the transition period (April 1, 2010) must be submitted on the new Elevation Certificate form with the expiration date of March 31, 2012.