Elevation Certificate issues guide - Forerunner Help Center

Forerunner automatically checks Elevation Certificates during processing to identify potential issues before they impact compliance or floodplain management decisions. This reference documents all issue checks, the conditions that trigger them, and how to resolve common issues.

Forerunner’s Issues feature provides supplementary EC review and should not fully replace your compliance-checking process. Here are a few items that should be checked manually:

Correct Diagram Number selection
Accuracy of CBRS & OPA determination on ECs with an expiration year prior to 2026
Accuracy of FIRM Index Date
Presence of Section E, F and G on ECs with an expiration year prior to 2026
Attachment of Flood Openings Certification, where applicable
Attachment of V Zone Certification, where applicable
Amendments made using a Memo of Correction
Presence of breakaway walls

While Forerunner does not warrant any of the issues flagged by our EC Error Detection feature, we strive to be as accurate and transparent as possible in its development. If you have any questions, or if you have a suggested addition to this list, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at support@withforerunner.com.

Understanding issue types

Errors
Warnings

Errors indicate issues that must be resolved for the certificate to be valid or compliant. Common causes include:

Missing required fields
Data that contradicts FEMA records
Elevation measurements that don’t match the building diagram type
Buildings below the required flood elevation

When you see an error, work with the surveyor or property owner to obtain a corrected certificate.

You can mark individual issues as “ignored” if you’ve determined they don’t apply to your community’s requirements. Work with your Customer Success Manager to adjust issue rules for your specific compliance needs.

Document-level issues

Trigger condition	Type	Issue
The building street address is missing from one or more pages	Error	The building street address is missing from one or more pages. It must be included on all applicable pages of the Elevation Certificate.
The building street address is not consistent across all pages	Error	The building street address is not consistent across all pages. Ensure the same address appears on each applicable page of the Elevation Certificate.

Form version issues

Field	Trigger condition	Type	Issue
Expiration date	Issue date of November 1, 2023 or later with form year prior to 2026	Error	The Elevation Certificate version is out-of-date and therefore not valid. Expiration year should be 2026.
Expiration date	Issue date of Feb 20, 2020 through October 31, 2023 and form year prior to 2022	Error	The Elevation Certificate version is out-of-date and therefore not valid.

Section A: Building information

Owner and address

Field	Trigger condition	Type	Issue
A1. Building owner’s name	Building Owners Name does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Warning	This field should not be empty.
A2. Building street address	Building Street Address does not have a value or is labeled “NA” and there is no value entered in A3. Property Description.	Error	Either A2. or A3. must be filled out.
A2. Building street address [City]	City does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Error	This field should not be empty.
A2. Building street address [State]	State does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Error	This field should not be empty.
A2. Building street address [Zip]	Zip does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Error	This field should not be empty.

Building details

Field	Trigger condition	Type	Issue
A4. Building use	Building Use does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Warning	This field should not be empty.
A4. Building Use	Building use is “non-residential”	Warning	Non-residential buildings may be dry floodproofed. Please manually review this Elevation Certificate and any accompanying documents for evidence of dry floodproofing. If the building has been properly dry floodproofed and has the correct documentation, you may update the warnings on the property to indicate that the structure is in compliance.
A4. Building Use	Building use is “non-residential” and there is no proper venting in sections A8 or A9	Error	Non-residential buildings should be dry floodproofed if they do not have proper venting in sections A8. or A9. If the building has been properly dry floodproofed and has the correct documentation, you may update the warnings on the property to indicate that the structure is in compliance.
A5. Latitude	Latitude/Longitude does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Warning	This field should not be empty.
A5. Longitude	Longitude does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Warning	This field should not be empty.
A5. Latitude/Longitude	Invalid latitude/longitude format	Error	Invalid latitude/longitude format. Per EC instructions, format should be in either decimal degrees format or degrees ° minutes ′ seconds ″. If decimal degrees are used, provide coordinates to at least six decimal places or better. When using degrees, minutes, seconds, provide seconds to at least two decimal places or better.
A6. Photos	At least one non-color photo identified	Error	At least one non-color photo identified. All photos should be labeled, dated and in color.

Building diagram

Field	Trigger condition	Type	Issue
A7. Building diagram number	Building Diagram Number does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Error	This field should not be empty.
A7. Building diagram number	Building Diagram Number is any value other than 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9	Error	The value entered is not a valid result
A7. Building diagram number	The Building Diagram Number field has more than 1 value	Error	There should only be one value for this field.
A7. Building Diagram Number	Building Diagram Number is 5 or 6 and there is also a value in C2.d	Warning	If a garage is located directly underneath the lowest elevated floor, it should be classified as an enclosure and C2.d should be blank. Garages that are laterally attached to elevated structures may be recorded as attached garages.
A7. Building diagram number	Building Diagram Number is 1a, 1b or 5 but A8.a has a value	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the building should not have an enclosure, however there is a value entered in A8.a Square footage of crawlspace or enclosure.
A7. Building diagram number	Building Diagram Number is 6, 7, 8 or 9 but A8.a has no value	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the building should have an enclosure, however there is no value entered in A8.a Square footage of crawlspace or enclosure.
A7. Building Diagram Number	Building Diagram Number is 5 or 6 and there is also a value in A9.a	Error	Based on Building Diagram Number, all areas below elevated floors are considered enclosures and not attached garages, therefore there should not be a value in A9.a Square footage of attached garage.

A8: Crawlspace or enclosure

Field	Trigger condition	Type	Issue
A8.a Square footage of crawlspace or enclosure(s)	A8.a Square footage of crawlspace or enclosure(s) is empty	Warning	While empty values may be acceptable for CRS purposes, EC instructions note that N/A should be used.
A8.b Is there at least one permanent flood opening on two different sides of each enclosed area?	A8b. No checkboxes are checked	Warning	These checkboxes should not be empty, instead “N/A” should be used if there is not value.
A8.b Is there at least one permanent flood opening on two different sides of each enclosed area?	There is a non-zero, non-null value in A8.a, and “No” or “N/A” is checked on A8.b and C2.a is below the Effective Base Flood Elevation.	Error	All enclosures or crawlspaces below the Base Flood Elevation should have at least one permanent flood opening on at least two exterior walls of each enclosed area.
A8.b Is there at least one permanent flood opening on two different sides of each enclosed area?	There is a non-zero, non-null value in A8.a, and “No” or “N/A” is checked on A8.b and C2.a is below the Design Flood Elevation.	Error	All enclosures or crawlspaces below the Design Flood Elevation should have at least one permanent flood opening on at least two exterior walls of each enclosed area.
A8.c Engineered/Non-engineered flood openings	A8.c Engineered flood openings is empty	Warning	While empty values may be acceptable for CRS purposes, EC instructions note that N/A should be used.
A8.c Engineered/Non-engineered flood openings	A8.c Non-engineered flood openings is empty	Warning	While empty values may be acceptable for CRS purposes, EC instructions note that N/A should be used.
A8.c Engineered/Non-engineered flood openings	”Yes” is checked in A8.b, but there are N/A, zero or blank values present for BOTH A8.c Engineered/Non-engineered flood opening fields	Error	A8.b indicates that there are flood openings; however, there are no values, “N/A” or “0” entered for A8.c non-engineered or engineered flood openings.
A8.c Engineered/Non-engineered flood openings	There is a non-null, non-zero value in A8.d. but A8.c Non-engineered flood openings is blank, N/A or zero	Error	A8.d indicates that there are non-engineered flood openings; however, there is no value, “N/A” or “0” entered for A8.c non-engineered flood openings.
A8.c Engineered/Non-engineered flood openings	There is a non-null, non-zero value in A8.e. but A8.c Engineered flood openings is blank, N/A or zero	Error	A8.e indicates that there are engineered flood openings; however, there is no value, “N/A” or “0” entered for A8.c engineered flood openings.
A8.c Engineered/Non-engineered flood openings	There is a non-zero, non-null value in A8.a, and there are less than 2 permanent flood openings or null/empty in A8.c Engineered/Non-engineered flood openings (when added) and C2.a is below the Effective Base Flood Elevation	Error	All enclosures or crawlspaces below the Base Flood Elevation must have a minimum of two openings within 1.0 foot above adjacent grade.
A8.c Engineered/Non-engineered flood openings	There is a non-zero, non-null value in A8.a, and there are less than 2 permanent flood openings or null/empty in A8.c Engineered/Non-engineered flood openings (when added) and C2.a is below the Design Flood Elevation	Error	All enclosures or crawlspaces below the Design Flood Elevation must have a minimum of two openings within 1.0 foot above adjacent grade.
A8.d Total net open area of non-engineered flood openings	A8.d total net open area for non-engineered flood openings is empty	Warning	While empty values may be acceptable for CRS purposes, EC instructions note that N/A should be used.
A8.d Total net open area of non-engineered flood openings in A8.c	There are non-zero, non-null values in A8.a., A8.c NON-ENGINEERED has non-null, non-zero values and A8.c ENGINEERED has null or zero values, AND Total net open area of non-engineered flood openings (A8.d) is smaller than Square footage of crawlspace or enclosure(s) (A8.a)	Error	The flood openings do not meet NFIP minimum criteria because the total net area of non-engineered flood openings is smaller than the Square footage of crawlspace or enclosure(s).
A8.d Total net open area of non-engineered flood openings in A8.c	There is a non-zero, non-null value for non-engineered flood openings in A8.c, however A8.d. is blank, N/A or zero	Warning	A8.c indicates that there are non-engineered flood openings; however, there is no value, “N/A” or “0” entered for A8.d
A8.d Total net open area of non-engineered flood openings in A8.c	There is a non-null, non-zero value in A8.f, but A8.d is blank, N/A or zero	Warning	A8.f should only be completed if permanent engineered and permanent non-engineered flood openings are present. A8.f indicates that there are non-engineered flood openings; however, there is “N/A”, “0” or no value entered for A8.d.
A8.d Engineered flood vent openings	Value is “0”	Error	Only “N/A” is an acceptable answer if there is no value, “0” should not indicate a missing or inapplicable value.
A8.e Total rated area of engineered flood openings	A8.e total net open area for engineered flood openings is empty	Warning	While empty values may be acceptable for CRS purposes, EC instructions note that N/A should be used.
A8.e Total rated area of engineered flood openings in A8.c	A8e. Always trigger if there is value in field	Warning	The certificate indicates that there are Engineered floodvent openings. Please manually confirm that there is an accompanying certification by a registered design professional or a copy of the ICC Evaluation Service report.
A8.e Total rated area of engineered flood openings in A8.c	There is a non-zero, non-null value in A8.c, but A8.e is blank, N/A or zero	Warning	A8.c indicates that there are engineered flood openings; however, there is no value, “N/A” or “0” entered for A8.e
A8.e Total rated area of engineered flood openings in A8.c	There is a non-zero, non-null value in A8.f, but A8.e is blank, N/A or zero	Warning	A8.f should only be completed if permanent engineered and permanent non-engineered flood openings are present. A8.f indicates that there are engineered flood openings; however, there is “N/A”, “0” or no value entered for A8.e.
A8.e Total rated area of engineered flood openings in A8.c	There are non-zero, non-null values in A8.a., A8.c ENGINEERED has non-null, non-zero values and A8.c NON-ENGINEERED has null or zero values, AND total rated area of engineered flood openings (A8.e) is smaller than Square footage of crawlspace or enclosure(s) (A8.a)	Warning	The total rated area of engineered flood openings is smaller than the Square footage of crawlspace or enclosure(s). Please ensure that the Engineered Openings meet the design and performance requirements for Flood Openings.
A8.e Total rated area of engineered flood openings in A8.c	Value is “0”	Error	Only “N/A” is an acceptable answer if there is no value, “0” should not indicate a missing or inapplicable value.
A8.f Sum of A8.d and A8.e rated area	When summed A8.d and A8.e do not equal value in A8.f	Warning	Please verify the value in this field, A8.f should equal the sum of A8.d and A8.e
A8.f Sum of A8.d and A8.e rated area	A8.f is blank, zero, or N/A, but there are non-null, non-zero values in both A8.d and A8.e	Warning	A8.d and A8.e indicate that both engineered and non-engineered flood openings are present, A8.f should have a non-zero, non-null value since it should be completed if permanent engineered and permanent non-engineered flood openings are present.
A8.f Sum of A8.d and A8.e rated area	There is a “0” in either A8.e or A8.d and a value other than N/A or 0 in A8.f	Warning	A8.f should only be completed if permanent engineered and permanent non-engineered flood openings are present. If either A8.d or A8.e is “0”, the value for A8.f should be N/A.
A8.f Sum of A8.d and A8.e rated area	There are non-zero, non-null values in A8.a., A8.c NON-ENGINEERED AND ENGINEERED have non-null, non-zero values, AND Sum of A8.d and A8.e rated area (A8.f) is smaller than Square footage of crawlspace or enclosure(s) (A8.a)	Error	The flood openings do not meet NFIP minimum criteria because the total area of all flood openings is smaller than the Square footage of crawlspace or enclosure(s).
A8.f Sum of A8.d and A8.e rated area	Value is “0”	Error	Only “N/A” is an acceptable answer if there is no value, “0” should not indicate a missing or inapplicable value.

A9: Attached garage

Field	Trigger condition	Type	Issue
A9.a Square footage of attached garage	A9.a Square footage of attached garage is empty	Warning	While empty values may be acceptable for CRS purposes, EC instructions note that N/A should be used.
A9.b Is there at least one permanent flood opening on two different sides of the attached garage?	A9.b No checkboxes are checked	Warning	These checkboxes should not be empty, instead “N/A” should be used if there is not value.
A9.b Is there at least one permanent flood opening on two different sides of the attached garage?	There is a non-zero, non-null value in A9.a, and “No” or “NA” is checked on A9.b and C2.d is below the Effective Base Flood Elevation	Error	All attached garages below the Base Flood Elevation should have at least one permanent flood opening on at least two exterior walls of each enclosed area.
A9.b Is there at least one permanent flood opening on two different sides of the attached garage?	There is a non-zero, non-null value in A9.a, and “No” or “NA” is checked on A9.b and C2.d is below the Design Flood Elevation	Error	All attached garages below the Design Flood Elevation should have at least one permanent flood opening on at least two exterior walls of each enclosed area.
A9.c Engineered/Non-engineered flood openings	A9.c Non-engineered flood openings is empty	Warning	While empty values may be acceptable for CRS purposes, EC instructions note that N/A should be used.
A9.c Engineered/Non-engineered flood openings	A9.c Engineered flood openings is empty	Warning	While empty values may be acceptable for CRS purposes, EC instructions note that N/A should be used.
A9.c Engineered/Non-engineered flood openings	”Yes” is checked in A9.b, but there are N/A, zero or blank values present for BOTH A9.c Engineered/Non-engineered flood opening fields	Error	A9.b indicates that there are flood openings; however, there are no values, “N/A” or “0” entered for A9.c non-engineered or engineered flood openings.
A9.c Engineered/Non-engineered flood openings	There is a non-null, non-zero value in A9.d. but A9.c Non-engineered flood openings is blank, N/A or zero	Error	A9.d indicates that there are non-engineered flood openings; however, there is no value, “N/A” or “0” entered for A9.c non-engineered flood openings.
A9.c Engineered/Non-engineered flood openings	There is a non-null, non-zero value in A9.e, but A9.c Engineered flood openings is blank, N/A or zero	Warning	A9.e indicates that there are engineered flood openings; however, there is no value, “N/A” or “0” entered for A9.c engineered flood openings.
A9.c Engineered/Non-engineered flood openings	There is a non-zero, non-null value in A9.a, and there are less than 2 permanent flood openings or null/empty in A9.c Engineered/Non-engineered flood openings (when added) and C2.d is below the Effective Base Flood Elevation	Error	Attached garages below the Base Flood Elevation must have a minimum of two openings within 1.0 foot above adjacent grade.
A9.c Engineered/Non-engineered flood openings	There is a non-zero, non-null value in A9.a, and there are less than 2 permanent flood openings or null/empty in A9.c Engineered/Non-engineered flood openings (when added) and C2.d is below the Design Flood Elevation	Error	Attached garages below the Design Flood Elevation must have a minimum of two openings within 1.0 foot above adjacent grade.
A9.d Total net open area of non-engineered flood openings	A9.d Total net open area for non-engineered flood openings is empty	Warning	While empty values may be acceptable for CRS purposes, EC instructions note that N/A should be used.
A9.d Total net open area of non-engineered flood openings in A9.c	There are non-zero, non-null values in A9.a., A9.c NON-ENGINEERED has non-null, non-zero values and A9.c ENGINEERED has null or zero values, AND Total net open area of non-engineered flood openings (A9.d) is smaller than Square footage of attached garage (A9.a)	Error	The flood openings do not meet NFIP minimum criteria because the total net area of non-engineered flood openings is smaller than the Square footage of attached garage.
A9.d Total net open area of non-engineered flood openings in A9.c	There is a non-zero, non-null value for non-engineered flood openings in A9.c, however A9.d. is blank, N/A or zero	Warning	A9.c indicates that there are non-engineered flood openings; however, there is no value, “N/A” or “0” entered for A9.d
A9.d Total net open area of non-engineered flood openings in A9.c	There is a non-null, non-zero value in A9.f, but A9.d is blank, N/A or zero	Warning	A9.f indicates that there are non-engineered flood openings; however, there is “N/A”, “0” or no value entered for A9.d
A9.d Engineered flood vent openings	Value is “0”	Error	Only “N/A” is an acceptable answer if there is no value, “0” should not indicate a missing or inapplicable value.
A9.e Total net open area of engineered flood openings	A9.e Total net open area for engineered flood openings is empty	Warning	While empty values may be acceptable for CRS purposes, EC instructions note that N/A should be used.
A9.e Total rated area of engineered flood openings in A9.c	A9.e Always trigger if there is non-zero value in field	Warning	The certificate indicates that there are Engineered floodvent openings. Please manually confirm that there is an accompanying certification by a registered design professional or a copy of the ICC Evaluation Service report.
A9.e Total rated area of engineered flood openings in A9.c	There is a non-zero, non-null value in A9.c, but A9.e is blank, N/A or zero	Warning	A9.c indicates that there are engineered flood openings; however, there is no value, “N/A” or “0” entered for A9.e
A9.e Total rated area of engineered flood openings in A9.c	There is a non-zero, non-null value in A9.f, but A9.e is blank, N/A or zero	Warning	A9.f indicates that there are engineered flood openings; however, there is “N/A”, “0” or no value entered for A9.e
A9.e Total rated area of engineered flood openings in A9.c	There are non-zero, non-null values in A9.a., A9.c ENGINEERED has non-null, non-zero values and A9.c NON-ENGINEERED has null or zero values, AND total rated area of engineered flood openings (A9.e) is smaller than Square footage of attached garage (A9.a)	Warning	The total rated area of engineered flood openings is smaller than the Square footage of attached garage. Please ensure that the Engineered Openings meet the design and performance requirements for Flood Openings.
A9.e Total rated area of engineered flood openings in A9.c	Value is “0”	Error	Only “N/A” is an acceptable answer if there is no value, “0” should not indicate a missing or inapplicable value.
A9.f Sum of A9.d and A9.e rated area	When summed A9.d and A9.e do not equal value in A9.f	Warning	Please verify the value in this field, A9.f should equal the sum of A9.d and A9.e
A9.f Sum of A9.d and A9.e rated area	A9.f is blank, zero, or N/A, but there are non-null, non-zero values in both A9.d and A9.e	Warning	A9.d and A9.e indicate that both engineered and non-engineered flood openings are present, A9.f should have a non-null, non-zero value.
A9.f Sum of A9.d and A9.e rated area	There is a “0” in either A9.e or A9.d and a value other than N/A in A9.f	Warning	If either A9.d or A9.e is “0”, the value for A9.f should be N/A
A9.f Sum of A9.d and A9.e rated area	There are non-zero, non-null values in A9.a., A9.c NON-ENGINEERED AND ENGINEERED have non-null, non-zero values, AND Sum of A9.d and A9.e rated area (A9.f) is smaller than Square footage of attached garage (A9.a)	Error	The flood openings do not meet NFIP minimum criteria because the total area of all flood openings is smaller than the Square footage of attached garage.
A9.f Sum of A9.d and A9.e rated area	Value is “0”	Error	Only “N/A” is an acceptable answer if there is no value, “0” should not indicate a missing or inapplicable value.

Section B: Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) information

Community information

Field	Trigger condition	Type	Issue
B1.a NFIP Community Name	B1.a NFIP Community Name does not have a value or is labeled “N/A”	Error	This field should not be empty.
B1.a NFIP Community Name	B1.a NFIP Community Name does not match the value we get back from FEMA’s API	Error	The value on the EC does not match the Community Name returned by FEMA for this parcel.
B1.a NFIP Community Name	B1.a We don’t have a NFIP Community Name value for property	Warning	We are unable to independently verify that this value is correct. Please manually confirm that this field is accurate.
B1.b Community Number	B1.b Community Number does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Error	This field should not be empty.
B1.b Community Number	B1.b Community Number does not match the value we get back from FEMA’s API	Error	The value on the EC does not match the Community Number returned by FEMA for this parcel.
B1.b Community Number	B1.b We don’t have a Community Number value for property	Warning	We are unable to independently verify that this value is correct. Please manually confirm that this field is accurate.
B2. County name	B2. County Name does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Error	This field should not be empty.
B2. County name	B2. County Name is not “NA” and does not match the value we get back from FEMA’s API	Error	The value on the EC does not match the expected County Name for this parcel.
B2. County name	B2. We don’t have a County Name value for property	Warning	We are unable to independently verify that this value is correct. Please manually confirm that this field is accurate.
B3. State	B3. State does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Error	This field should not be empty.
B3. State	B3. State is not “NA” and does not match the value we get back from FEMA’s API	Error	The value on the EC does not match the State returned by FEMA for this parcel.

FIRM panel information

Field	Trigger condition	Type	Issue
B4. Map/Panel number	B4. Map/Panel Number does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Error	This field should not be empty.
B4. Map/Panel number	B4. Map/Panel Number does not match the value we get back from FEMA’s API	Error	The value on the EC does not match the Map/Panel Number returned by FEMA for this parcel.
B4. Map/Panel number	B4. We don’t have a Map/Panel Number value for property	Warning	We are unable to independently verify that this value is correct. Please manually confirm that this field is accurate.
B5. Suffix	B5. Suffix does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Error	This field should not be empty.
B5. Suffix	B5. Suffix does not match the value we get back from FEMA’s API	Error	The value on the EC does not match the Suffix returned by FEMA for this parcel.
B5. Suffix	B5. We don’t have a Suffix value for property	Warning	We are unable to independently verify that this value is correct. Please manually confirm that this field is accurate.
B6. FIRM index date	B6. FIRM Index Date does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Error	This field should not be empty.
B7. FIRM panel effective/revised date	B7. FIRM Panel Effective/Revised Date does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Error	This field should not be empty.
B7. FIRM panel effective/revised date	B7. FIRM Panel Effective/Revised Date does not match the value we get back from FEMA’s API	Error	The value on the EC does not match the FIRM Panel Effective/Revised Date returned by FEMA for this parcel.
B7. FIRM panel effective/revised date	B7. We don’t have a FIRM Panel Effective/Revised Date value for property	Warning	We are unable to independently verify that this value is correct. Please manually confirm that this field is accurate.

Flood zone and BFE

Field	Trigger condition	Type	Issue
B8. Flood Zone(s)	B8. Flood Zone(s) does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Error	This field should not be empty.
B8. Flood Zone(s)	B8. Flood Zone(s) does not match the value we get back from FEMA’s API	Error	This value does not match the Flood Zone returned by FEMA for this parcel.
B8. Flood Zone(s)	B8. There are multiple Flood Zone(s)	Warning	There are multiple Flood Zones indicated. Please manually verify that the values apply to the structure (not the parcel).
B8. Flood Zone(s)	B8. If the Flood zone is VE or V let user know that they need to also have a V-Zone design certificate	Warning	The Building’s Flood Zone indicates that a V-Zone design certificate should also be present. Please manually confirm that you have also collected this document.
B8. Flood Zone(s)	B8. We don’t have a Flood Zone(s) value for property	Warning	We are unable to independently verify that this value is correct. Please manually confirm that this field is accurate.
B9. Base flood elevation	B9. Most restrictive Flood Zone is AE, AO, V, or VE and Base Flood Elevation does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Error	Given the flood zone returned by FEMA for this property, this building should have a BFE value.
B9. Base flood elevation	B9. Most restrictive Flood Zone is A, X, B, or C and Base Flood Elevation does not have a value. Note: “N/A” is acceptable in this case.	Error	This field should not be empty, instead “N/A” should be used if there is no value.
B9. Base flood elevation	B9. There are multiple BFE(s)	Warning	There are multiple BFEs indicated. Please manually verify that the values apply to the structure (not the parcel).
B9. Base flood elevation	B9. EC BFE value is not the same as FEMA’s BFE value	Error	This value does not match the Effective Base Flood Elevation returned by FEMA for this parcel.
B9. Base flood elevation	B9. We don’t have a BFE value for property	Warning	We are unable to independently verify that this value is correct. Please manually confirm that this field is accurate.
B10. Source of the Base Flood Elevation	B9. Base Flood Elevation has a value and B10. Source of the Base Flood Elevation does not have a value	Error	Because B9. Base Flood Elevation has a value, this field should not be empty.
B10. Source of the Base Flood Elevation	B10. If “Other/Source” is selected	Warning	Please manually confirm that Other/Source is described.
B11. Indicate elevation datum used for BFE	B9. Base Flood Elevation has a value and B11. BFE Datum does not have a value	Error	This field should not be empty.
B11. Indicate elevation datum used for BFE	BFE Datum value is not the same as FEMA’s BFE Datum value	Error	This value does not match the BFE Datum returned by FEMA for this parcel.
B11. Indicate elevation datum used for BFE	B11. If “Other/Source” is selected	Warning	Please manually confirm that Other/Source is described.
B11. Indicate elevation datum used for BFE	We don’t have a BFE Datum value for property	Warning	We are unable to independently verify that this value is correct. Please manually confirm that this field is accurate.
B11. Indicate elevation datum used for BFE	Elevation Datum source is incorrect	Error	BFE Datum source is incorrect.

CBRS and LiMWA (2026 form)

Field	Trigger condition	Type	Issue
B12. Is the building located in a Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS) area or OPA	B12. Neither “Yes” or “No” is checked	Warning	This field should not be empty.
B12. Is the building located in a Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS) area or OPA	B12. Checked box does not match parcel CBRS determination	Warning	This value does not match the CBRS determination for this parcel.
B12. Is the building located in a Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS) area or OPA	B12. We don’t have a CBRS value for property	Warning	We are unable to independently verify that this value is correct. Please manually confirm that this field is accurate.
B12. Designation Date	”Yes” is checked in B12. but designation date is blank	Warning	The certificate indicates that the building is located in the CBRS area, a designation date should be provided.
B12. CBRS and OPA Checkboxes	”Yes” is checked in B12., but neither “CBRS” or “OPA” is checked	Warning	The certificate indicates that the building is located in the CBRS or OPA area, please mark the appropriate checkbox.
B12. CBRS and OPA checkboxes	A value is checked in B12., but does not match parcel OPA determination	Warning	This value does not match the CBRS type for this parcel.
B13. LiMWA	B13. Neither checkbox is checked	Warning	This field should not be empty, please mark the appropriate checkbox.
B13. LiMWA	B13. Value is not the same as automatic or manual determination for the parcel	Warning	This value does not match the Coastal A determination for this parcel.
B13. LiMWA	B13. We don’t have a Limwa value for the parcel	Warning	We are unable to independently verify that this value is correct. Please manually confirm that this field is accurate.

Section C: Building elevation information

Elevation basis and datum

Field	Trigger condition	Type	Issue
C1. Building elevations based upon	C1. Building elevations based upon does not have a value	Error	This field should not be empty.
C2. Elevation datum	C2. Elevation Datum does not have a value	Error	This field should not be empty.
C2. Elevation datum	C2. Elevation Datum is not the same as BFE datum	Error	The Elevation Datum should be the same as the BFE Datum. Note: If there is a conversion explanation in the comments, this discrepancy may be ok.
C2. Elevation datum	Elevation Datum source is incorrect	Error	Elevation Datum source is incorrect.
C2. Conversion factor used?	C2. Neither checkbox is checked	Error	This field should not be empty.
C2. Conversion factor	Conversion factor is used	Warning	Please manually verify that a conversion factor source is provided in Section D Comments.

Building elevations

Field	Trigger condition	Type	Issue
C2.a Top of bottom floor	Top of bottom floor does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Error	This field should not be empty.
C2.a Top of bottom floor	Top of bottom floor is higher than Top of next higher floor	Error	Top of bottom floor should always be a lower elevation than Top of the next higher floor.
C2.a Top of bottom floor	Top of bottom floor is filled out as “0”	Warning	”0” should not be used to represent an empty value, instead “N/A” should be used.
C2.a Measurement checkboxes	C2a. There is a non N/A value in the field and neither checkbox is checked	Error	A unit of measurement should be selected for this field.
C2.b Top of the next higher floor	Top of the next higher floor does not have a value	Warning	While empty values may be acceptable for CRS purposes, EC instructions note that N/A should be used.
C2.b Top of the next higher floor	Top of the next higher floor is filled out as “0”	Warning	”0” should not be used to represent an empty value, instead “N/A” should be used.
C2.b Measurement checkboxes	C2b. There is a non-N/A value in the field and neither checkbox is checked	Error	A unit of measurement should be selected for this field.
C2.c Bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member	Bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member does not have a value	Warning	While empty values may be acceptable for CRS purposes, EC instructions note that N/A should be used.
C2.c Bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member	Flood zone value is V or VE, but Bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member does not have a value	Error	Because the building is in Flood Zone V or VE, an elevation value is required for this field.
C2.c Bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member	Bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member is filled out as “0”	Warning	”0” should not be used to represent an empty value, instead “N/A” should be used.
C2.c Measurement checkboxes	C2c. There is a non N/A value in the field and neither checkbox is checked	Error	A unit of measurement should be selected for this field.
C2.d Attached garage	Attached garage does not have a value	Warning	While empty values may be acceptable for CRS purposes, EC instructions note that N/A should be used.
C2.d Attached garage	A9.a, A9.b, A9.c, or A9.d has a value, but C2.d does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Error	Because there are values in the A9 field, Attached garage should have an elevation measurement and not be left empty.
C2.d Attached garage	Attached garage is filled out as “0”	Warning	”0” should not be used to represent an empty value, instead “N/A” should be used.
C2.d Measurement checkboxes	C2d. There is a non N/A value in the field and neither checkbox is checked	Error	A unit of measurement should be selected for this field.
C2.e Lowest elevation of machinery or equipment	Lowest elevation of machinery or equipment does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Warning	C2.e should be filled out, unless the structure is outside of the SFHA or it’s a building type that does not have any machinery/equipment (M/E) servicing the building (agriculture sheds, self-storage units, cold storage warehouses, etc…)
C2.e Lowest elevation of machinery or equipment	Lowest elevation of machinery or equipment is filled out as “0”	Warning	”0” should not be used to represent an empty value, instead “N/A” should be used.
C2.e Measurement checkboxes	C2e. There is a non N/A value in the field and neither checkbox is checked	Error	A unit of measurement should be selected for this field.

Adjacent grade elevations

Field	Trigger condition	Type	Issue
C2.f Lowest adjacent grade	Lowest adjacent grade does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Error	This field should not be empty.
C2.f Lowest adjacent grade	Lowest adjacent grade is higher than Highest adjacent grade	Error	Lowest adjacent grade should always have a lower elevation than Highest adjacent grade.
C2.f Lowest adjacent grade	Lowest adjacent grade is filled out as “0”	Warning	”0” should not be used to represent an empty value, instead “N/A” should be used.
C2.f Lowest adjacent grade	Lowest adjacent grade is above BFE value	Warning	Unless the Elevation Certificate being submitted is for LOMA or LOMR-F purposes, the Lowest Adjacent Grade is typically below the Base Flood Elevation.
C2.f Natural/Finished checkboxes	There is a non N/A value in the Lowest adjacent grade field and neither checkbox is checked	Error	Natural or finished should be selected.
C2.f Measurement checkboxes	There is a non N/A value in the field and neither checkbox is checked	Error	A unit of measurement should be selected for this field.
C2.g Highest adjacent grade	Highest adjacent grade does not have a value or is labeled “NA”	Error	This field should not be empty.
C2.g Highest adjacent grade	Highest adjacent grade is filled out as “0”	Warning	”0” should not be used to represent an empty value, instead “N/A” should be used.
C2.g Natural/Finished checkboxes	C2g. There is a non N/A value in the Highest adjacent grade field and neither checkbox is checked	Error	Natural or finished should be selected.
C2.g Measurement checkboxes	C2g. There is a non N/A value in the field and neither checkbox is checked	Error	A unit of measurement should be selected for this field.
C2.h Lowest adjacent grade at lowest elevation of deck or stairs	Lowest adjacent grade is filled out as “0”	Warning	”0” should not be used to represent an empty value, instead “N/A” should be used.
C2.h Lowest adjacent grade at lowest elevation of deck or stairs	C2.h is empty	Warning	While empty values may be acceptable for CRS purposes, EC instructions note that N/A should be used.
C2.h Measurement checkboxes	C2h. There is a non N/A value in the field and neither checkbox is checked	Error	A unit of measurement should be given for this field.

Section D: Surveyor/engineer certification

Field	Trigger condition	Type	Issue
D. Certifier’s name	D2. Certifier’s Name does not have a value	Error	This field should not be empty.
D. License number	D3. License Number does not have a value	Error	This field should not be empty.
D. Date	D11. Date does not have a value	Error	This field should not be empty or values are invalid and need to be corrected.
D. Certifier signature	The certifier signature is missing	Error	The certifier signature is missing. This section must be signed by a licensed land surveyor, engineer, or architect.
D. Certifier seal	The certifier seal is missing	Error	The certifier seal is missing. This section must be sealed by a licensed land surveyor, engineer, or architect.
D. 500-Year Flood Elevation	500-year elevation is missing	Error	Missing or incomplete information (500-year elevation). Please include the 500-year elevation in the ‘Comments’ section.

Section E: Building elevation relative to grade (2026 form)

Section E applies to buildings in AO, AR/AO, or A zones without a Base Flood Elevation. This section records elevations relative to the Highest Adjacent Grade (HAG) and Lowest Adjacent Grade (LAG).

Field	Trigger condition	Type	Issue
E. Building measurements are based on	If most restrictive floodzone is AO, AR/AO, or A in B8., there is N/A or empty value in B9. and no checkbox is checked for building measurements based on	Error	This certificate indicates that the building is located in an AO, AR/AO, or A zone without a BFE value, meaning that this field should not be left blank.
E. Building measurements are based on	If most restrictive floodzone is AO, AR/AO, or A in B8., there is N/A or empty value in B9. and any of the three checkboxes is checked for building measurements based on	Warning	This certificate indicates that Section E should be filled out, please manually verify that Section F has also been signed and dated.
E1.a Top of bottom floor (including basement, crawlspace, or enclosure)	If most restrictive Floodzone is AO, AR/AO, or A in B8., there is N/A or empty value in B9. and E1.a is empty	Error	This certificate indicates that the building is located in an AO, AR/AO, or A zone without a BFE value, meaning that this field should not be left blank.
E1.a Measurement checkboxes	There is a non-N/A value in E1a. and neither unit checkbox is checked	Error	A unit of measurement should be given for this field.
E1.a Above/below HAG checkboxes	There is a non N/A value in E1a. and neither HAG-related checkbox is checked	Error	Please indicate whether the value in E1.a is above or below the HAG.
E1.b Top of bottom floor (including basement, crawlspace, or enclosure)	If most restrictive floodzone is AO, AR/AO, or A in B8., there is N/A or empty value in B9. and E1.b is empty	Error	This certificate indicates that the building is located in an AO, AR/AO, or A zone without a BFE value, meaning that this field should not be left blank.
E1.b Measurement checkboxes	There is a non N/A value in the field and neither unit checkbox is checked	Error	A unit of measurement should be given for this field.
E1.b Above/below LAG checkboxes	There is a non N/A value in the field and neither LAG-related checkbox is checked	Error	Please indicate whether the value in E1.b is above or below the LAG.
E2. For Building Diagrams 6-9 with permanent flood openings, the next higher floor of the building	If most restrictive Floodzone is AO, AR/AO, or A in B8., there is N/A or blank value in B9., A7. has a value of 6,7,8, or 9 and E2. is empty	Error	This certificate indicates that the building is located in an AO, AR/AO, or A zone without a BFE value and has a diagram number 6-9, meaning that this field should not be left blank.
E2. Measurement checkboxes	There is a non N/A value in E2. and neither unit checkbox is checked	Error	A unit of measurement should be given for this field.
E2. Above/below HAG checkboxes	There is a non N/A value in E2. and neither HAG-related checkbox is checked	Error	Please indicate whether the value in E2. is above or below the HAG.
E3. Attached garage (top of slab)	If most restrictive Floodzone is AO, AR/AO, or A in B8., there is N/A or blank value in B9., A9a. has a non-N/A, non-zero value and E3. is empty	Error	This certificate indicates that the building is located in an AO, AR/AO, or A zone without a BFE value and has an attached garage, meaning that this field should not be left blank.
E3. Measurement checkboxes	There is a non N/A value in E3. and neither unit checkbox is checked	Error	A unit of measurement should be given for this field.
E3. Above/below HAG checkboxes	There is a non N/A value in E3. and neither HAG-related checkbox is checked	Error	Please indicate whether the value in E3. is above or below the HAG.
E4. Top of platform of machinery and/or equipment servicing the building	If most restrictive Floodzone is AO, AR/AO, or A in B8., there is N/A or empty value in B9. and E4. is empty	Error	This certificate indicates that the building is located in an AO, AR/AO, or A zone without a BFE value, meaning that this field should not be left blank if there is machinery and/or equipment servicing the building.
E4. Measurement checkboxes	There is a non-N/A value in E4. and neither unit checkbox is checked	Error	A unit measurement should be given for this field.
E4. Above/below HAG checkboxes	There is a non N/A value in E4. and neither HAG-related checkbox is checked	Error	Please indicate whether the value in E4. is above or below the HAG.
E5. Zone AO only	If the building is in an AO Zone with no flood depth number available, “Yes”, “No”, or “Unknown” must be selected	Error	If the building is in an AO Zone with no flood depth number available, “Yes”, “No”, or “Unknown” must be selected. The local floodplain administrator must also certify this information as being correct by marking G2a. and providing name, signature and date in Section G.

Section F: Property owner certification (2026 form)

Field	Trigger condition	Type	Issue
F. Property Owner’s name	Property owner name is blank	Error	Missing property owner certification information. This section must include the certifier’s printed name.
F. Property Owner’s signature present?	Property owner signature is missing	Error	Missing property owner certification information. This section must include the certifier’s signature.
F. Date	Date is blank	Error	Missing property owner certification information. This section must include the signed date.

Section G: Community information verification (2026 form)

Field	Trigger condition	Type	Issue
G8. This permit has been issued for	G8. Neither checkbox is checked	Error	New construction or substantial improvement should be selected.
G11. Variance issued?	G11. Neither checkbox is checked	Error	Yes or no should be selected.
G11. Variance issued?	G11. “Yes” is checked	Warning	The certificate indicates that there is variance issued. Please independently verify that documentation is attached and there is adequate description in the Comments area.
G. Local Official’s Name	Local official’s name does not have a value	Error	This field should not be empty.
G. Local Official signature	Signature field is extracted but blank/false	Error	The local official signature is missing. This section must be signed by a local official.
G. Date	Date does not have a value	Error	This field should not be empty.

Building diagram and C2 cross-checks

These rules validate that the building diagram number in Section A7 is consistent with the elevation measurements in Section C2.

Diagram 1A (Slab-on-grade)

Trigger condition	Type	Issue
Diagram # is 1A, Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a) is below Lowest Adjacent Grade (C2.f)	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the structure should be slab-on-grade with the bottom floor at or above ground level, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.F are all correct.
Diagram # is 1A, there are values for C2.a + C2.b, and Top of Next Highest Floor (C2.b) is less than 5.0’ above Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a)	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the Top of Next Highest Floor should be greater than 5.0’ above Top of Bottom Floor, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.B are all correct.
Diagram # is 1A, Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a) is more than 1.0’ above Highest Adjacent Grade (C2.g)	Warning	The structure’s Top of Bottom Floor is more than 1.0’ above the Lowest Adjacent Grade, which is high for a slab-on-grade foundation. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.F are all correct.

Diagram 1B (Raised slab-on-grade)

Trigger condition	Type	Issue
Diagram # is 1B, Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a) is below or equal to Lowest Adjacent Grade (C2.f)	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the structure should be a raised-slab-on-grade with the bottom floor above ground level, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.F are all correct.
Diagram # is 1B, there are values for C2.a + C2.b, and Top of Next Highest Floor (C2.b) is less than 5.0’ above Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a)	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the Top of Next Highest Floor should be greater than 5.0’ above Top of Bottom Floor, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.B are all correct.
Diagram # is 1B, Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a) is more than 3.0’ above Lowest Adjacent Grade (C2.f)	Warning	The structure’s Top of Bottom Floor is more than 3.0’ above the Lowest Adjacent Grade, which is high for a raised-slab-on-grade foundation. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.F are all correct.

Diagram 2A (Basement)

Trigger condition	Type	Issue
Diagram # is 2A, Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a) is above or equal to Lowest Adjacent Grade (C2.f)	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the structure should have a basement with the bottom floor below ground level, however the building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.F are all correct.
Diagram # is 2A, there are values for C2.a + C2.b, and Top of Next Highest Floor (C2.b) is less than 5.0’ above Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a)	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the Top of Next Highest Floor should be greater than 5.0’ above Top of Bottom Floor, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.B are all correct.
Diagram # is 2A, Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a) is more than 7.0’ above Lowest Adjacent Grade (C2.f)	Warning	The Building Diagram type indicates that the structure’s Top of Bottom Floor should be close to the Lowest Adjacent Grade, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.F are all correct.

Diagram 2B (Basement with walkout)

Trigger condition	Type	Issue
Diagram # is 2B, Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a) is above or equal to Lowest Adjacent Grade (C2.f)	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the structure should have a basement with the bottom floor below ground level, however the building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.F are all correct.
Diagram # is 2B, there are values for C2.a + C2.b, and Top of Next Highest Floor (C2.b) is less than 5.0’ above Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a)	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the Top of Next Highest Floor should be greater than 5.0’ above Top of Bottom Floor, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.B are all correct.

Diagram 3 (Split-level)

Trigger condition	Type	Issue
Diagram # is 3, Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a) is below Lowest Adjacent Grade (C2.f)	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the structure should be a split-level with the bottom floor at or above ground level, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.F are all correct.
Diagram # is 3, Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a) is more than 3.0’ above Lowest Adjacent Grade (C2.f)	Warning	The Building Diagram type indicates that the structure’s Top of Bottom Floor should be close to the Lowest Adjacent Grade, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.F are all correct.

Diagram 4 (Split-level basement)

Trigger condition	Type	Issue
Diagram # is 4, Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a) is above or equal to Lowest Adjacent Grade (C2.f)	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the structure should have a basement with the bottom floor below ground level, however the building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.F are all correct.

Diagram 5 (Elevated on crawlspace)

Trigger condition	Type	Issue
Diagram # is 5, Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a) is below or equal to Lowest Adjacent Grade (C2.f)	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the structure should have an elevated floor with the bottom floor at or above ground level, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.F are all correct.
Diagram # is 5, there are values for C2.a + C2.b, and Top of Next Highest Floor (C2.b) is less than 5.0’ above Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a)	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the Top of Next Highest Floor should be greater than 5.0’ above Top of Bottom Floor, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.B are all correct.

Diagram 6 (Elevated on enclosure)

Trigger condition	Type	Issue
Diagram # is 6, Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a) is below Lowest Adjacent Grade (C2.f)	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the structure should have an elevated floor with the bottom floor at or above ground level, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.F are all correct.
Diagram # is 6, Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a) and Top of Next Highest Floor (C2.b) should be filled out	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the structure should have an elevated floor with an enclosure below, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.B are all correct.
Diagram # is 6, Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a) is more than 7.0’ above Lowest Adjacent Grade (C2.f)	Warning	The Building Diagram type indicates that the structure’s Top of Bottom Floor should be close to the Lowest Adjacent Grade, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.F are all correct.

Diagram 7 (Elevated on open foundation)

Trigger condition	Type	Issue
Diagram # is 7, Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a) is below Lowest Adjacent Grade (C2.f)	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the structure should have an elevated floor with the bottom floor at or above ground level, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.F are all correct.
Diagram # is 7, Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a) and Top of Next Highest Floor (C2.b) should be filled out	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the structure should have an elevated floor with an enclosure below, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.B are all correct.
Diagram # is 7, there are values for C2.a + C2.b, and Top of Next Highest Floor (C2.b) is less than 5.0’ above Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a)	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the Top of Next Highest Floor should be greater than 5.0’ above Top of Bottom Floor, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.B are all correct.
Diagram # is 7, Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a) is more than 7.0’ above Lowest Adjacent Grade (C2.f)	Warning	The Building Diagram type indicates that the structure’s Top of Bottom Floor should be close to the Lowest Adjacent Grade, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.F are all correct.

Diagram 8 (Elevated on solid perimeter)

Trigger condition	Type	Issue
Diagram # is 8, Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a) and Top of Next Highest Floor (C2.b) should be filled out	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the structure should have an elevated floor with an enclosure below, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.B are all correct.
Diagram # is 8, Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a) is more than 7.0’ above Lowest Adjacent Grade (C2.f)	Warning	The Building Diagram type indicates that the structure’s Top of Bottom Floor should be close to the Lowest Adjacent Grade, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.F are all correct.
Diagram # is 8, there are values for C2.a + C2.b, and Top of Next Highest Floor (C2.b) is more than 5.0’ above Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a)	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the Top of Next Highest Floor should be less than 5.0’ above Top of Bottom Floor, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.B are all correct.

Diagram 9 (Elevated with enclosure basement)

Trigger condition	Type	Issue
Diagram # is 9, Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a) is above or equal to Lowest Adjacent Grade (C2.f)	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the structure should have a basement with the bottom floor below ground level, however the building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.F are all correct.
Diagram # is 9, Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a) and Top of Next Highest Floor (C2.b) should be filled out	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the structure should have an elevated floor with an enclosure below, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.B are all correct.
Diagram # is 9, there are values for C2.a + C2.b, and Top of Next Highest Floor (C2.b) is more than 5.0’ above Top of Bottom Floor (C2.a)	Error	The Building Diagram type indicates that the Top of Next Highest Floor should be less than 5.0’ above Top of Bottom Floor, however the provided building elevations don’t support that. Please double check that A7, C2.A and C2.B are all correct.

Flood zone and BFE cross-checks

These rules compare building elevations against the Base Flood Elevation or Design Flood Elevation based on the flood zone.

Lowest floor elevation

Trigger condition	Type	Issue
The Flood Zone is A, A1-20, AE, V, V1-20, VE, AH and the NFIP Lowest Floor Elevation is below Effective Base Flood Elevation	Error	The Building’s Lowest Floor is below the Effective Base Flood Elevation.
The Flood Zone is A, A1-20, AE, V, V1-20, VE, AH and the Regulatory Lowest Floor Elevation is below Local Design Flood Elevation	Error	The Building’s Regulatory Lowest Floor is below your Design Flood Elevation.
The Flood Zone is AO and the difference between the NFIP Lowest Floor Elevation & Highest adjacent grade is less than the Effective Base Flood Elevation	Error	The difference between the building’s Lowest Floor and the Highest adjacent grade is below the Effective Base flood depth.
The Flood Zone is AO and the difference between the Regulatory Lowest Floor Elevation & Highest adjacent grade is less than the Local Design Flood Elevation	Error	The difference between the building’s Lowest Floor and the Highest adjacent grade is below your Design Flood Elevation.

Machinery elevation

Trigger condition	Type	Issue
The Flood Zone is A, A1-20, AE, V, V1-20, VE, AH and the Lowest elevation of machinery is below the Effective Base Flood Elevation	Error	The Building’s Lowest elevation of machinery is below the Effective Base Flood Elevation.
The Flood Zone is A, A1-20, AE, V, V1-20, VE, AH and the Lowest elevation of machinery is below Local Design Flood Elevation	Error	The Building’s Lowest elevation of machinery is below your Design Flood Elevation.
The Flood Zone is AO and the difference between the Lowest elevation of machinery & Highest adjacent grade is less than the Effective Base Flood Elevation	Error	The difference between the building’s Lowest elevation of machinery and the Highest adjacent grade is below the Effective Base flood depth.
The Flood Zone is AO and the difference between the Lowest elevation of machinery & Highest adjacent grade is less than the Local Design Flood Elevation	Error	The difference between the building’s Lowest elevation of machinery and the Highest adjacent grade is below your Design Flood Elevation.

​Understanding issue types

​Document-level issues

​Form version issues

​Section A: Building information

​Owner and address

​Building details

​Building diagram

​A8: Crawlspace or enclosure

​A9: Attached garage

​Section B: Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) information

​Community information

​FIRM panel information

​Flood zone and BFE

​CBRS and LiMWA (2026 form)

​Section C: Building elevation information

​Elevation basis and datum

​Building elevations

​Adjacent grade elevations

​Section D: Surveyor/engineer certification

​Section E: Building elevation relative to grade (2026 form)

​Section F: Property owner certification (2026 form)

​Section G: Community information verification (2026 form)

​Building diagram and C2 cross-checks

​Diagram 1A (Slab-on-grade)

​Diagram 1B (Raised slab-on-grade)

​Diagram 2A (Basement)

​Diagram 2B (Basement with walkout)

​Diagram 3 (Split-level)

​Diagram 4 (Split-level basement)

​Diagram 5 (Elevated on crawlspace)

​Diagram 6 (Elevated on enclosure)

​Diagram 7 (Elevated on open foundation)

​Diagram 8 (Elevated on solid perimeter)

​Diagram 9 (Elevated with enclosure basement)

​Flood zone and BFE cross-checks

​Lowest floor elevation

​Machinery elevation

Understanding issue types

Document-level issues

Form version issues

Section A: Building information

Owner and address

Building details

Building diagram

A8: Crawlspace or enclosure

A9: Attached garage

Section B: Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) information

Community information

FIRM panel information

Flood zone and BFE

CBRS and LiMWA (2026 form)

Section C: Building elevation information

Elevation basis and datum

Building elevations

Adjacent grade elevations

Section D: Surveyor/engineer certification

Section E: Building elevation relative to grade (2026 form)

Section F: Property owner certification (2026 form)

Section G: Community information verification (2026 form)

Building diagram and C2 cross-checks

Diagram 1A (Slab-on-grade)

Diagram 1B (Raised slab-on-grade)

Diagram 2A (Basement)

Diagram 2B (Basement with walkout)

Diagram 3 (Split-level)

Diagram 4 (Split-level basement)

Diagram 5 (Elevated on crawlspace)

Diagram 6 (Elevated on enclosure)

Diagram 7 (Elevated on open foundation)

Diagram 8 (Elevated on solid perimeter)

Diagram 9 (Elevated with enclosure basement)

Flood zone and BFE cross-checks

Lowest floor elevation

Machinery elevation