Adoption of Flood 

Insurance Rate Maps by 

Participating Communities

FEMA 495/September 2005
'MPPE )B[BSE %BUB %FWFMPQNFOU'MPPE .BQ  'MPPE 4UVEZ 1SPEVDUJPO

*OJUJBM 4DPQJOH

.FFUJOH )FME

This brochure addresses several questions about adopting 

the Flood Insurance Rate Map by communities. As a 

participating community in the NFIP, your community is 

responsible for making sure that its floodplain management 

regulations meet or exceed the minimum requirements 

of the NFIP. By law, the Department of Homeland 

Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 

cannot offer flood insurance in communities that do not 

have regulations that meet or exceed these minimum 

requirements. These regulations can be found in Title 44

of the Code of Federal Regulations (44 CFR) Section 60.3. You 

can also find them in model ordinances developed by most 

States and by FEMA Regional Offices. 

The basis of your community’s floodplain management 

regulations is the flood hazard data provided to the 

community by FEMA. FEMA identifies flood hazards 

nationwide and publishes and updates flood hazard data 

in support of the NFIP. Under Map Modernization, FEMA 

will be updating and modernizing the flood hazard maps 

for most communities. Flood hazard data will be provided 

to communities in the form of a Flood Insurance Rate Map 

(FIRM) (hereafter referred to as the “flood map”) and a 

Flood Insurance Study (FIS) (hereafter referred to as the 

“flood study”). Your community will need to adopt the 

new or revised flood map and flood study. 

The identification of flood hazards serves many important 

purposes. Identifying flood hazards creates an awareness 

of the hazard, especially for those who live and work in 

flood-prone areas. Maps provide States and communities 

with the information needed for land use planning and to 

reduce flood risk to floodplain development and implement 

other health and safety requirements through codes and 

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) was established with the passage of the National 

Flood Insurance Act of 1968. The NFIP is a Federal program enabling property owners in 

participating communities to purchase insurance as a protection against flood losses in exchange 

for State and community floodplain management regulations that reduce future flood damages. 

Over 20,000 communities participate in the Program.

Adoption of Flood Insurance Rate 

Maps By Participating Communities

Flood Study And Adoption Timeline
%BZ "QQFBM 1FSJPE

PO 'MPPE &MFWBUJPOT

3FTPMWF "QQFBMT

 'JOBMJ[F .BQ

1SPEVDUT

4JY.POUI "EPQUJPO 1FSJPE 

%BZT

%BUF PG

&GGFDUJWF

'MPPE .BQ

-FUUFS PG 'JOBM

%FUFSNJOBUJPO

*TTVFE

'JOBM $PNNVOJUZ

.FFUJOH )FME

1SFMJNJOBSZ 3FQPSU

 .BQ *TTVFE

&OE PG "QQFBM

1FSJPE

* The timeframe for completing these activities may vary.

regulations. States and communities can also use the 

information for emergency management. 

Each time that FEMA provides your community with 

additional flood hazard data, your community must adopt 

new floodplain management regulations or amend existing 

regulations to incorporate the new data and meet any 

additional requirements that result from any changes in 

the data, such as the designation of a floodway for the first 

time. Your floodplain management regulations must also 

meet any additional State requirements and be adopted 

through a process that complies with any procedural 

requirements established in your State for the adoption of 

ordinances or regulations. 

What is the process for developing new flood hazard data 

or revising existing data? 

FEMA works closely with communities to develop new 

flood hazard data or revise existing data during the flood 

study process. In general, the study process includes the 

following activities:

• FEMA holds a scoping meeting with community officials 

to identify where a new flood study is necessary and the 

type of study and extent (number of stream miles) of the 

study. 

• FEMA undertakes a flood study to identify the flood 

hazards and to develop Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) 

(hereafter referred to as “flood elevations”) and 

floodways for the areas of study identified during the 

scoping process. In addition, the mapping process 

includes activities such as obtaining the base map, 

incorporating Letters of Map Change, and developing the 

flood hazard database. 

• When the study is completed, FEMA provides the 

community with a preliminary flood map and flood 

study for review. In addition, FEMA may hold a public 

meeting – often referred to as the “Final Meeting” to 

explain and obtain comments on the preliminary flood 

map and flood study. 

• FEMA provides a 90-day appeal period when new or 

revised flood elevations are proposed. Before the appeal 

period is initiated, FEMA will publish the proposed 

flood elevation determinations in the Federal Register 

and notify the community’s Chief Executive Officer of 

the determination. FEMA will then publish information 

about the flood elevation determinations at least twice 

in a local newspaper. The appeal period provides the 

community and owners or lessees of property in the 

community an opportunity to submit information 

on whether the flood elevations are scientifically or 

technically incorrect. 

• At the end of the 90-day appeal period, FEMA resolves 

all appeals and finalizes the flood map and flood study.

• FEMA then issues a Letter of Final Determination 

(LFD) (hereafter referred to as the “final letter”), which 

establishes the final flood elevations, and provides the 

new flood map and flood study to the community. The 

final letter initiates the six-month adoption period. 

The community must adopt or amend its floodplain 

management regulations during this six-month period. 

• The flood map and flood study become effective at the 

end of the six-month period. The effective date is also 

the date when flood insurance rates will be based on 

the new flood data for new construction built after this 

date. The effective map will be the one that will be used 

by federally insured or regulated lenders to determine if 

flood insurance is required as a condition of a loan. 

FEMA has also entered into agreements with over 200 

communities, States, and regional agencies to be active 

partners in FEMA’s flood hazard mapping program under 

the Cooperating Technical Partner (CTP) Program. These 
Digital Flood Map

agencies are participating with FEMA in developing and 

updating flood maps. (See the box on the inside of the back 

cover page for a brief description of the CTP program.)

What must an NFIP participating community do when 

FEMA provides new or revised flood hazard data?

Each time FEMA provides a community with new or 

revised flood hazard data, the community must either 

adopt new floodplain management regulations or amend 

its existing regulations to reference the new flood map and 

flood study. In some cases, communities may have to adopt 

additional floodplain management requirements if a new 

type of flood hazard data is provided, such as a new flood 

zone (going from an A Zone without flood elevations to an 

AE Zone with flood elevations or going from an AE Zone to 

a V Zone – the coastal high hazard area), or the addition of 

a floodway designation. 

The following guide is to help you determine whether 

changes need to be made in your community’s floodplain 

management regulations when a new or revised flood map 

and flood study are provided:

• If the community’s floodplain management regulations 

are compliant with the NFIP requirements when the final 

letter is issued, the community needs to amend only the 

map reference section of their floodplain management 

regulations to identify the new flood map and flood 

study. 

• If the community has a legally valid automatic adoption 

clause established in the map reference section of 

the regulations and the community’s regulations are 

otherwise compliant with the NFIP requirements, then 

the floodplain management regulations do not need 

to be amended. Automatic adoption clauses adopt all 

future revisions to the flood map without further action 

by the community. Automatic adoption clauses are not 

permitted in many States.

• If the community is provided a new type of flood hazard 

data, the community will need to either adopt new 

regulations or amend existing regulations to include the 

appropriate NFIP requirements in addition to referencing 

the new flood map and flood study.

The final letter indicates the sections of the NFIP floodplain 

management requirements at 44 CFR Section 60.3 that a 
Breckenridge, Minnesota, 1997

community must adopt based on the type of flood hazard 

data provided to the community. 

You can contact the FEMA Regional Office or your State 

NFIP Coordinating Agency for assistance on the specific 

requirements your community will need to adopt. (See 

“For Assistance” on the back cover page for contact 

information.) 

If your community has adopted higher standards than the 

minimum requirements of the NFIP, your community may 

qualify for a reduction in flood insurance premiums for 

your citizens under the Community Rating System (CRS). 

(See the box on the inside of the back cover for a brief 

description of the CRS.)

When must a community adopt the new or revised flood 

hazard data?

Your community must amend its existing floodplain 

management regulations or adopt new regulations before 

the effective date of the flood map, which is identified 

in the final letter. The final letter initiates the six-month 

adoption period. 

Communities are encouraged to adopt the appropriate 

floodplain management regulations as soon as possible after 

the final letter is issued. The adopted regulations must be 

submitted to FEMA or the State and be approved by FEMA 

before the effective date of the flood map. 

FEMA will send two letters notifying the community that 

it must have approved floodplain management regulations 

in place before the effective date of the flood map. The 

first letter is a reminder letter and is sent to the community 

90 days before the effective date. The second letter is sent 

to the community 30 days before the effective date of the 

flood map. This letter is the actual letter that notifies the 

community it will be suspended from the NFIP if it does 

not adopt the flood map before the effective date. Notice of 

the suspension is also published in the Federal Register. 

If the community adopts or amends its floodplain 

management regulations prior to the effective date of the 

flood map and the FEMA Regional Office approves the 

community’s regulations, the suspension will not go into 

effect and the community will remain eligible for the NFIP.
ADOPTING YOUR COMMUNITY'S NEW DIGITALLY-FORMATTED FLOOD MAP

FEMA will be reformatting your community’s existing (paper) 

flood map into a digital format. This means taking your existing 

flood map and producing a digital, geospatially referenced 

flood layer on a new, digital base map. For some communities 

where existing flood data is determined to be accurate, FEMA 

will prepare the new flood map without developing new flood 

hazard data or changing existing data (elevations or flood flows). 

However, geospatially referencing the floodplain delineations to a 

new base map will likely result in some changes in the floodplain 

boundaries. In addition, the flood map and flood study will be 

modified to incorporate Letters of Map Change that have been 

approved by FEMA since the original flood map was issued for 

your community.

When reformatting your community’s map to a digital format, the 

flood map will need to be republished with a new effective date. 

Communities will be given a review period and an opportunity 

to provide comments to FEMA on the new flood map. In these 

cases, your community’s floodplain management regulations 

will have to be amended to reference the new map unless 

your community has a valid automatic adoption provision. 

The digitally based flood map will provide you with increased 

capabilities in using the flood hazard information for floodplain 

management and other purposes.

Elevated home on pile foundation Elevated home on crawl space foundation

What happens if a community does not adopt the 

appropriate floodplain management regulations during the 

six-month adoption period?

If a community does not adopt new floodplain management 

regulations or amend its existing regulations before the 

effective date of the flood map, the community will be 

suspended from the NFIP. 

The following sanctions apply if a community is suspended 

from the NFIP: 

• Property owners will not be able to purchase NFIP 

flood insurance policies and existing policies will not be 

renewed.

• Federal grants or loans for development will not be 

available in identified flood hazard areas under programs 

administered by Federal agencies such as the Department 

of Housing and Urban Development, Environmental 

Protection Agency, and Small Business Administration.

• Federal disaster assistance will not be provided to repair 

insurable buildings located in identified flood hazard 

areas for damage caused by a flood.

• Federal mortgage insurance or loan guarantees will not 

be provided in identified flood hazard areas such as those 

written by the Federal Housing Administration and the 

Department of Veteran Affairs.

• Federally insured or regulated lending institutions, 

such as banks and credit unions, are allowed to 

make conventional loans for insurable buildings in 

flood hazard areas of non-participating communities. 

However, the lender must notify applicants that the 

property is in a flood hazard area and that the property is 

not eligible for Federal disaster assistance. Some lenders 

may voluntarily choose not to make these loans.

If your community is suspended from the NFIP for failure 

to adopt or amend its floodplain management regulations 

prior to the map effective date, your community can be 

reinstated into the program upon adoption. If development 

takes place in your community during suspension that 

does not meet the minimum NFIP requirements, your 

community will be asked to take actions to reduce the 

increased flood hazard prior to reinstatement.
 

 BECOMING AN NFIP 

 COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM (CRS) COMMUNITY

The NFIP CRS recognizes community efforts that go beyond the 

minimum floodplain management requirements of the NFIP. CRS 

recognizes these efforts by reducing flood insurance premiums 

from 5% to 45% for the community’s property owners. Your 

community is probably already doing many things that it can get 

credit for under CRS that will reduce flood insurance premiums for 

your citizens. Here are just a few:

· Adopting and enforcing higher standards for safer new 

development,

· Informing people about flood hazards, flood insurance, and 

how to reduce flood damage, and

· Preserving open space in the floodplain.

To get credit, officials in your community simply need to prepare 

an application showing what’s being done. FEMA can even 

provide you assistance in preparing the application. Once 

FEMA has verified the information, the flood insurance premium 

discounts will go into effect. The amount of discount depends on 

what your community does.

The CRS has many benefits:

· Prevent property damage for your citizens,

· Avoid lost jobs and economic devastation caused by flooding,

· Prevent damage and disruption to community infrastructure, 

and

· Save lives. 

To Learn More about CRS, you can visit the following website: 

http://www.fema.gov/business/nfip/crs.shtm

Or you can call

 (317) 848-2898

 BECOMING A COOPERATING TECHNICAL PARTNER (CTP) 

One of the key objectives of Map Modernization is to increase 

local involvement in, and ownership of, the flood study process 

and the flood hazard data. To meet this objective, FEMA 

established the CTP Program. This program enables communities 

and regional and State agencies that have the interest, 

capabilities, and resources to be active partners in FEMA’s flood 

hazard-mapping program. 

One of the major objectives of the CTP Program is to recognize 

States, regional agencies, and communities with proactive 

floodplain management programs that include identifying the 

flood risk and getting the information incorporated into official 

FEMA flood hazard data. The CTP Program maintains national 

standards consistent with the NFIP Regulations. The following are 

some of the benefits of being a CTP.

· CTPs are given an opportunity to develop more detailed maps 

by making local geospatial data a part of FEMA flood maps,

· CTPs receive support such as access to existing data, access 

to custom-made FEMA tools, technical assistance, and 

national recognition,

· CTPs receive mentoring support, on-line examples of “best 

practices,” and free training, and

· Communities that participate in the Community Rating System 

(CRS) that also become CTPs or are in an area covered by a 

regional or State CTP may be eligible to receive CRS credit for 

CTP activities.

Another major objective and benefit of the CTP Program is the 

ability to leverage available funding and local data to make the 

most of limited resources. Communities, States, and regional 

agencies can take advantage of these benefits by entering into 

an agreement with FEMA that formalizes the types of mapping 

activities and support the CTP will provide. There are over 

200 communities, States, and regional agencies currently 

participating in the CTP Program.

To Learn More about CTP, you can visit the following website: 

http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/fhm/ctp_main.shtm

Or you can cONTACT THE FEMA REGIONAL OFFICE

 See "For Assistance" on the back page for contact information
FOR ASSISTANCE

If your community needs assistance in adopting the Flood Insurance Rate Maps, you can contact the FEMA Regional 

Office (see below for address and telephone number). You can also contact your respective State Coordinating Agency 

for the NFIP. You can go to http://www.fema.gov/about/contact/regions.shtm for a listing of the FEMA Regional Offices 

and the NFIP State Coordinating Agencies.

REGION I

CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT

99 High Street, 6th Floor

Boston, MA 02110 

877-336-2734

Region II

NJ, NY, PR, VI

26 Federal Plaza, Ste. 1307

New York, NY 10278 

212-680-3609

Region III

DE, DC, MD, PA, VA, WV

615 Chestnut Street, 6th Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19106

215-931-5608

Region IV

AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN

3003 Chamblee-Tucker Rd.

Atlanta, GA 30341

770-220-5200

Region V

IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI

536 South Clark Street

Chicago, IL 60605

312-408-5500

Region VI

AR, LA, NM, OK, TX

Federal Regional Center

800 North Loop 288

Denton, TX 76210

940-898-5399

Region VII

IA, KS, MO, NE

2323 Grand Boulevard, Ste. 900

Kansas City, MO 64108

816-283-7061

Region VIII

CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY

Denver Federal Center, Bldg. 710, Box 25267

Denver, CO 80225

303-235-4800

Region IX

AZ, CA, HI, NV, American Samoa, Guam, 

Marshall Islands and Northern Mariana Islands

1111 Broadway, Suite 1200

Oakland, CA 94607

510-627-7100

Region X

AK, ID, OR, WA

Federal Regional Center

130 228th Street SW

Bothell, WA 98021-9796

425-487-4600