If a property owner thinks their property has been inadvertently mapped in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), they may submit a request to FEMA for a Letter of Map Change (LOMC). The SFHA is defined as the area that will be inundated by the flood event having a 1-percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. A LOMC reflects an official revision or amendment to an effective Flood Insurance Rate Map. If a LOMC request is granted, property owners may be eligible for lower flood insurance premiums, or the option to not purchase flood insurance.

A Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) is one type of LOMC. In cases where LOMAs are granted, a property owner has shown, usually through use of an elevation certificate, that the lowest adjacent grade of their structure is above the base flood elevation. A surveyor or engineer will need to certify the data collected and entered into an elevation certificate for the purposes of a LOMA. You can find tips on how to hire a surveyor here: Hiring a Surveyor. There is also a LOMA Out as Shown (LOMA-OAS) for cases when a property is designated within the SFHA, but an individual structure on that property is not. For more information about a LOMA-OAS, review this Fact Sheet.

A Letter of Map Revision Based on Fill (LOMR-F) is another type of LOMC. In LOMR-F determinations, a property owner has shown that they have elevated their structure, on fill, to a level above the base flood elevation that effectively removes them from the SFHA. Similar to a LOMA, a surveyor or engineer is needed to collect and verify lowest floor and elevation data that will be submitted via an elevation certificate in addition to a LOMR-F application. 

The Online LOMC is an internet-based tool that allows applicants to request a LOMA electronically in lieu of filing the MT-EZ on paper. It is a convenient way for applicants to upload all information and supporting documentation, and to check the status of their application.

Before pursuing a LOMC, it is recommended that property owners first discuss disputes about their flood zone determination with their lender, then ask about having a zone determination redone. This method could be less time consuming and less expensive than the LOMC process might be. 

For additional information about LOMCs, review FEMA's webpage about Changing Your Flood Zone Determination, or contact the DWR Floodplain Program with questions. 

You can also view previously approved or denied LOMCs on the Statewide LOMC web map. 

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