Flood insurance bill or lender letter?

Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA)

Checked against FEMA and other official sources · Last reviewed October 8, 2026

What a LOMA is and why maps include high ground

FEMA says "limitations in the scale or detail of the source maps used to prepare a FIRM may cause small elevated areas to be included in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA)." A LOMA is the fix for that. LOMAs "can officially amend an effective FIRM" and "can establish that a property is not in an SFHA."

Federal rules let an owner or lessee who believes the property "has been inadvertently included" in a high-risk A or V zone send technical information to FEMA for review. If FEMA agrees, it issues a LOMA naming the community, the map number, and the property removed from the high-risk zone. A copy goes to the local map repository to be attached to the map it amends.

To see the flood zone FEMA currently shows for your address, start with what flood zone am I in? [1][3]

LOMA, LOMR-F, LOMR and LOMC: the differences

A Letter of Map Change (LOMC) is the umbrella term for documents FEMA issues to revise or amend the flood map. There are three main types:

• LOMA (Letter of Map Amendment): for a building or land on naturally high ground. Property owners can apply.
• LOMR-F (Letter of Map Revision Based on Fill): for property raised by earth fill placed outside the regulatory floodway. The lowest adjacent grade must be at or above the BFE, and community floodplain officials must find the land and structures "reasonably safe from flooding." FEMA charges a fee to review a LOMR-F.
• LOMR (Letter of Map Revision): a change to the effective map itself, usually based on physical projects that change how a river or stream floods. Developers, engineering firms, and a community's chief executive officer may apply, with acknowledgement from the community.

The LOMA rules don't apply if the ground has been altered since the first flood map showed the property in a high-risk area. Property raised by fill goes through the LOMR-F process instead.

There are also "conditional" versions (CLOMA, CLOMR, CLOMR-F), which are FEMA's comments on proposed projects before they are built. [1][3][4][5]

Who qualifies for a LOMA

FEMA decides by comparing ground elevations with the base flood elevation. The tests are:

• For a building: the lowest adjacent grade (LAG), meaning "the lowest ground touching the structure," must be at or above the base flood elevation (BFE).
• For one or more lots: the lowest point on each lot must be at or above the BFE.
• "Out as shown": if the property information shows the building is already outside the high-risk area on the map, FEMA calls it "out as shown." No elevation data is needed in this case.

Some high-risk areas, such as zone A, have no base flood elevation on the map. For properties of less than 50 lots or 5 acres, FEMA will try to calculate the BFE when you apply. If no data are available, you may need to supply a survey so FEMA can develop a site-specific BFE.

For what the base flood is, see what is a 100-year flood? [1][3]

How to apply

FEMA says, "You may complete the request online or by sending paper forms by mail."

• Online LOMC: FEMA's Online LOMC tool is open to "anyone, including communities, home or property owners, their representatives, and professional surveyors and engineers." It is an alternative to the paper MT-EZ, MT-1, and MT-2 forms.
• MT-EZ form (paper): "The MT-EZ Form is to be used for LOMA requests involving a single residential lot or structure."
• MT-1 forms: FEMA says the MT-1 package and Online LOMC are used for all LOMR-F requests.
• eLOMA: a separate tool for licensed professionals. FEMA says registered users can "generate a determination from FEMA within minutes of submitting required information and data."

[2][6][7]

What you need to send

FEMA's Online LOMC help lists items such as a copy of the FIRM panel or a FIRMette, an elevation form or existing elevation certificate, and a "Subdivision Plat Map or Property Deed with Tax Assessor's Map or Other Suitable Map."

Elevation data must be certified. FEMA asks for elevation information certified by a licensed land surveyor or registered professional engineer, and the federal rules list such a certification, that the lowest grade next to the structure is above the base flood elevation, among the technical information you can submit. You can put the elevation data on the MT-EZ or MT-1 form, or "opt to submit an Elevation Certificate that includes the LAG elevation data." FEMA notes an elevation certificate "may be available from the community." To check, contact your local floodplain officials or planning and zoning office. [1][3][7]

Cost and how long it takes

FEMA's review is free. FEMA says, "There is no review and processing fee for the FEMA review of a LOMA request," and federal rules exempt LOMA requests from review fees. By contrast, FEMA charges a fee to review LOMR-F requests.

Your own costs can still add up. If you need an elevation certificate, FEMA notes that a licensed professional "may be able to provide one for a fee."

Timing: FEMA says an "amendment determination [is] issued within 60 days of receipt of all required data." The clock starts when FEMA has all the required data. Under federal rules, FEMA can also notify you that it needs an additional 60 days. [2][3][5][8]

What a LOMA does to your flood insurance requirement

The federal flood insurance requirement applies to buildings in high-risk areas with a mortgage from a federally regulated lender or servicer. With a LOMA, "the federal flood insurance requirement no longer applies. However, your lender can still require flood insurance as a condition of the loan."

If your lender agrees to waive the requirement, "you may be entitled to a refund of the premium paid for the current policy year." To cancel, send a copy of the LOMA and the lender's waiver to your flood insurance agent or broker.

FEMA adds that a LOMA "does not mean there is no risk of flooding," and it recommends flood insurance even when neither the law nor a lender requires it. See do I need flood insurance? and flood insurance cost. [1]

Questions people ask