Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) in Florida Real Estate: Meaning, Cost & What Buyers Should Know (2026)

Quick definition

A Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) is FEMA's official determination that a property or structure — though shown inside a Special Flood Hazard Area on the flood map — actually sits at or above the base flood elevation and should be treated as outside the zone. It is obtained by application with surveyed elevation evidence (typically an elevation certificate). A successful LOMA removes the federal mandatory flood-insurance requirement for most lenders, though lenders may still require coverage by policy.

When a LOMA makes sense

Flood maps draw zones at area scale; individual lots on high ground get swept in. If an elevation certificate shows the lowest adjacent grade or lowest floor at or above the BFE, a LOMA application documents it to FEMA. Florida's flat terrain makes marginal cases common — a foot of fill at construction often put the slab above BFE even where the lot is mapped AE.

What it changes — and doesn't

A LOMA lifts the statutory mandatory-purchase requirement tied to federally backed loans. It does not change the physical risk: water doesn't read maps, and lenders retain discretion to require coverage. Many owners keep a (cheaper, lower-zone-rated) policy after a LOMA — the sensible reading is 'the requirement changed,' not 'the risk vanished.'

Process and cost

The standard LOMA application to FEMA is free; the real cost is the surveyor's elevation certificate. Determinations arrive as an official letter that follows the property — keep it with the records and give it to your insurer and any future buyer; it's a genuine selling point.

Common questions.

Does a LOMA eliminate the need for flood insurance?

It removes the federal mandatory-purchase requirement for most loans on that structure. Lenders can still require coverage, and the underlying flood risk is unchanged — many owners keep a lower-cost policy.

What do I need to apply for a LOMA?

Surveyed elevation evidence — typically an elevation certificate showing the structure at or above the base flood elevation — plus the application forms. The FEMA application itself is free.

Does a LOMA transfer to the next owner?

Yes — it's a determination about the structure and parcel, not the owner. Provide the letter at sale; it directly affects the buyer's insurance requirements.

Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA)

When a LOMA makes sense

What it changes — and doesn't

Process and cost

Common questions.

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