What is a LOMA, and does your home qualify?

A Letter of Map Amendment is FEMA's official correction for a building mapped into a flood zone it sits above. It's the mechanism behind every legitimate "get out of flood insurance" story.

The basics


What it does	Officially removes your structure from the Special Flood Hazard Area; the mandatory insurance requirement goes with it
FEMA fee	$0 for a standard single-structure LOMA
What it requires	Field-surveyed elevations certified by a licensed land surveyor or engineer (commonly $500–$2,000)
Timeline	Very fast via eLOMA when your surveyor is registered for FEMA's program (eLOMA covers structures on natural grade, outside the floodway); up to 60 days by standard mail-in review
The test	Lowest adjacent grade of the structure at or above the Base Flood Elevation

The smart order of operations

A licensed surveyor's certified elevations are the authoritative measurement - FEMA's decision rests on them, and nothing we do replaces that field work. A screening simply helps you arrive at the survey step informed, with the federal research already assembled. The order that works:

Screen first. USGS LiDAR elevation data (accurate to roughly half a foot on open ground, closer to a foot in vegetated yards) compared against the governing BFE gives you an initial read on your situation. That's our Elevation Evidence Report (free during our launch run): verdict, margin in feet, map exhibits, and the FIRM citations your surveyor needs.
Commission the survey. The surveyor's Elevation Certificate is the evidence FEMA actually accepts - it is the decisive step, and our report typically shortens the research half of their work.
File. No FEMA fee; eLOMA if your professional offers it.
Deliver FEMA's letter to your lender and insurer. Requirement lifted; most lenders waive the requirement when shown the letter (they retain discretion), and premium recovery follows the NFIP's cancellation rules.

Find out if it's worth pursuing: Check your address free

LOMA vs. LOMR-F vs. LOMR

LOMA: your structure sits on natural high ground (no FEMA fee). LOMR-F: your pad was raised with engineered fill (FEMA review fee applies). LOMR: FEMA revises the map for a whole area. This is how entire neighborhoods get removed at once, and why it's worth checking whether you're already out.