As licensed and insured professional engineers, land surveyors and providers of Flood Elevation Certificates in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, we receive calls daily from individuals who ask “What is a flood elevation certificate?” and “Why do I need one?” But it isn’t only homeowners; businesses can also be impacted. Commercial realtors are often faced with these same questions. Here are just a few of the FAQs.What is a Flood Zone?A Flood Zone is an area that the government has determined has a high, medium or low probability that a flood will occur based upon severe weather conditions. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) use results of extensive flood studies to determine such zones and publishes “Flood Insurance Rate Maps” (FIRM) on the FEMA Map website.What is a Flood Elevation Certificate and where do I get one?The National Flood Insurance Program uses Flood Elevation Certificates to certify the base flood elevation of residential and commercial buildings.