Short answer: For most Hilton Head homes you can get the elevation certificate free from the Town of Hilton Head Island, which keeps every certificate submitted to it after 1983 as a public record. Certificates from 1984 to 2008 are in the Town's online elevation certificate search, and newer ones are attached to the original new-residential permit in the Town's Citizen Self Service portal. If it isn't there, use the Town's request form or call 843-341-4600; for buildings older than 1984, the Town points to Beaufort County's request form.
Key facts
- Cost from the Town: free for certificates submitted after 1983, which are public record (Town of Hilton Head Island).
- Where: 1984 to 2008 certificates in the Town's online search; 2008 to current certificates attached to the original "New Residential" permit in Citizen Self Service.
- Older buildings: for buildings before 1984, the Town points to Beaufort County's elevation certificate request form.
- Form: FEMA Form FF-206-FY-22-152, formerly numbered 086-0-33.
- Who completes a new one: a licensed land surveyor, engineer or architect (FEMA).
- Required to buy flood insurance? Not for most homes under current NFIP pricing, but it can lower the price; FEMA uses whichever first floor height benefits the policyholder.
- Other uses: proof of compliance for building permits, and supporting a request to FEMA to remove a building from the high-risk zone (LOMA).
- Town contact: 843-341-4600, 1 Town Center Court, weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
What is an elevation certificate?
It's a FEMA form, filled out and sealed by a surveyor, engineer or architect, that records a building's location, its flood zone and base flood elevation, and the measured heights of its lowest floor, the ground around it, and its equipment (such as the air conditioning unit). FEMA's short version: it shows how high the building is compared with how high local floodwater is expected to get.
The Town keeps every certificate submitted to it after 1983 as a public record, and certificates for newer homes are filed with the building permit, which is why so many are on file.
How do I find a Hilton Head elevation certificate online?
Start on the Town's Flood Elevation Certificates page, which links both search tools.
For a building permitted 1984 to 2008:
- Open "Search for a 1984-2008 Flood Elevation Certificate."
- Search by the property address.
- Open and save the PDF.
For a building permitted 2008 to now:
- Open "Search for a 2008-Current Flood Elevation Certificate," which goes to the Town's Building and Development Citizen Self Service portal.
- Type the address in the search field and run the search.
- On the left, filter the results to "Permit."
- Open the original "New Residential" permit for the building (not a later re-roof or deck permit).
- Go to the attachments tab. The elevation certificate is listed there.
If you can't find it: use the Town's online Elevation Certificate Request Form, submit a records request, or call 843-341-4600. For buildings built before 1984, use Beaufort County's elevation certificate request form.
A tip for villas and condos: the certificate is usually for the whole building, so search the building's address or the complex's original permit, not the unit number.
Which numbers on the certificate matter?
A handful of entries do most of the work. Section C holds the surveyed elevations. Section H, on the current form, records first floor height for insurance only and doesn't need a survey; FEMA's 2023 elevation certificate FAQ says surveyed elevations in Section C take priority over Section H.
| Entry | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Flood zone and base flood elevation (Section B, item B9 for the BFE) | The zone and BFE from the FEMA map in effect when it was surveyed. Compare to the current map: the Town's maps changed on March 23, 2021. |
| Building diagram number (Section A, item A7) | The foundation type (slab, crawlspace, elevated on piers or pilings, with or without an enclosure below). Insurers rate these differently. |
| Top of bottom floor / lowest floor (Section C2.a) | The key number. Subtract the BFE to see how far above or below the base flood the floor sits. |
| Lowest machinery or equipment (Section C2.e) | Where the air conditioning, water heater or electrical service sits. Low equipment is a common flood loss. |
| Lowest adjacent grade (Section C2.f) | The ground height next to the building, used to figure first floor height. |
| Flood openings (Section A, items A8 and A9) | Size of any enclosure or attached garage, and the number and area of its flood vents. The Town requires at least 1 square inch per square foot of enclosed area, with at least two openings. |
Item numbers here follow the current form. Certificates done on older FEMA forms (and many Hilton Head certificates are decades old) use a different layout, but record the same core heights.
For an AO zone, or an A zone with no BFE, heights go in Section E instead of C, and FEMA's FAQ says Section H is preferred for rating those buildings.
Do I need an elevation certificate to buy flood insurance?
Usually not. Since FEMA's Risk Rating 2.0 pricing, an elevation certificate isn't required to buy an NFIP policy for most homes; FEMA estimates first floor height from its own data. But you can give your agent the certificate, and FEMA applies whichever first floor height value is better for you. A certificate showing the floor well above FEMA's estimate can lower the premium. FEMA notes that homes in high-risk A and V zones may still need one to show the building meets local standards.
So the practical advice is simple: get the free certificate before you request insurance quotes, and give it to every agent who quotes the home.
When do I need a new elevation certificate?
A new survey makes sense when the old certificate no longer describes the building. Common cases on Hilton Head:
- The building was raised, added onto, or rebuilt after the certificate was done.
- The enclosure under the house was changed, or equipment was moved.
- The certificate predates the current FEMA maps and you want to support a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) to take the building out of the high-risk zone.
- You can't find any certificate for the building.
Hire a licensed land surveyor, engineer or architect. Your insurance agent can tell you whether a new survey is likely to change the price before you pay for one.
What do other sites get wrong?
Two common mistakes. First, some pages say every flood policy needs an elevation certificate. That was closer to true under the old rating system; it isn't the rule for most homes now. Second, many pages tell buyers to pay a surveyor for a certificate without mentioning that the Town has most of them free online. Look first.
How we help
We'll pull the elevation certificate for every home on your short list, compare its floor height with the current flood map, and point out anything that doesn't match what we see on site, such as a finished space below the lowest floor. You and your insurance agent get it before you make an offer.
Questions
How much does an elevation certificate cost on Hilton Head?
A copy of an existing certificate is free from the Town of Hilton Head Island for buildings permitted after 1983. A new certificate requires hiring a surveyor, engineer or architect, who sets their own fee; ask for quotes.
Should I ask the seller for the elevation certificate?
Yes, especially if the home was changed after it was built; the seller may have a newer certificate than the Town has. Ask for it along with the current flood policy declarations page, then compare it with the Town's copy.
Sources
- Flood Elevation Certificates, Town of Hilton Head Island (checked October 2026)
- Get an elevation certificate, FEMA FloodSmart (checked October 2026)
- Elevation Certificate FAQ (October 2023), FEMA (checked October 2026)
- NFIP underwriting forms, FEMA (checked October 2026)
- Build Responsibly, Town of Hilton Head Island (checked October 2026)