What Is a LOMA? Letter of Map Amendment Explained

A Letter of Map Amendment, or LOMA, is a FEMA determination that a specific property or structure shown inside a Special Flood Hazard Area on the flood map actually sits on natural high ground above the Base Flood Elevation. It corrects the map for that one property without FEMA having to redraw and republish the entire flood map for the community. For the property owner, an approved LOMA removes the federal mandatory flood insurance purchase requirement tied to being mapped in a high-risk zone.

Here is what a LOMA does, how it differs from a related document called a LOMR-F, and what generally goes into getting one.

What a LOMA Actually Changes

A LOMA does not change the actual ground elevation of a property, and it does not change the community's flood map for anyone else. It is a determination, specific to one property, that the property was already on natural high ground above the Base Flood Elevation at the time the map was drawn. The map simply had not reflected that detail.

Because a LOMA addresses natural ground that was already high enough, no fill, grading or construction is involved in the determination. That is the key difference from the document covered next.

LOMA vs. LOMR-F: What's the Difference

A LOMA and a LOMR-F (Letter of Map Revision Based on Fill) both remove a property from a Special Flood Hazard Area, but they apply to different situations:

• A LOMA applies when the property was already on natural high ground above the Base Flood Elevation, and the map simply had not reflected it.
• A LOMR-F applies when fill was added to raise the property above the Base Flood Elevation, meaning the ground was lower before work was done to elevate it.

The distinction matters because a LOMR-F generally requires documentation about the fill itself — when it was placed, how much, and to what elevation — while a LOMA is based on the property's unaltered natural ground.

What Goes Into a LOMA Application

A LOMA application is submitted to FEMA and generally includes documentation establishing the property's elevation relative to the Base Flood Elevation. In practice, that means:

• A completed FEMA application form identifying the property and the specific structure or lot.
• Elevation data, often from a licensed surveyor, showing the lowest ground elevation at the property or the lowest elevation of the structure, compared against the Base Flood Elevation on the effective map.
• Supporting documents such as a copy of the recorded plat or a property description, depending on what FEMA's review requires for that application.

FEMA reviews the submission and either issues the LOMA, requests more information, or determines the property does not qualify.

How a LOMA Affects Your Mandatory Flood Insurance Requirement

Federally regulated lenders require flood insurance on a building located in a Special Flood Hazard Area as a condition of the mortgage. An approved LOMA, by establishing that the specific property is not actually in that zone, removes the basis for that mandatory purchase requirement going forward.

That said, the LOMA has to be in hand and provided to the lender before the requirement goes away in practice. Until then, the mandatory purchase requirement tied to the current map stands.

Does Removing the Requirement Mean You Don't Need Flood Insurance

No. A LOMA removes a federal mandatory purchase requirement; it does not change the physical world. A property on high ground still sits near water, near a floodplain, or in a community where heavy rain can cause problems the map was never trying to capture in the first place. Many property owners with an approved LOMA keep a flood policy anyway, simply because being just above the Base Flood Elevation is a close call, not a guarantee.

Common Mistakes with LOMAs

• Submitting fill documentation for a LOMA application. If the ground was raised with fill, the correct document is a LOMR-F, not a LOMA.
• Assuming an approved LOMA lowers your flood risk. It corrects the map's classification of a property that was already on high ground. It does not change the ground itself.
• Dropping flood coverage the day a LOMA is approved. The mandatory requirement and the actual flood risk are two different questions.
• Applying without current elevation data. FEMA's review depends on accurate, often surveyor-provided, elevation information for the property.

Pro Tips from Sterling Flood Underwriters

Keep a copy of the approved LOMA with your property records. Lenders, future buyers and future insurers will all want to see it.

Get elevation data from a licensed surveyor before applying. Accurate numbers up front move a LOMA application faster than one missing key elevation details.

Get a Quote

Whether or not a LOMA is in the picture for your property, Sterling can quote flood coverage either way, with or without an elevation certificate. Get a flood insurance quote from Sterling Flood.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does LOMA stand for?

Letter of Map Amendment. It is a FEMA determination that a specific property, shown inside a Special Flood Hazard Area on the map, is actually on natural high ground above the Base Flood Elevation.

How is a LOMA different from a LOMR-F?

A LOMA applies to natural ground that was already high enough. A LOMR-F applies when fill was added to raise a property above the Base Flood Elevation.

Does a LOMA remove my mortgage lender's flood insurance requirement?

An approved LOMA removes the basis for the federal mandatory purchase requirement once it has been provided to the lender, since the property is no longer classified as being in the Special Flood Hazard Area.

Should I keep flood insurance after getting a LOMA?

That is a personal decision. A LOMA addresses the mandatory purchase requirement, not the actual chance of water reaching the property, and many owners keep coverage regardless.