Certified Floodplain Surveyor (CFS) Program

This certification program educates surveyors on the forms and processes associated with floodplain properties and the submital of Elevation Certificates. To become CFS certified, licensed surveyors must successfully complete the three-day certification seminar and exam. PDH's are awarded for the seminar, however no PDH credit is given for the exam. The specific topics covered in the course are: National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), FIRM Maps, NFIP Regulations and Elevation Certificates, Letters of Map Correction and Letters of Map Correction Processing. There are currently over 200 CFS Certified Surveyors in the state as this certification has become more popluar with recent floodplain/form changes. NCSS offers annually for surveyors seeking to add this certification to their resume.

CFS Contacts

CFS Resources

• Elevation Certificate & Instructions - June 29, 2023 Note: If you receive a “Please Wait” error when trying to download the new Elevation Certificate form, this seems to be due to some incompatibility issues with the alternative PDF viewer used by certain browsers. As a workaround: Right-click on the Download File link and select “save link as,” Save it to your PC. You should then be able to open it. (This site has more details.)  
• National Flood Insurance Program Underwriting Forms
• CFS Fact Sheet
• Case File Summary
• Data Collection Table 
• Elevation Certificate & Instructions 
• Attached Garages and Enclosures Fact Sheet
• MT-1 Forms - MT-1 Technical Guidance 
• FEMA National Flood Insurance Program(NFIP) Map Help
• Flood Risk Information System
• LOMC Tutorial
• MT-EZ Application
• FEMA LOMA/LOMR-F Tutorial
• LOMC Status Update
• 2017 Submission Cover Sheet 
• Attached Garages & Enclosures Fact Sheet

CFS Certified Surveyors

Click HERE to view a list of CFS Certified Surveyors.

CFS Study Guide

If you are preparing for the CFS Certification Course and Exam, the following link will be helpful to you:
CFS Study Guide

Specifically, review and become familiar with the NFIP Regulations. The terms and guidelines outlined in those are woven throughout the course and this will help you to maximize the preparatory class time.

Renewal Policy

All land surveyors who hold the designation of Certified Floodplain Surveyor (CFS) in North Carolina are required to complete a four-hour biennial update course within two (2) years of the initial certification date and every two (2) years thereafter.

If the certification expiration date passes prior to completion of the required update course, the CFS must attend the next available class. The grace period for meeting this requirement may not exceed one (1) year from the expiration date. Failure to complete the update course within this grace period will result in revocation of the certification. To be reinstated, the individual must attend the full CFS course and pass the associated exam.

CFS update courses may be taken through the North Carolina Society of Surveyors (NCSS) or through a program offered by the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS). NSPS-sponsored updates will be recognized, but it is the responsibility of the individual CFS holder to notify NCSS and provide documentation of completion.

This policy ensures that Certified Floodplain Surveyors in North Carolina maintain up-to-date knowledge of floodplain management, regulatory changes, and professional standards.