Overview: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Standard Flood Hazard Determination Form (SFHDF)

FEMA SFHDF Form Overview

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Standard Flood Hazard Determination Form (SFHDF) is a required document used to determine whether a property is located in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), which is an area at high risk for flooding.

Key Points about the SFHDF:

✅ Purpose:

• To identify flood risks for properties involved in real estate transactions.
• To comply with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and federal regulations requiring lenders to determine if flood insurance is needed.

✅ Who Uses It:

• Lenders use the form during mortgage origination, refinancing, or loan servicing.
• Insurers and regulatory agencies may also review it.

✅ What It Includes:

1. Property Location Info – address, legal description, parcel number, etc.
2. Flood Zone Information – based on FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), including:
   • Flood zone designation (e.g., Zone A, AE, X)
   • Whether the property is in an SFHA
3. Community Info – NFIP community name and number.
4. Map Details – FEMA map number and effective date.
5. Determination Result – whether flood insurance is required.
6. Signature – of the person making the determination.

✅ Importance:

• If the form shows the property is in an SFHA (Zones A or V), flood insurance is mandatory for federally backed mortgages.
• Helps standardize flood risk evaluations nationwide.

✅ Form Number:

• FEMA Form 086-0-32, often just called the SFHDF.