​The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is a federal provider of flood insurance policies. Flood insurance is required for mortgages on structures in areas designated as a Special Flood Hazard Area and Coastal High Hazard Area. Lee County joined the NFIP in September 1984 when the County adopted its first Flood Insurance Rate Maps. Those maps establish flood zones and base flood elevations to determine the cost of flood insurance premiums.

As a member of NFIP, Lee County assists our citizens with services including: 

• Flood zone verification - Look up a flood zone for parcels in unincorporated Lee County
• FIRM Letter – Request a letter verifying the current and either the previous or time-of-construction flood zone for parcels in unincorporated Lee County, along with other useful flood-related information
• Flood maps – Download current and historic map panels
• Search for an elevation certificate

A Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is a map created by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for floodplain management and flood insurance purposes. These maps are also known as flood maps.

FIRMS, or flood maps, are used to determine flood insurance premium rates and some building code requirements. By law, flood insurance is required for federally backed mortgaged homes residing in flood zones  beginning with the letters  A or V.

Flood zones or SFHAs (Special Flood Hazard Areas) are geographic areas that FEMA has defined according to varying levels of flood risk. Various sources of flooding include but are not limited to: riverine, poor drainage, sheet flow, coastal flooding, rain storms, etc).

A FIRM will generally show a community’s Base Flood Elevations (BFE), floodplain boundaries and flood zones