On-Line LOMC

Online Letter of Map
Change (LOMC)TutorialAmendments
June 2013

Welcome to the Online LOMC Tutorial
for Amendments
What’s in this Tutorial
Background: Flood Maps and LOMCs
Online LOMC
Types of Amendments
Log in and Register
Start & Complete an Amendment Application, Step-by-Step
Upload Supporting Documents
Make a Payment
Check Status
Additional Features of Online LOMC

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What’s in this Tutorial
In this tutorial you will find:
• Information about LOMCs and what you may need to

apply for one
• A step-by-step guide through the online application

process to complete an Amendment request
• Customer service contact information and where you

can get additional help
If you want to know more about submitting a Revision
request, see: fema.gov/online-lomc

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Background: Flood Maps
• Flood maps, or Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), are

community maps that display high-risk floodplains,
specifically:
o Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs)
o Risk premium zones
• FEMA determines flood zones in consultation with
communities, states, and other stakeholders
• SFHAs are land areas at high risk for flooding
o A home located within a SFHA has a 26 percent chance
of suffering flood damage during the term of a 30-year
mortgage
• FIRMs show flood risk zones and their boundaries, and may
also show floodways and Base Flood Elevations (BFEs)
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Background: What Is a LOMC?
What is a LOMC?
• A LOMC is a letter that reflects an official

Amendment or Revision to an effective FIRM
• To get a property removed from a SFHA, FEMA

must issue a LOMC

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Background: Why a LOMC?
Why would you want a LOMC?
• Property owners or lessees within SFHAs who have

mortgages from a federally backed mortgage lender
are required to purchase flood insurance
• If a LOMC is granted, property owners or lessees

may be eligible for lower flood insurance premiums,
or the option to not purchase flood insurance

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Introducing Online LOMC
• Use Online LOMC to request Amendments or Revisions
• Online LOMC may be used to request LOMCs in place

of the MT-EZ , MT-1 or MT-2 paper forms
• Online LOMC does not shorten FEMA’s time to make a

determination
 Determinations will be made within 60 days of a
completed Amendments request and 90 days of a
Revisions request
 Requests are considered ‘complete’ after FEMA has
received all requested data and payment has been
approved
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Introducing Online LOMC
• Anyone can use the Online LOMC!
 Home or property owners, or lessees
 Professional Surveyors
 Professional Engineers
 Other representatives of the property owner or

lessee
Access Online LOMC: www.fema.gov/online-lomc,
www.hazards.fema.gov, or
www.hazards.fema.gov/femaportal/onlinelomc/signin
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Benefits of Submitting a LOMC Online
Why is Online LOMC better than filing by mail?
• Submit, pay, and upload supporting documentation for

all LOMC requests through one single online platform
• Save information online and finish applying at your

convenience
• Easily apply with the clear and intuitive
• Manage multiple LOMC requests with one login
• Check their application status in real-time

• Efficiently communicate with LOMC processing staff

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Which one is right for me, a map
Amendment or Revision?
There are two basic categories of LOMCs:
Amendments and Revisions
Submit an Amendment request if:

Submit a Revision request if:

• You are applying for a LOMA, CLOMA, • You are applying for a LOMR or
LOMR-F, or CLOMR-F
CLOMR
• You would have completed the MT-EZ • You would have completed the MT-2
or MT-1 paper forms if submitting by
paper form if submitting by mail
mail
• You are requesting revisions to
• Your request pertains to a small area of
effective FIS reports or FIRMs
high ground (a property or structure)
located within a SFHA or the
placement of fill on a property
• You are a homeowner or lessee,
developer, or community official, or
acting on behalf of one

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Types of Amendments
Use the Online LOMC to submit an Amendment (MT-EZ, MT-1)
Types of LOMAs

Description

Letter of Map
Amendment
(LOMA)

Typically, a LOMA is issued when the scale of the FIRM does not
allow for small areas of natural high ground to be shown outside
the SFHA

Conditional Letter
of Map Amendment
(CLOMA)

A letter from FEMA stating a proposed structure that is not to be
elevated by fill (natural grade) would not be inundated by the base
flood if built as proposed

Letter of Map
Revision based on
Fill (LOMR-F)

A LOMR-F is similar to a LOMA, but instead of being based on
natural ground elevations, the property or structure has been
elevated by fill in order to elevate it above the flood elevation

Conditional Letter
of Map Revision
based on Fill
(CLOMR-F)

A letter from FEMA stating a parcel of land or proposed structure
that will be elevated by fill would not be inundated by the base
flood if fill is placed on the parcel as proposed or the structure is
built as proposed

To access the training presentation demonstrating how to submit an Online
LOMC Revision (LOMR, CLOMR) see www.fema.gov/online-lomc
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What else do you need?
Additional forms may be required to complete an Amendment
Application
Additional requirements

Where you can find it

Elevation Form or Existing Elevation
Certificate*

Within Online LOMC application or on fema.gov

FIRM Panel or FIRMette

MSC store: msc.fema.gov

(A) Subdivision Plat Map or (B) Property
Deed with Tax Assessor’s map or other
suitable map

County/Parish Clerk, Recorder, or Registrar of
Deeds for your Community

ESA Compliance Documentation

Contact the National Marine Fishery Service,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, State Wildlife
Agency Office, or Independent Biologist

*If an NFIP Elevation Certificate has already been completed for the property, it may be submitted
in lieu of the Elevation Form. Check with your community to see if an Elevation Certificate is
already on file for your property or structure.

Scan, upload, and submit these forms via Online LOMC
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eLOMA vs. Online LOMC
eLOMA is web-based application that provides licensed land surveyors
and professional engineers with a system to submit simple LOMA
requests to FEMA
o Only for a sub-set of LOMA requests
o Generates a determination from FEMA in minutes
o Must be a Licensed Professional to use
o For more information on eLOMA, visit this FAQ

What’s the difference?
• Only licensed surveyors and engineers can submit a LOMA request

through eLOMA, but anyone can use Online LOMC
• eLOMA only accepts the most basic LOMA requests and the

determination is made automatically with standard checks, instead of
lengthier manual review
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Online LOMC Walk-Through for
Amendments
The following screens show the step-by-step process
of submitting a LOMC through the Online LOMC

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Log-in Page
• Key Features: FAQ, Help,

Contact FMIX
• By clicking ‘Contact

FMIX,’ the FMIX website
opens in a separate
window:
https://www.floodmaps.fe
ma.gov/fhm/fmx_main.ht
ml

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New User Registration
New users must register before starting Online LOMC

All
information
is encrypted
and
protected
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New User Registration
An error message will
display if there is
missing or improper
information
The email address
entered here will be
used for all official
communication (i.e. a
request for more
information,
notification of a
determination on your
application)
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New User Registration
Choose three security
questions

Enter the letters or symbols for
account validation – punctuation
and capitalization matter
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Activation Code
After you create an account, the system will send you
an email with an access code

19

Retrieve the Activation Code
• Check the email address you used when creating your account
• Email will contain a subject ‘Online LOMC account created’
• From [email protected]

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Enter the Activation Code
Enter your Activation Code,
then click ‘Activate Code’

• Return to the Log-in

screen, enter your
email address and
password
• The first time you log

in, the system will
prompt you to enter
the activation code
• If you cannot find the

activation code, you
may request a new
code

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Customer Support

Customer
Support
Options

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Application Status Page
Main page after log-in

Start an Amendment or
Revision application from
this page

Select the ‘Not sure?’ link
if you are not sure what
type of application to
select
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Application Status Page:
Customer Support
‘E-mail Us’ button:
[email protected]

FMIX Live Chat support
will pop up in a new
window
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Start a New Application

Start an Amendment
Application

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Incomplete Requests
• You must log into Online LOMC every month, open

any incomplete LOMC requests, and save any
incomplete LOMC requests to keep them active
• If you have not logged in and re-saved un-submitted

LOMC applications for 30 days, Online LOMC will
send you an email notice that your un-submitted
application will be deleted in 14 days
• This does not apply to submitted applications

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Time-out
• If you leave the Online LOMC screen for 25 minutes,

a pop-up window will appear with a 5-minute
warning that your session will time-out
• If you click on the warning before the 5 minutes are

up, your session will be extended
• When time-out occurs, you will be logged out
• When your session times-out and you have not

saved, you may lose unsaved information
• Time-out occurs after leaving Online LOMC idle for

30 minutes
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Flood Zone Information
An Application ID is generated after your first save, or
when you first click ‘Continue’
‘Contact FMIX’,
‘FAQ’, and ‘Help’ will
remain accessible
from each screen

Navigation buttons
will appear at the
bottom right hand
corner of each
screen

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Flood Zone Information
• Enter the required

information for the
LOMC-targeted
property, and click
‘Continue’
• If a construction date is

required, you will be
prompted to select a
month and year

Options will become
available, depending on your
answer to the questions
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Community Information
• Enter the details for

your property’s
community, then click
‘Add Community’
• If you do not know

your community, look
up this information on
the Map Service
Center website
(www.msc.fema.gov),
click ‘Help’ to learn
more

Click ‘Add Community’ after
all information has been
entered, then continue

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Community Information
You may edit or delete your community information at
any time before final submission

31

Property Address
• Add the address of the

LOMC-targeted property
• Fill in the Lot,

Block/Section and/or
subdivision
• If you do not know this

information, enter a
property description in
order to advance to the
next screen
Click ‘Add Property’ after all
information has been
entered, then continue
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Fill Information
• Applicants must

Only appears if you
select ‘Yes’ to the
first question

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confirm whether or
not fill was placed
on the property and
provide the month
and year fill was
placed
• If fill has not been

placed, applicants
must confirm
whether fill will be
placed on the
property in the
future

Processing Fee Information

Depending on the requester’s
selection when starting the
amendment request, the project
type should already be selected

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• The processing fee
amount is determined
based on responses
entered the
amendment request
• There are no fees for
LOMA requests

Applicant Information
• Enter the information of the

person with whom FEMA
may contact for questions
• Enter the mailing address

Email Address will autopopulate with the address
used during registration

of the applicant – it does
not have to match the
LOMC property
• You can always update the

name and email address
from the ‘Update Profile’
button on the ‘Application
Status’ page

[email protected]

35

Amendment Review Page
• Summary of all the

information entered
• At the bottom of the

screen, you have the
option to print

Scroll down for print and
navigation options

• If information entered is

not correct, select the
‘Previous’ button at the
bottom right of the page
to go back and edit the
information

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Additional Forms

Access the
Elevation Form
here
• Most LOMC requests require an Elevation Form
• Elevation Forms must be certified by a licensed engineer or surveyor
• You will not be required to upload this document in order to submit a

LOMC request, however, if FEMA requests an Elevation Form after
you submit the LOMC request, it may delay the determination
• An Elevation Certificate may be submitted in lieu of the Elevation

Form
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Supporting Documents and Upload
• You must select both:
 Tax assessors map or other

suitable map document;
 Copy of Property Deed OR

Subdivision Plat Map
• If you plan to submit the

Elevation Form/Certificate at
this time, select ‘Form 2 –
Elevation Form’
• Select ‘Upload’ to attach the

scanned documents
• Other supporting documents

may also be uploaded
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Supporting Documents and Upload

If you do not
check all of the
necessary
supporting
documents, this
error message
displays

Upload the
required
information. If
additional
information is
needed, you will
receive an email
from a FEMA
representative

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Upload Supporting Documents
• Collect (or fill out) the

required supporting
documents
• Scan and save them
to your computer
• Selecting ‘Upload’ will
allow you to search for
the scanned
supporting documents
on your computer and
attach them to the
application
• You may upload all
your supporting
documents here

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Upload Supporting Documents

After
uploading
documents,
select ‘Back
to Supporting
Documents’
to continue
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Certify
• Penalty clause
• Certify the

information is
correct to the best
of your knowledge
• You cannot edit
the information
after you ‘Submit
Application’
• Select ‘Submit
Application’ when
ready to initiate
your LOMC
request, or click
‘Previous’ to edit
the information

Use the Online LOMC
Homepage to check
the status of your
application, as well as
your email for FEMA
correspondence
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Selecting ‘Submit
Application’ will
officially submit your
LOMC request to
FEMA

Making a Payment

Payment must be made
by a credit card or
electronic check (ECheck)
Once all fields are
completed, click the
‘Payment Confirmation’
button to confirm payment
information

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Payment Confirmation

Click the ‘Make Payment’
button to begin the
payment approval
process

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• Review payment details
to ensure information
accuracy. To make
changes to your payment
information, select the
‘Previous’ button
• If payment is submitted by
E-Check, a case number
will not be immediately
generated
• Once the payment is
processed, a case
number will be generated
and FEMA will begin
reviewing the request

Payment Confirmation: Refunds
• If an overpayment is made and a refund is
required, please note that refunds cannot be
processed directly through Online LOMC
• You will be contacted by a FEMA representative
who will work with you through the refund process
• Refunds may be processed by sending a paper
check

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Project Submission Details
After you
generate a
project, you
will get a
Case Number
(different than
an Application
ID)

Confirmation email from
[email protected]

Log back into Online
LOMC to view your
application’s status
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Application Status Page

To continue or review
a LOMC request, click
the Application ID link

Application will be listed in
this table ONLY if started or
submitted via Online LOMC.
Paper MT-2 submissions will
not display
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Application Status Page:
Status Column

‘Status’ column will display
current status of all
applications
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Application Status Page:
Status Types
Several types of ‘Status’ may display:
• Not Submitted – Application has been started, but is
not yet submitted to FEMA
• Complete – Application has been submitted, reviewed
by FEMA and a Determination, Violation letter, or
other response was issued
• In Progress – Application has been submitted, and is
under review by FEMA
• Removed – Application was not submitted to FEMA
and was removed from Online LOMC after 34 days of
inactivity
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Application Status Page:
Action Column

Upload & Pay
Pay
View Detail

The Action column
requires action on the
part of the applicant

50

Application Status Page:
Action Types
Types of ‘Actions’ that may display:
• Continue – If you saved an Online LOMC application without submitting it, you may
•
•

•
•
•

•

go back in and continue to complete the application.
Delete – You may delete an incomplete application prior to submitting it. Deleting
will remove the application from Online LOMC.
Upload/Pay – If additional data, documentation, and fees are required to complete
the Online LOMC application, “Upload and Pay” will be displayed. You will also be
notified by Email that additional action is required.
Pay – If an additional fee is required to complete the application, “Pay” will be
displayed. You will also be notified by Email.
Upload – If additional information is required to complete the application, “Upload”
will be displayed. You will also be notified by Email.
View Detail – For all Online LOMC applications that have been submitted and
adjudicated by FEMA, you can view a summary of the results and the Letter of
Final Determination.
For any of these actions, click the link to complete the action.

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Application ID on Status Page
View a summary
of the information
you submitted

Click an Application
ID to open a summary
of your Application
and Supporting
Documents

View the Supporting
Documents you uploaded
52

Action Type: Upload
Selecting ‘Upload’
from the
Application Status
Page displays this
screen where you
may upload
additional
documents
Select ‘Submit
Documentation’ when
upload is complete

Select the ‘Upload’
button to upload
additional
documents FEMA
has requested

53

Action Type: Upload/Pay
• Selecting

‘Upload/Pay’ from the
Application Status
Page displays this
screen where you may
upload additional
documents and pay
• The order you upload

and pay does not
matter

Applicant must also
select the ‘Pay’
button to process the
application

54

Additional Features of Online LOMC
The following slides detail additional features available
in Online LOMC

55

Application Status Page:
Update Profile
Click ‘Update Profile’ at the top of the Application
Status Page to update your profile

56

Customer Support: Three Options

Three links are
available if you
need assistance
completing the
application:
FAQ
Help
FMIX (FEMA
Map Information
eXchange)
57

Customer Support: Contact FMIX
Click ‘Contact FMIX’ to open the
FMIX webpage:
https://www.floodmaps.fema.gov/fh
m/fmx_main.html

The FMIX is a help center for a variety
of information, products, services, and
tools that support the National Flood
Insurance Program (NFIP)
58

Customer Support: FAQ
Click the FAQ link in
the top right-hand
corner of each page,
a separate window
will open containing
Frequently Asked
Questions
FAQ opens in a separate
window, with information
displayed categorically
59

Customer Support: Help
Click the Help link in
the top right-hand
corner of each page to
open a separate
instructions window

Help opens in a separate
window, with information
organized by submission step

60

Question Marks?
• Click on any

question mark
symbol for more
information
• Opens the Help

instructions,
jumping you to the
right section

61

Password Reset

If you forget
your
password,
you may
reset it by
clicking
‘Forgot
Password’

62

Password Reset

• Enter the email address you used to register and click

‘Continue’
• If you don’t remember what email address you registered with,

contact the FMIX for Customer Support
63

Password Reset

Answer the Challenge
Question exactly as
you did when creating
it

64

Password Reset Errors
• You must enter a

password that is different
from the previous 6
passwords used in the
Online LOMC
• Password must be at

least 8 characters long
and have at least 1
number (0123456789)
and 1 symbol (! <> @ # $
% ^ & * ( ) _ = + ~)

65

Password Reset
Once you have registered a new password, return to the Log-in
screen and sign in with your updated information

66

Resources
For more information on flood insurance,
LOMCs, and the Online LOMC, please visit
these additional resources:
o Online LOMC fema.gov webpage
o Online LOMC FAQ

o Online LOMC Fact Sheet
o Amendments and Revisions webpage

o FloodSmart – Official site of the National Flood

Insurance Program
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