44 CFR 59.24 - Suspension of Community Eligibility

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44 CFR 59.24 (up to date as of 10/09/2026)
Suspension of community eligibility.

44 CFR 59.24 (Oct. 9, 2026)

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Title 44 —Emergency Management and Assistance
Chapter I —Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security
Subchapter B —Insurance and Hazard Mitigation
Part 59 —General Provisions
Subpart B —Eligibility Requirements
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4001 et seq.; 6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.

§ 59.24 Suspension of community eligibility.
(a) A community eligible for the sale of flood insurance shall be subject to suspension from the Program for
failing to submit copies of adequate flood plain management regulations meeting the minimum
requirements of paragraphs (b), (c), (d), (e) or (f) of § 60.3 or paragraph (b) of § 60.4 or § 60.5, within six
months from the date the Federal Insurance Administrator provides the data upon which the flood plain
regulations for the applicable paragraph shall be based. Where there has not been any submission by the
community, the Federal Insurance Administrator shall notify the community that 90 days remain in the six
month period in order to submit adequate flood plain management regulations. Where there has been an
inadequate submission, the Federal Insurance Administrator shall notify the community of the specific
deficiencies in its submitted flood plain management regulations and inform the community of the
amount of time remaining within the six month period. If, subsequently, copies of adequate flood plain
management regulations are not received by the Administrator, no later than 30 days before the expiration
of the original six month period the Federal Insurance Administrator shall provide written notice to the
community and to the state and assure publication of the community's loss of eligibility for the sale of
flood insurance on the internet or by another comparable method, such suspension to become effective
upon the expiration of the six month period. Should the community remedy the defect and the Federal
Insurance Administrator receive copies of adequate flood plain management regulations within the notice
period, the suspension notice shall be rescinded by the Federal Insurance Administrator. If the Federal
Insurance Administrator receives notice from the State that it has enacted adequate flood plain
management regulations for the community within the notice period, the suspension notice shall be
rescinded by the Federal Insurance Administrator. The community's eligibility shall remain terminated
after suspension until copies of adequate flood plain management regulations have been received and
approved by the Federal Insurance Administrator.
(b) A community eligible for the sale of flood insurance which fails to adequately enforce flood plain
management regulations meeting the minimum requirements set forth in §§ 60.3, 60.4 and/or 60.5 shall
be subject to probation. Probation shall represent formal notification to the community that the Federal
Insurance Administrator regards the community's flood plain management program as not compliant with
NFIP criteria. Prior to imposing probation, the Federal Insurance Administrator
(1) shall inform the community upon 90 days prior written notice of the impending probation and of the
specific program deficiencies and violations relative to the failure to enforce,
(2) shall, at least 60 days before probation is to begin, issue a press release to local media explaining
the reasons for and the effects of probation, and

44 CFR 59.24(b)(2) (enhanced display)

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44 CFR 59.24 (up to date as of 10/09/2026)
Suspension of community eligibility.

44 CFR 59.24(b)(3)

(3) shall, at least 90 days before probation is to begin, advise all policyholders in the community of the
impending probation and the additional premium that will be charged, as provided in this paragraph,
on policies sold or renewed during the period of probation. During this 90-day period the community
shall have the opportunity to avoid probation by demonstrating compliance with Program
requirements, or by correcting Program deficiencies and remedying all violations to the maximum
extent possible. If, at the end of the 90-day period, the Federal Insurance Administrator determines
that the community has failed to do so, the probation shall go into effect. Probation may be
continued for up to one year after the community corrects all Program deficiencies and remedies all
violations to the maximum extent possible. Flood insurance may be sold or renewed in the
community while it is on probation. Where a policy covers property located in a community placed
on probation on or after October 1, 1986, but prior to October 1, 1992, an additional premium of
$25.00 shall be charged on each such policy newly issued or renewed during the one-year period
beginning on the date the community is placed on probation and during any successive one-year
periods that begin prior to October 1, 1992. Where a community's probation begins on or after
October 1, 1992, the additional premium described in the preceding sentence shall be $50.00, which
shall also be charged during any successive one-year periods during which the community remains
on probation for any part thereof. This $50.00 additional premium shall further be charged during
any successive one-year periods that begin on or after October 1, 1992, where the preceding oneyear probation period began prior to October 1, 1992.
(c) A community eligible for the sale of flood insurance which fails to adequately enforce its flood plain
management regulations meeting the minimum requirements set forth in §§ 60.3, 60.4 and/or 60.5 and
does not correct its Program deficiencies and remedy all violations to the maximum extent possible in
accordance with compliance deadlines established during a period of probation shall be subject to
suspension of its Program eligibility. Under such circumstances, the Federal Insurance Administrator shall
grant the community 30 days in which to show cause why it should not be suspended. The Federal
Insurance Administrator may conduct a hearing, written or oral, before commencing suspensive action. If
a community is to be suspended, the Federal Insurance Administrator shall inform it upon 30 days prior
written notice and upon publication of its loss of eligibility for the sale of flood insurance on the internet
or by another comparable method. In the event of impending suspension, the Federal Insurance
Administrator shall issue a press release to the local media explaining the reasons and effects of the
suspension. The community's eligibility shall only be reinstated by the Federal Insurance Administrator
upon his receipt of a local legislative or executive measure reaffirming the community's formal intent to
adequately enforce the flood plain management requirements of this subpart, together with evidence of
action taken by the community to correct Program deficiencies and remedy to the maximum extent
possible those violations which caused the suspension. In certain cases, the Federal Insurance
Administrator, in order to evaluate the community's performance under the terms of its submission, may
withhold reinstatement for a period not to exceed one year from the date of his receipt of the satisfactory
submission or place the community on probation as provided for in paragraph (b) of this section.
(d) A community eligible for the sale of flood insurance which repeals its flood plain management
regulations, allows its regulations to lapse, or amends its regulations so that they no longer meet the
minimum requirements set forth in §§ 60.3, 60.4 and/or 60.5 shall be suspended from the Program. If a
community is to be suspended, the Federal Insurance Administrator shall inform it upon 30 days prior
written notice and upon publication of its loss of eligibly for the sale of flood insurance on the internet or
by another comparable method. The community eligibility shall remain terminated after suspension until
copies of adequate flood plain management regulations have been received and approved by the Federal
Insurance Administrator.
44 CFR 59.24(d) (enhanced display)

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44 CFR 59.24 (up to date as of 10/09/2026)
Suspension of community eligibility.

44 CFR 59.24(e)

(e) A community eligible for the sale of flood insurance may withdraw from the Program by submitting to the
Federal Insurance Administrator a copy of a legislative action that explicitly states its desire to withdraw
from the National Flood Insurance Program. Upon receipt of a certified copy of a final legislative action,
the Federal Insurance Administrator shall withdraw the community from the Program and publish its loss
of eligibility for the sale of flood insurance on the internet or by another comparable method. A
community that has withdrawn from the Program may be reinstated if its submits the application
materials specified in § 59.22(a).
(f) If during a period of ineligibility under paragraphs (a), (d), or (e) of this section, a community has permitted
actions to take place that have aggravated existing flood plain, mudslide (i.e., mudflow) and/or flood
related erosion hazards, the Federal Insurance Administrator may withhold reinstatement until the
community submits evidence that it has taken action to remedy to the maximum extent possible the
increased hazards. The Federal Insurance Administrator may also place the reinstated community on
probation as provided for in paragraph (b) of this section.
(g) The Federal Insurance Administrator shall promptly notify the servicing company and any insurers issuing
flood insurance pursuant to an arrangement with the Federal Insurance Administrator of those
communities whose eligibility has been suspended or which have withdrawn from the program. Flood
insurance shall not be sold or renewed in those communities. Policies sold or renewed within a
community during a period of ineligibility are deemed to be voidable by the Federal Insurance
Administrator whether or not the parties to sale or renewal had actual notice of the ineligibility.
[41 FR 46968, Oct. 26, 1976. Redesignated at 44 FR 31177, May 31, 1979, and amended at 48 FR 44543 and 44552, Sept. 29, 1983;
49 FR 4751, Feb. 8, 1984; 50 FR 36023, Sept. 4, 1985; 57 FR 19540, May 7, 1992; 59 FR 53598, Oct. 25, 1994; 62 FR 55715, Oct. 27,
1997; 85 FR 68789, Oct. 30, 2020]

44 CFR 59.24(g) (enhanced display)

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