---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 4104b"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "4104b"
heading: "Standard hazard determination forms"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/4104b"
units:
  - "Chapter 50 — National Flood Insurance"
  - "Subchapter III — Coordination of Flood Insurance with Land-Management Programs in Flood-Prone Areas"
---

# §4104b. Standard hazard determination forms

- (a) **Development—** The [Administrator](/usc/42/4003.md?p=a-6), in consultation with representatives of the mortgage and lending industry, the Federal entities for lending regulation, the [Federal agency lenders](/usc/42/4003.md?p=a-7), and any other appropriate individuals, shall develop a standard form for determining, in the case of a loan secured by [improved real estate](/usc/42/4003.md?p=a-8) or a mobile home, whether the building or mobile home is located in an area identified by the [Administrator](/usc/42/4003.md?p=a-6) as an area having special [flood](/usc/42/4121.md?p=a-1) hazards and in which [flood](/usc/42/4121.md?p=a-1) insurance under this chapter is available. The form shall be established by regulations issued not later than 270 days after September 23, 1994.
- (b) **Design and contents—**
  - (1) **Purpose—** The form under [subsection (a)](#a) shall be designed to facilitate compliance with the [flood](/usc/42/4121.md?p=a-1) insurance purchase requirements of this chapter.
  - (2) **Contents—** The form shall require identification of the type of [flood](/usc/42/4121.md?p=a-1)-risk zone in which the building or mobile home is located, the complete map and panel numbers for the [improved real estate](/usc/42/4003.md?p=a-8) or property on which the mobile home is located, the [community](/usc/42/4003.md?p=a-1) identification number and [community](/usc/42/4003.md?p=a-1) participation status (for purposes of the [national flood insurance program](/usc/42/4004.md?p=a-4)) of the [community](/usc/42/4003.md?p=a-1) in which the [improved real estate](/usc/42/4003.md?p=a-8) or such property is located, and the date of the map used for the determination, with respect to [flood](/usc/42/4121.md?p=a-1) hazard information on file with the [Administrator](/usc/42/4003.md?p=a-6). If the building or mobile home is not located in an area having special [flood](/usc/42/4121.md?p=a-1) hazards the form shall require a statement to such effect and shall indicate the complete map and panel numbers of the [improved real estate](/usc/42/4003.md?p=a-8) or property on which the mobile home is located. If the complete map and panel numbers are not available because the building or mobile home is not located in a [community](/usc/42/4003.md?p=a-1) that is participating in the [national flood insurance program](/usc/42/4004.md?p=a-4) or because no map exists for the relevant area, the form shall require a statement to such effect. The form shall provide for inclusion or attachment of any relevant documents indicating revisions or amendments to maps.
- (c) **Required use—** The Federal entities for lending regulation shall by regulation require the use of the form under this section by [regulated lending institutions](/usc/42/4003.md?p=a-10). Each [Federal agency lender](/usc/42/4003.md?p=a-7) shall by regulation provide for the use of the form with respect to any loan made by such [Federal agency lender](/usc/42/4003.md?p=a-7). The Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage [Corporation](/usc/42/2297h.md?p=2) and the Government National Mortgage Association shall require the use of the form with respect to any loan purchased by such entities. A [lender](/usc/42/4003.md?p=a-9) or other [person](/usc/42/4121.md?p=a-5) may comply with the requirement under this subsection by using the form in a printed, computerized, or electronic manner.
- (d) **Guarantees regarding information—** In providing information regarding special [flood](/usc/42/4121.md?p=a-1) hazards on the form developed under this section, any [lender](/usc/42/4003.md?p=a-9) (or other [person](/usc/42/4121.md?p=a-5) required to use the form) who makes, increases, extends, or renews a loan secured by [improved real estate](/usc/42/4003.md?p=a-8) or a mobile home may provide for the acquisition or determination of such information to be made by a [person](/usc/42/4121.md?p=a-5) other than such [lender](/usc/42/4003.md?p=a-9) (or other [person](/usc/42/4121.md?p=a-5)), only to the extent such [person](/usc/42/4121.md?p=a-5) guarantees the accuracy of the information.
- (e) **Reliance on previous determination—** Any [person](/usc/42/4121.md?p=a-5) increasing, extending, renewing, or purchasing a loan secured by [improved real estate](/usc/42/4003.md?p=a-8) or a mobile home may rely on a previous determination of whether the building or mobile home is located in an area having special [flood](/usc/42/4121.md?p=a-1) hazards (and shall not be liable for any error in such previous determination), if the previous determination was made not more than 7 years before the date of the transaction and the basis for the previous determination has been set forth on a form under this section, unless—
  - (1) map revisions or updates pursuant to [section 4101(f) of this title](/usc/42/4101.md?p=f) after such previous determination have resulted in the building or mobile home being located in an area having special [flood](/usc/42/4121.md?p=a-1) hazards; or
  - (2) the [person](/usc/42/4121.md?p=a-5) contacts the [Administrator](/usc/42/4003.md?p=a-6) to determine when the most recent map revisions or updates affecting such property occurred and such revisions and updates have occurred after such previous determination.
- (f) **Effective date—** The regulations under this section requiring use of the form established pursuant to this section shall be issued together with the regulations required under [subsection (a)](#a) and shall take effect upon the expiration of the 180-day period beginning on such issuance.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 90–448, title XIII, § 1365, as added Pub. L. 103–325, title V, § 528, Sept. 23, 1994, 108 Stat. 2264; amended Pub. L. 112–141, div. F, title II, § 100238(b)(1), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 958.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (b)(1), was in the original a reference to “this title” meaning title XIII of Pub. L. 90–448, Aug. 1, 1968, 82 Stat. 572, known as the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 4001 of this title and Tables.

### Amendments

2012—Subsecs. (a), (b)(2), (e)(2). Pub. L. 112–141 substituted “Administrator” for “Director” wherever appearing.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Transfer of Functions

For transfer of all functions, personnel, assets, components, authorities, grant programs, and liabilities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including the functions of the Under Secretary for Federal Emergency Management relating thereto, to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, see section 315(a)(1) of Title 6, Domestic Security.

For transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including the functions of the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see former section 313(1) and sections 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.