A certificate of elevation is not the same as a survey. A survey is an examination and description of land or a building, typically for the purpose of measuring its dimensions or estimating its value. A certificate of elevation, sometimes called a certificate of grade, is a document issued by a government agency (such as the local planning or zoning department) that certifies that a specific point on the property has been designated at a specific elevation.

A certificate of elevation is a document that certifies the elevation of a property. The certificate is issued by the local government agency (usually the planning or engineering department) and lists the legal description of the property, its current elevation, and the date of issuance. A survey is an examination and recording of all real property on a given parcel of land. It includes measurements of distances and angles between points, elevations, and features on or beneath the surface. The surveyor also creates a map depicting these findings.