The Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) new electronic annual certification became mandatory for FHA-approved lenders Tuesday. The electronic form replaces the V-Form, which previously was the only component of the annual certification process that was completed and submitted manually. Replacing this paper process with the electronic annual certification makes it possible for FHA-approved mortgagees to complete the entire annual renewal process electronically, FHA commissioner David Stevens said in a letter to lenders. Corporate officers and principal owners with authority to legally bind the lending institution are the only ones permitted to complete the annual certification, and in the process of verifying the certification, the Social Security number of the official will be verified, Stevens said. The electronic form is accessed through a lender’s FHA Connection account, which includes instructions for completing the certification. Write to Austin Kilgore.