Boca Raton, FL Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Freeboard above BFE
- 1 foot minimum (2 ft. for Flood Design Class 4)
- Governing section
- City Code § 19-238(2)
- Alternate floor rule
- 1.5 ft. above crown of road, if higher
- Verification required
- Elevation certificate at slab and final inspection
- Enforcing office
- Floodplain administrator, Development Services Dept.
Summary
Boca Raton adds a mandatory buffer above the federal flood map. Under City Code Sec. 19-238(2), new buildings in flood hazard areas must set the lowest floor at or above the base flood elevation plus 1 foot, the design flood elevation, the South Florida Water Management District's required elevation, or 1.5 feet above the crown of the road, whichever is highest.
Minimum building elevations:(a)In flood hazard areas, buildings and structures shall have: the lowest floor, dry floodproofing measures, or the bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member of the lowest floor, as applicable to occupancy and flood zone, at or above the highest of: (i) the base flood elevation plus 1 foot, (ii) the design flood elevation, (iii) the South Florida Water Management District permit minimum required finished floor elevation (if applicable), or (iv) 1.5 feet above the crown of road.(c)In non-flood hazard areas, new buildings and structures shall have the lowest floor at or above the South Florida Water Management District permit minimum required finished floor elevation (if applicable), or 1.5 feet above the crown of road, whichever is higher.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 72 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 19-238(2), part of the city's technical amendments to the Florida Building Code, sets four separate elevation floors and requires builders to use whichever sits highest for the property. 5 feet above the crown of the abutting road. In Zone AO, the same 'highest of' approach applies but is measured from the depth number on the FIRM plus 1 foot, or 3 feet if no depth number is published. 5 feet above the crown of road, whichever is higher, and substantial improvements in those non-flood areas must raise any existing floor that falls short.
Sec. 19-113's Table I cross-references this same elevation math against the site's Flood Design Class, so a Flood Design Class 3 or 4 coastal high hazard property can face a 2-foot freeboard instead of 1 foot. The floodplain administrator, housed in the development services department's code compliance division, reviews the required elevation certificate before the slab and again at the final inspection, and no certificate of occupancy issues without it.
Violations & Fines
Building below the required elevation without an approved variance is enforced as a Florida Building Code and floodplain violation. The floodplain administrator can withhold or revoke the floodplain development permit under Sec. 21-57, and the city can deny the certificate of occupancy until the as-built elevation certificate confirms compliance. Sec. 1-16's general penalty, up to a $500.00 fine, 60 days in jail, or both, applies where no specific fine is set, with each day counted separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much higher than the base flood elevation must a new Boca Raton home be built?
What if my lot isn't in a mapped flood zone?
Who confirms my house meets the elevation requirement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Boca Raton
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Boca Raton to another location·View the Florida environmental rules overview
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Flood Elevation Requirements in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Palm Beach County handle flood elevation requirements.