Fresno County, CA Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Freeboard requirement
- Lowest floor 12 inches above BFE minimum
- BFE source
- FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map, Zones AE/AH/A1-30
- Base flood defined as
- 1% annual chance (100-year) flood
- Certification required
- Elevation cert kept on file, § 15.48.070(B)(4)
- Governing section
- Fresno County Code § 15.48.080(A)(3)(a)
Summary
New construction and substantial improvements in a Fresno County flood hazard area have to elevate the lowest floor at least twelve inches above the base flood elevation. Chapter 15.48 defines base flood elevation from FEMA's Flood Insurance Rate Maps and layers the county's own twelve-inch freeboard margin on top of the mapped 100-year flood level.
"Base flood elevation" (BFE) means the elevation shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) for Zones AE, AH, and A1-30 that indicates the water surface elevation resulting from a flood that has a one percent (1%) or greater chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. ... All new construction or substantial improvements of any structure shall have the lowest floor, including basement:i)Elevated a minimum of twelve inches (12") above the base flood elevation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 51).
Full Breakdown
050(G) defines base flood elevation (BFE) as the elevation shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map for Zones AE, AH and A1-30, indicating the water surface elevation of a flood that has a one percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year, the flood the chapter calls the base flood or 100-year flood. 080(A)(3)(a) then sets the county's construction standard on top of that federal mapping: all new construction or substantial improvement of any structure has to have its lowest floor, including any basement, elevated a minimum of twelve inches above the base flood elevation.
070(B)(3). 070(B)(4) requires the county to keep the certified lowest-floor elevation and any floodproofing certification on file for public inspection. The same construction-standards section requires anchoring against flotation and lateral movement, flood-resistant materials and utility equipment below the BFE, electrical wiring in watertight conduit below the flood elevation, and water outlets and vacuum breakers located at least six inches above the base flood elevation. Nonresidential structures can substitute floodproofing, certified by a registered engineer or architect, for elevation.
Violations & Fines
Constructing or substantially improving a structure in a special flood hazard area without meeting the twelve-inch minimum freeboard, or without the required elevation certification on file with the county, violates Fresno County Code Section 15.48.080, and Section 15.48.060(C) makes noncompliance with the chapter a misdemeanor, in addition to any corrective action the Floodplain Administrator orders before the county will approve the project.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high above the flood level does my house have to be built in Fresno County?
What counts as the base flood elevation?
Can a commercial building use floodproofing instead of raising the floor?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fresno County
California rules heatmap·Compare Fresno County to another location·View the California environmental rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.