Denton, TX Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Freeboard above BFE
- 30 inches
- Alternate standard
- 18 in. above 100-yr elevation
- Applies within
- 200 ft of floodplain/SFHA
- Verification required
- FEMA Elevation Certificate
- Administered by
- City Engineer (Floodplain Manager)
Summary
Denton requires new homes in the floodway fringe to sit at or above the city's minimum building elevation, a set freeboard above the base flood elevation.
Residential construction. New construction or substantial improvement of any residential structure within the floodway fringe or within two hundred (200) feet of the floodplain or SFHA boundary shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated at or above the minimum building elevation. A registered professional engineer, architect, or land surveyor shall submit a FEMA Elevation Certification to the city engineer...that the standard of this subsection is met.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 37 Update 1 | Development Code: Supplement 27).
Full Breakdown
Under Sec. 30-53(a), new construction or substantial improvement of a residential structure within the floodway fringe, or within 200 feet of the floodplain or SFHA boundary, must have its lowest floor (including any basement) elevated at or above the city's minimum building elevation. That elevation is defined in Sec. 30-2 as 30 inches above the base flood elevation from the flood insurance study (or 18 inches above the fully-developed 100-year water surface elevation if no BFE is available). A licensed engineer, architect, or land surveyor must submit a FEMA Elevation Certificate to the city engineer proving the standard is met.
Violations & Fines
Building below the minimum building elevation without an approved development permit and elevation certificate blocks occupancy and can trigger flood-insurance rating penalties.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high above base flood elevation must a new Denton home be built?
Who verifies the elevation was met?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Denton
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Denton to another location·View the Texas environmental rules overview
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Flood Elevation Requirements in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Denton County handle flood elevation requirements.