Perris, CA Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- AE/AH/A1-30 zones
- Elevate to or above BFE
- AO zone
- 2 ft above adjacent grade minimum
- Certification
- Registered civil engineer or surveyor
- Freeboard added
- None. FEMA minimum only
Summary
New construction and substantial improvements to homes in Perris's mapped flood zones must have the lowest floor elevated to or above the FEMA base flood elevation.
All new construction or substantial improvements of residential structures shall have the lowest floor, including basement:1.In AE, AH, A1—30 Zones, elevated to or above the base flood elevation.2.In an AO zone, elevated above the highest adjacent grade to a height equal to or exceeding the depth number specified in feet on the FIRM, or elevated at least two feet above the highest adjacent grade if no depth number is specified.3.In an A zone, without BFEs specified on the FIRM (unnumbered A zone), elevated to or above the base flood elevation; as determined under section 15.04.020(3). Upon the completion of the structure, the elevation of the lowest floor, including basement, shall be certified by a registered civil engineer or licensed land surveyor, and verified by the community building inspector to be properly elevated. Such certification and verification shall be provided to the floodplain administrator.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 13).
Full Breakdown
Perris Municipal Code §15.05.010(3)(a) sets the city's flood elevation standard. In AE, AH, and A1-30 zones, and in unnumbered A zones without a mapped elevation, a new or substantially improved home's lowest floor, including any basement, must sit at or above the base flood elevation. In an AO zone, the floor must clear the highest adjacent grade by the FIRM's depth number, or two feet if none is listed. A registered civil engineer or surveyor must certify the finished elevation, verified by the building inspector. The rule tracks FEMA's minimum only; it adds no extra freeboard above base flood elevation.
Violations & Fines
Occupying or building a home below the required elevation without engineer certification violates Title 15 and is a misdemeanor; missing elevation documentation is presumed a violation until proven compliant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Perris require building higher than the base flood elevation?
Who verifies the elevation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Perris
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Flood Elevation Requirements in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle flood elevation requirements.