Toledo, OH Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Freeboard required
- 1 foot above base flood elevation
- FPE definition
- Base flood elevation + 1 ft freeboard (§1110.0222)
- Residential lowest floor
- Elevated to or above FPE (§1110.0404(D))
- No-data fallback
- 2 ft above highest adjacent grade
- Certification required
- FEMA Elevation Certificate by registered surveyor
Summary
Toledo defines Flood Protection Elevation as the base flood elevation plus one foot of freeboard, and requires new or substantially improved residential structures to elevate the lowest floor, including any basement or crawl space, to or above that level.
"Flood Protection Elevation" means the Flood Protection Elevation, or FPE, is the base flood elevation plus one (1) foot of freeboard. ... New construction and substantial improvement of any residential structure, including manufactured homes, shall have the lowest floor, including crawl space or basement, elevated to or above the flood protection elevation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-105: Complete to June 30, 2026).
Full Breakdown
0222 defines "Flood Protection Elevation" (FPE) as "the base flood elevation plus one (1) foot of freeboard," adding that where no base flood elevation exists from an authoritative source, the Floodplain Administrator can use historical flood elevations instead. " In Zone AO areas without a specified elevation, or where FPE data are unavailable, the lowest floor must instead sit at least two feet above the highest adjacent grade, and support structures must be engineer-certified to ASCE 24, Flood Resistant Design and Construction. 0405(B), or may instead be dry floodproofed watertight to the FPE with FEMA Floodproofing Certification from a registered engineer or architect. 0404(H)). 0307(A)).
Violations & Fines
Building below the required flood protection elevation is enforced as a Chapter 1110 permit violation: it is a strict-liability first-degree misdemeanor under Section 1110.0604, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense and fines running $250 for a first offense up to $3,000 for a fifth or later offense, plus double the Chapter 1307 permit fee for unauthorized work already done. The Floodplain Administrator issues a written notice of violation with a compliance deadline before referring uncorrected cases to the Director of Law for abatement action (Sections 1110.0602-1110.0603).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much freeboard does Toledo require above base flood elevation?
What if there's no base flood elevation data for my Toledo property?
Can a commercial building in Toledo's floodplain avoid elevating instead of floodproofing?
Who certifies that a Toledo structure meets the required flood elevation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Toledo
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