Tulsa, OK Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Freeboard
- 1 foot above regulatory flood elevation
- Governs
- Lowest finished floor + utilities
- Enforcing code
- Title 51 Building Code § 1612
- Map source
- City of Tulsa Regulatory Floodplain Map Atlas
Summary
Tulsa requires new and substantially improved buildings in flood hazard areas to sit at least one foot above the regulatory flood elevation.
The design and construction of buildings and structures located in flood hazard areas shall be in accordance with Chapter 5 of ASCE 7 and ASCE 24 and Title 11 A, Tulsa Revised Ordinance, Chapter 3. The lowest finished floor elevation together with attendant utility and sanitary facilities shall be at least one (1) foot above the regulatory flood elevation.
Full Breakdown
Under Title 51 (Building Code) § 1612.2, buildings and structures in a flood hazard area must be designed and constructed per ASCE 7, ASCE 24, and Title 11-A, Chapter 3 of the Tulsa Revised Ordinances. The lowest finished floor elevation, along with attendant utility and sanitary facilities, must sit at least one foot above the regulatory flood elevation shown on the City of Tulsa Regulatory Floodplain Map Atlas. That one-foot margin is a freeboard requirement stricter than the base FEMA minimum. Flood hazard areas are established by City resolution under § 1612.3, referencing the FEMA Flood Insurance Study and FIRM/FBFM maps for Tulsa.
Violations & Fines
Building without the required elevation certification voids occupancy approval; the building official can withhold the certificate of occupancy until lowest-floor elevation is documented by a licensed surveyor or engineer per § 1612.4.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high above the flood elevation must a new Tulsa building sit?
Who verifies the flood elevation for a Tulsa building permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tulsa
Compare Tulsa to another location·View the Oklahoma environmental rules overview
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Flood Elevation Requirements in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle flood elevation requirements.