Flood Zones
Environmental Rules
Building requirements for properties in FEMA flood zones, including elevation standards, flood insurance mandates, and construction limits.
How Flood Zones Rules Differ by Place
Anchorage, AK: Environmental: Flood Zones
Heavy RestrictionsAnchorage participates in FEMA NFIP. Known flood areas include Turnagain along Cook Inlet, Ship Creek downtown, and Eagle River. Construction in Special Flood Hazard Areas requires…
Maricopa County, AZ: Environmental: Flood Zones
Heavy RestrictionsThe Flood Control District of Maricopa County (FCDMC) manages floodplain regulations for unincorporated areas and 14 municipalities. Development in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard…
Bakersfield, CA: Bakersfield FP-P Floodplain Primary Zone Rules
Heavy RestrictionsBakersfield's FP-P floodplain primary zone bans human habitation and nearly all construction along natural streambeds and high-velocity flood channels. Only remedial flood-control…
Anoka County, MN: Anoka County Repealed Its Own Floodplain Ordinance
Few RestrictionsAnoka County has no floodplain ordinance of its own. The County Board repealed its 1980s/1990s Floodplain Management ordinances in 2018 (Ordinance #2018-6) because every city and…
Birmingham, AL: Birmingham Floodplain Development Permit Required
Some RestrictionsBirmingham requires a floodplain development permit before any construction, fill, grading, or other development in an area of special flood hazard, under the zoning ordinance's…
Hoover, AL: Hoover Floodplain Spans Two Counties
Some RestrictionsHoover's floodplain map runs on FEMA's Jefferson County and Shelby County flood studies since city limits straddle both counties, and either county's flood zone triggers the same local…
Flood Zones Rules by State
Statewide law governs this topic in many states. Each entry links to that state's full page.
Arizona
Heavy RestrictionsArizona statutorily delegates floodplain regulation to counties and flood control districts, setting uniform minimum standards for development in mapped floodplains statewide.
Arkansas
Heavy RestrictionsArkansas participates in the National Flood Insurance Program through the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission. State law requires participating communities to adopt floodplain…
California
Some RestrictionsGovernment Code sections 65302 and 65962, together with Water Code section 8401 and the State Building Code Chapter 16, set uniform floodplain mapping, disclosure, and construction…
Colorado
Some RestrictionsColorado's Water Conservation Board is the state authority that designates and approves storm and floodwater runoff channels and basins under C.R.S. 37-60-106(1)(c), then hands those…
District of Columbia
Some RestrictionsDevelopment in the District's FEMA-mapped Special Flood Hazard Areas requires a Flood Zone Building Permit, and structures must be elevated or dry-floodproofed to the design flood…
Florida
Heavy RestrictionsFlorida adopts a single statewide building code that incorporates flood-resistant construction standards from FEMA and ASCE, applying uniformly to all jurisdictions.
Idaho
Heavy RestrictionsIdaho Code 46-1020 through 46-1024 establishes the statewide framework directing local governments to adopt floodplain management ordinances meeting NFIP minimum standards. The Idaho…
Illinois
Heavy RestrictionsIllinois law requires state-issued permits for construction within regulatory floodways and mandates municipal participation in NFIP minimum standards across all designated flood…
Indiana
Heavy RestrictionsIndiana Code 14-28-1 requires DNR Division of Water permits for any construction, fill, or excavation in a regulated floodway. The state authority preempts local approvals for floodway…
Iowa
Heavy RestrictionsIowa Code 455B and Iowa Admin Code 567 chapters 70 through 72 require state DNR approval for floodplain or floodway development on streams above defined drainage thresholds. The…
Kansas
Heavy RestrictionsKansas regulates floodplain development statewide under K.S.A. 12-766 and the NFIP, with the Division of Water Resources permitting construction in regulated floodways. Participating…
Kentucky
Heavy RestrictionsKentucky requires state approval before any construction, fill, or obstruction within the 100-year floodplain or stream channel under KRS 151.250, administered by the Division of Water…
Maine
Heavy RestrictionsMaine has no single statewide floodplain code; instead, 30-A MRS authorizes municipalities to adopt FEMA-compliant floodplain management ordinances as a condition of NFIP…
Michigan
Heavy RestrictionsMichigan requires EGLE permits for occupation, filling, or construction within the 100-year floodplain of any river or stream statewide.
Minnesota
Heavy RestrictionsMinnesota Statutes sections 103F.101 to 103F.155 require all communities with mapped flood hazard areas to adopt DNR-approved floodplain ordinances meeting state and FEMA NFIP…
Missouri
Light RestrictionsMissouri's Flood Resiliency Act establishes a statewide Flood Resiliency Program, administered by the Department of Natural Resources, to increase flood resiliency along the Missouri…
Montana
Heavy RestrictionsThe Montana Floodplain and Floodway Management Act (Title 76, Ch. 5, MCA) requires DNRC-approved local floodplain regulations meeting NFIP standards. State minimum standards apply…
Nebraska
Heavy RestrictionsNebraska requires participating communities to adopt floodplain management ordinances meeting state and federal minimums. The Department of Water, Energy, and Environment (DWEE)…
Nevada
Heavy RestrictionsNevada participates in the National Flood Insurance Program through the Division of Water Resources under NRS Chapter 540, requiring participating local governments to adopt floodplain…
New Jersey
Heavy RestrictionsThe New Jersey Flood Hazard Area Control Act sets uniform state floodplain and riparian buffer rules that apply statewide, with the DEP retaining permitting authority that…
New Mexico
Heavy RestrictionsNew Mexico law requires communities to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program and adopt floodplain ordinances meeting state and federal minimums administered by the…
New York
Heavy RestrictionsNew York Environmental Conservation Law and the Uniform Code require all municipalities participating in the National Flood Insurance Program to adopt and enforce minimum floodplain…
North Carolina
Heavy RestrictionsNorth Carolina General Statute 143-215.51 through 143-215.61 and the state Uniform Floodplain Management Program require minimum flood damage prevention standards that all…
North Dakota
Heavy RestrictionsNorth Dakota requires floodplain communities to adopt floodplain management ordinances meeting NFIP minimums under NDCC 61-16.2, with state coordination through the Department of Water…
Ohio
Heavy RestrictionsOhio Revised Code Chapter 1521 designates the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Water Resources as the state coordinating agency for the National Flood Insurance…
Oklahoma
Heavy RestrictionsThe Oklahoma Floodplain Management Act requires every community participating in the National Flood Insurance Program to adopt minimum floodplain ordinances. Oklahoma Water Resources…
Pennsylvania
Heavy RestrictionsThe Pennsylvania Floodplain Management Act (Act 166 of 1978) requires identified flood-prone municipalities to adopt and enforce floodplain ordinances meeting National Flood Insurance…
Rhode Island
Heavy RestrictionsRhode Island enforces floodplain construction standards through the State Building Code under RIGL Chapter 23-27.3, adopting NFIP minimums uniformly statewide so municipalities cannot…
South Carolina
Significant RestrictionsSouth Carolina bars altering or building in any coastal critical area, beaches, the beach/dune system, tidelands, and coastal waters, without a permit from the Department of…
Texas
Some RestrictionsTexas Water Code Section 16.3145 orders the governing body of every Texas city and county to adopt the floodplain-management ordinances or orders needed to qualify for the National…
Virginia
Heavy RestrictionsVirginia coordinates floodplain management statewide through DCR, requiring localities to adopt floodplain ordinances meeting National Flood Insurance Program minimums for residents to…
Washington
Heavy RestrictionsWashington requires all communities participating in the National Flood Insurance Program to adopt floodplain ordinances meeting state minimum standards under RCW 86.16.
West Virginia
Heavy RestrictionsWest Virginia has no single 'Floodplain Management Act'; floodplain rules are administered locally. Counties may adopt floodplain ordinances under W. Va. Code §7-1-3u, communities…
Wisconsin
Heavy RestrictionsWisconsin requires every county, city, and village with mapped floodplains to adopt floodplain zoning meeting NR 116 minimums. Local ordinances must be approved by the DNR and cannot…
Cities & Counties with Flood Zones Rules
585 locations
Alabama
California
Minnesota
Other Environmental Rules Topics
Stormwater Management
Requirements for managing rainwater runoff on your property, including retention basins, permeable surfaces, and drainage plans.
Erosion Control
Rules to prevent soil erosion during construction and landscaping, including required sediment barriers and ground cover standards.
Coastal Development
Building restrictions near coastlines, including setbacks from the water, dune protection rules, and coastal commission permits.
Shoreline Management
Regulations for properties along lakes, rivers, and coastlines, including buffer zones, dock permits, and vegetation requirements.
Sea Wall & Bulkhead
Requirements for maintaining sea walls, bulkheads, and retaining structures on waterfront properties, including inspection schedules and repair obligations.
Mangrove Protection
Rules protecting mangrove trees and coastal vegetation, including trimming restrictions, removal prohibitions, and required setbacks from mangrove habitat.
Boat Dock Permits
Permits required to build or modify boat docks, lifts, and davits on waterfront properties, including size limits, setbacks, and environmental reviews.
Defensible Space
Mandated vegetation clearance zones around homes in fire hazard zones, including the 100-ft Zone 0/1/2 model used by California and other wildfire-prone states.
Vehicle Idling Restrictions
Limits on how long heavy-duty vehicles, buses, and passenger cars may idle, including bans near schools and residential areas.
Climate Emergency Mobilization
Local climate-emergency declarations and mobilization plans, including building electrification mandates, gas-hookup bans in new construction, and reach codes.
Sustainable Procurement
City rules requiring sustainable, recycled, or low-emissions products in municipal purchasing, and how those rules trickle down to contractors and concessions.
Cool Pavement
Reflective-coating road treatments deployed by LA Bureau of Street Services to reduce surface temps; pilot streets and expansion plans under Cool Streets LA.
Cool Roof Requirements
Mandatory high-reflectance roofing materials for new construction and reroofs. LA Green Building Code thresholds and Title 24 Pt 6 baseline.
Heat Island Mitigation
Citywide programs to reduce urban heat, tree canopy goals, cool surfaces, shade structures at bus stops, and cooling-center requirements during heat waves.
Flood Elevation Requirements
FEMA NFIP minimum base flood elevation (BFE) construction standards for properties in mapped flood zones, including freeboard requirements above BFE.