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Bensalem, PA Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

FEMA flood zone rules in Bensalem, PA, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.

Key Facts

Permit required: Before any construction/development in floodplain
Administrator: Zoning Officer (Floodplain Administrator)
FIRM date: March 16, 2015 FEMA maps
Floodway rule: No encroachment, no variance allowed
Fine range: $25 to $600 plus costs
Appeal deadline: 30 days to Zoning Hearing Board

FEMA Flood Zone Lookup

FEMA assigns every parcel in the U.S. a flood-hazard designation on its Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Zones starting with A or V are high-risk Special Flood Hazard Areas where federally backed mortgages require NFIP flood insurance. Zone X indicates moderate-to-minimal risk, where insurance is optional but often recommended. Your specific zone determines insurance cost, build elevation, and permit requirements in Bensalem, PA.

Zone	What it means	NFIP required?
A	High-risk flood area; 1% annual chance flood, no detailed analysis.	Yes
AE	High-risk; same as A but with established Base Flood Elevations.	Yes
AH	High-risk shallow flooding (1-3 ft), usually ponding.	Yes
AO	High-risk shallow flooding (1-3 ft) with sheet flow on sloping terrain.	Yes
V	High-risk coastal zone subject to wave action (no BFE).	Yes
VE	High-risk coastal zone with wave action and established BFEs.	Yes
X (shaded)	Moderate risk; between the 1% and 0.2% annual chance flood.	Recommended
X	Minimal risk; outside the 0.2% annual chance floodplain.	No

Look up Bensalem, PA on the FEMA flood map

FEMA maps update periodically; verify zone before buying flood insurance or building.

Summary

Bensalem Township requires a permit from the Floodplain Administrator before any construction or development anywhere in the township, waived only for minor repairs, under Chapter 104, Sec. 104-3. The Zoning Officer serves as Floodplain Administrator and identifies special flood hazard areas from FEMA's 2015 maps under Sec. 104-31, administering the Pennsylvania Flood Plain Management Act locally.

(a)It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership, business or corporation to undertake, or cause to be undertaken, any construction or development anywhere within Bensalem Township unless a permit has been obtained from the Floodplain Administrator.(b)A Permit shall not be required for minor repairs to existing buildings or structures. ... The identified floodplain area shall be: (1)Any areas of Bensalem Township, classified as Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) in the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) and the accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) dated March 16, 2015 and issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or the most recent revision thereof, including all digital data developed as part of the Flood Insurance Study and,(2)Any Community Identified Flood Hazard Areas.

View official code

Full Breakdown

Bensalem Township administers its own floodplain ordinance at Chapter 104 of the Township Code, adopted under the Pennsylvania Flood Plain Management Act of 1978 (Sec. 104-1). Sec. 104-3 makes it unlawful to undertake any construction or development anywhere in the Township without a permit from the Floodplain Administrator, a role the Zoning Officer fills under Sec. 104-11, with the Director of Building and Planning stepping in if the position is vacant. The identified floodplain area is defined at Sec. 104-31 as any Special Flood Hazard Area shown on FEMA's Flood Insurance Study and Flood Insurance Rate Maps dated March 16, 2015, plus any locally identified flood hazard area.

Sec. 104-32 breaks the area into a floodway, where no encroachments, fill, new construction or substantial improvements are permitted and no variance may be granted, and AE, A, AO and AH zones, each carrying its own base-flood-elevation standard. New construction is also barred within 50 feet landward of the top of bank of any watercourse. Applicants must file plans, elevation certifications and a permit fee under Sec. 104-14, and the Floodplain Administrator routes applications to the Bucks County Conservation District for review under Sec. 104-15 before acting.

Work must start within 180 days of permit issuance and finish within 12 months, with an on-site pre-construction meeting required involving the Bucks County Conservation District under Sec. 104-19. Appeals from the Floodplain Administrator go to the Zoning Hearing Board within 30 days under Sec. 104-21.

Violations & Fines

Failing to obtain a floodplain permit, or violating any provision of Chapter 104, is a summary offense under Sec. 104-20(b): a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $600 plus prosecution costs, with the Township also free to pursue equitable relief. Noncompliant development can be declared a public nuisance by the Building and Planning Department and made subject to abatement, and the violator must still correct the noncompliance despite paying the fine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to build in a Bensalem Township floodplain?

Yes. Sec. 104-3 makes it unlawful to undertake or cause any construction or development anywhere in Bensalem Township without a permit from the Floodplain Administrator, though minor repairs to existing buildings are exempt. The Zoning Officer acts as Floodplain Administrator and reviews the application against Chapter 104 before issuing a permit.

How does Bensalem Township define a floodplain area?

Under Sec. 104-31, the identified floodplain area is any Special Flood Hazard Area shown on FEMA's Flood Insurance Study and accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Maps dated March 16, 2015, plus any area the Township separately designates on its own Local Flood Hazard Map using historic flood or ponding data.

Can I get a variance to build in the floodway?

No. Sec. 104-32(1)a bars any encroachment, including fill, new construction or substantial improvements, within the floodway, and states that no variance shall be granted there. Article VII further bars any variance that would raise the base flood elevation, regardless of hardship shown.

What happens if I violate Bensalem's floodplain ordinance?

Violators commit a summary offense under Sec. 104-20(b), punishable by a fine of $25 to $600 plus costs of prosecution, and the Township can still require correction of the violation and treat noncompliant development as an abatable public nuisance.

Sources & Official References

[1]Municode Library - Code of the Township of Bensalem, Pennsylvania

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