Dearborn, MI Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Dearborn, MI, 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
- Flood hazard area development permit
- Issued by
- City engineer
- Maps used
- Wayne County FEMA FIS panels
- Extra approvals
- DNR + Army Corps for watercourse work
- Penalty
- Up to $500 fine / 93 days
Summary
Any new construction, substantial improvement, or land alteration inside a Dearborn area of special flood hazard requires a flood hazard area development permit from the city engineer before work begins.
A flood hazard area development permit shall be required in conformance with the provisions of this article. Application of such permit shall be on forms furnished by the city engineer. The application shall supply all information required on the form. In addition to the aforestated, the following information shall be provided on a site plan for the subject property. Such site plan shall accompany the application form.
(1) The elevation in relation to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum (NGVD) of the lowest floor, including basement, of all structures.
(2) The elevation in relation to National Geodetic Vertical Datum (NGVD) to which the structure has been floodproofed.
(3) Certification by a registered professional engineer or architect that the floodproofing methods for any nonresidential structure meet the floodproofing criteria established in this article.
(4) The description of the extent to which any watercourse will be altered or relocated as a result of the proposed development.
(b) In addition, application for a permit to occupy or alter the floodplain or channel of a watercourse must be submitted to and approved by the department of natural resources as required by Act No. 245 of the Public Acts of Michigan of 1929 (MCL 323.1 et seq., MSA 3.521 et seq.), as amended. Any proposed stream modifications require approval from the department of natural resources as well as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under a joint permit
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-07: Code: Updated through: July 22, 2026 | Zoning: Updated through: July 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Dearborn regulates every area of special flood hazard mapped on the FEMA Flood Insurance Study for Wayne County, Michigan (all jurisdictions), effective October 21, 2021. Code § 5-1364 bars locating, extending, converting, or structurally altering any structure or land in those zones without full compliance with the flood damage prevention article. Before building, owners must obtain a flood hazard area development permit from the city engineer under § 5-1369, submitting a site plan showing lowest-floor elevation, floodproofing elevation, and any watercourse alteration; projects touching a watercourse or channel also need Michigan DNR and U.S. Army Corps approval.
Violations & Fines
Building without the required permit is a Code violation: up to a $500 fine, 93 days in jail, or both under § 1-9, plus injunctive relief or permit revocation; each day counts separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a city permit to build in a Dearborn flood zone?
What flood maps does Dearborn use?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dearborn
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Flood Zones in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wayne County handle flood zones.