Des Moines, IA Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Des Moines, IA, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- Municipal Code ch. 50
- Permit required
- Certificate of compliance
- Administered by
- City engineer
- Floodway fill/construction
- Generally prohibited
- Base date for standards
- Feb. 4, 1981
Summary
Des Moines requires a certificate of compliance before any construction, fill, or grading in a mapped floodplain, with elevation and floodproofing standards enforced by the city engineer.
No structure or land shall hereafter be placed to a use and no structure shall be constructed, located, expanded, converted to a new use or structurally altered without full compliance with the terms of this chapter. All development within floodplain areas must be consistent with the need to minimize flood damage and shall meet the following applicable performance standards... All residential buildings and factory-built homes... shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated equal to or above the minimum flood protection elevation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Under Municipal Code § 50-34, no structure or land use may be placed, built, expanded, or altered in a floodplain area without meeting the chapter's performance standards. New and substantially improved buildings must have the lowest floor elevated to or above the minimum flood protection elevation, and floodways generally bar new fill or construction that would raise base flood elevations. A certificate of compliance from the city engineer is required under § 50-35 before any building, grading, or subdivision permit can be approved for work in the mapped floodplain.
Violations & Fines
Unpermitted floodplain development is a misdemeanor under § 50-36, punishable by the fine set in § 1-15, or a municipal infraction carrying a civil penalty; each day of noncompliance can count separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build in a Des Moines floodplain?
How high must a new floodplain building's lowest floor be?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Des Moines
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