FEMA flood zone rules in Fargo, ND β also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules β determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Fargo enforces strict floodplain controls along the Red River following the historic 2009 crest of 40.84 ft. Lowest opening of any structure in the regulatory floodplain must be set to either 2.0 ft above the FEMA 100-year BFE or 1.2 ft above the Fargo 41-ft inundation level β whichever is higher.
Effective FEMA FIRM dated Jan. 16, 2015 governs Special Flood Hazard Area designations (only FEMA may add or remove a property from the SFHA). The City of Fargo Engineering Department issues Floodplain Development Permits and administers floodplain rules adopted under NDCC Β§61-16.1. The Metro Flood Diversion Authority project (FargoβMoorhead) is under construction to provide regional flood protection for the Red River basin. Fargo participates in the NFIP; mandatory flood insurance applies to federally-backed mortgages in the SFHA.
Building or filling in the regulatory floodplain without a Floodplain Development Permit can void flood insurance, trigger stop-work orders, and require removal of non-compliant improvements.
Fargo, ND
Fargo Land Development Code Sec. 20-0403(B)(6) caps fences in residential districts (SR, MR, UMU, NC, NO) at 3 ft in front yards (4 ft if at least 75% light-...
Fargo, ND
Fargo Ordinance No. 5425 requires every private swimming pool holding water more than 24 inches deep to be enclosed by a barrier at least 48 inches tall and ...
Fargo, ND
Converting a Fargo garage to habitable living space requires a residential building permit from the City of Fargo Inspections Department, plus electrical, pl...
Fargo, ND
Fargo requires a building permit for any accessory building larger than 120 square feet (10 ft x 12 ft) under the city's adopted International Residential Co...
Fargo, ND
North Dakota HB 1361 (2025) prohibits cities and counties from adopting sanctuary policies, requiring full cooperation between Fargo Police and federal immig...
Fargo, ND
North Dakota has no statewide paid sick or family leave mandate, and Fargo cannot impose one, leaving private benefits to individual employer policies and fe...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Cass County.
See how other cities in Cass County handle flood zones.
See how Fargo's flood zones rules stack up against other locations.
Quick Compare
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.