Kent, WA Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Kent, WA, 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
- REFZ permit before any flood-zone construction
- Elevation standard
- Lowest floor 2 ft above base flood elevation
- Critical facilities
- 3 feet above base flood elevation
- Administrator
- Economic and community development director
- Penalty
- Class 1 civil infraction, RCW 7.80.120
- Invoice response window
- 14 calendar days to pay or contest
- Enforcement venue
- Kent Municipal Court
Summary
Kent requires a flood zone development permit (REFZ) before any construction, substantial improvement, or manufactured home placement within a special flood hazard area under KCC Chapter 14.09. New residential structures must have their lowest floor elevated to the flood protection elevation, two feet above the base flood elevation, three feet for critical facilities.
A. Residential construction.
1. New construction and substantial improvement of any residential structure shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated to the flood protection elevation.
2. Fully enclosed areas below the lowest floor usable solely for parking, access or storage and that are subject to flooding are prohibited, or shall be designed to automatically equalize hydrostatic flood forces on exterior walls by allowing for the entry and exit of floodwaters... a. A minimum of two openings placed on at least two separate walls and having a total net area of not less than one square inch for every square foot of enclosed areas subject to flooding shall be provided. b. The bottom of all openings shall be no higher than one foot above grade.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4542, passed June 16, 2026).
Full Breakdown
090 bars the city from issuing any permit or license for structures, development, or land use within a special flood hazard area unless approved by the economic and community development director, based on review of the chapter and findings from the building, fire, and planning divisions. 130(B). 020(R) as two feet above the base flood elevation (the 100-year flood level), or three feet above it for critical facilities. Enclosed areas below the lowest floor used only for parking, access, or storage must either be prohibited or fitted with at least two flood-vent openings on separate walls, totaling one square inch of net opening per square foot of enclosed area, with opening bottoms no higher than one foot above grade.
Nonresidential structures may instead be floodproofed watertight to the flood protection elevation and certified by a licensed engineer or architect, though flood insurance premiums are then rated as if the structure sat one foot below its floodproofed level. 120(A)(2). 110, reviewing every REFZ permit and maintaining elevation and floodproofing certification records.
Violations & Fines
Violating Chapter 14.09 is enforceable under KCC 14.09.180: the city may issue a class 1 civil infraction under RCW 7.80.120, filed in Kent Municipal Court, and separately bills the violator for all city costs incurred investigating the violation. That cost invoice must be paid, mitigated, or contested before the hearing examiner within 14 calendar days of service; failing to pay a valid or mitigated invoice is itself a separate civil infraction. The city may also issue a stop-work or stop-use order under KCC 1.04.090 through 1.04.110, and each day a violation continues counts as a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build in Kent's floodplain?
How high must I elevate my house in a Kent flood zone?
What happens if I build without the required flood permit in Kent?
Can I finish a basement below the flood protection elevation in Kent?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kent
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Flood Zones in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle flood zones.