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Kissimmee, FL Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Some Restrictions

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

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

Key Facts

Administrator: City manager as floodplain administrator
Flood maps: 2013 Osceola County FIRM/FIS
Elevation rule: Lowest floor 18 in. above base flood
Applies to: Filling, grading, buildings, manufactured homes, RVs

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 Kissimmee, FL.

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 Kissimmee, FL on the FEMA flood map

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

Summary

Kissimmee requires a floodplain development permit for construction, filling, or grading in FEMA-mapped flood hazard areas, with new lowest floors set at least 18 inches above base flood elevation.

Filling. Whenever a plan is submitted for an area that is a special flood hazard area but not in a floodway, the city may approve such subdivision, to an elevation sufficient to place the lowest floor, including basement, at a minimum of 18 inches above the base flood elevation of the 100-year frequency flood as determined by the city engineer or otherwise complies with [sub]section K.3.e.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 5).

Full Breakdown

Kissimmee administers floodplain management for all FEMA-mapped special flood hazard areas within city limits, based on the 2013 Osceola County Flood Insurance Study and FIRM maps, with the city manager serving as floodplain administrator. Any development wholly or partly in a flood hazard area, building, filling, grading, manufactured homes, tanks, RVs, needs a floodplain permit in addition to any building permit. Where a subdivision fills a special flood hazard area outside a floodway, the lowest floor, including any basement, must sit at least 18 inches above the 100-year base flood elevation as determined by the city engineer.

Violations & Fines

Building or filling in a mapped flood hazard area without a floodplain development permit, or without required lowest-floor elevation documentation, is presumed a violation; the floodplain administrator may issue a notice of violation or stop-work order under LDC § 14-9-1.J.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to build in a Kissimmee flood zone?

Yes: any development wholly or partly within a FEMA-mapped flood hazard area needs a floodplain development permit or approval from the city's floodplain administrator, per LDC § 14-9-1.

How high must a new building's floor be above flood level?

For filling in a special flood hazard area outside a floodway, the lowest floor must sit at least 18 inches above the base flood elevation of the 100-year flood, per LDC § 14-9-1.G.1.

Sources & Official References

[1]Kissimmee Code of Ordinances (Municode)

Other rules in Kissimmee

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All Kissimmee rules

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