Knox County, TN Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Knox County, TN, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Key Facts
- Permit trigger
- Any development activity in flood hazard area, § 34-6
- FIRM adoption
- Panels dated August 5, 2013, § 34-5
- Elevation standard
- 1 foot above base flood elevation, § 34-52(1)
- Unmapped A zones
- 3 feet above highest adjacent grade, § 34-52(1)
- Administering agency
- Knox County Engineering Department, § 34-31
- Variance body
- Board of Adjustments and Enforcement, § 34-34
- Violation
- Misdemeanor, each day separate offense, § 34-11
Summary
Knox County requires a development permit from the county Engineering Department before any construction, fill or substantial improvement in a FEMA-mapped special flood hazard area, under Code Section 34-6. New or substantially improved residential and non-residential buildings must have their lowest floor, including the basement, elevated or floodproofed at least one foot above the base flood elevation under Section 34-52, and a violation is a misdemeanor under Section 34-11.
Sec. 34-6. - Requirement for development permit. A development permit shall be required in conformity with this chapter prior to the commencement of any development activity. ... Sec. 34-52. - Specific standards. ... (1)Residential construction. Where base flood elevation data is available, new construction or substantial improvement of any residential building (or manufactured home) shall have all utilities [...] and the lowest floor, including basement, elevated no lower than one foot above the base flood elevation. [...] Within unnumbered A zones, where baseflood elevations have not been established and where alternative data is not available, the engineering department shall require the lowest floor of a building to be elevated or floodproofed to a level of at least three feet above the highest adjacent grade.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23).
Full Breakdown
Section 34-5 adopts by reference the Knox County Flood Insurance Study and Flood Insurance Rate Map "Community Panel Numbers 47093C00," dated August 5, 2013, as the basis for identifying special flood hazard areas. Section 34-6 requires a development permit "in conformity with this chapter prior to the commencement of any development activity" in those areas, and Section 34-32 spells out the application: elevation data at the application stage, then an as-built certification of the lowest floor or floodproofing level from a registered land surveyor, engineer or architect once construction reaches that stage.
" Section 34-52(2) applies the same one-foot-above-BFE standard to commercial and non-residential buildings, which may floodproof in lieu of elevating if a registered engineer or architect certifies the design. The county Board of Adjustments and Enforcement hears variance requests under Section 34-34, weighing flood risk, cost of governmental services, and whether the variance would raise flood heights, with appeal available to a court of record. Section 34-9 treats every requirement in the chapter as a floor, to be liberally construed in favor of the county government.
Violations & Fines
Section 34-11 makes any violation of the flood chapter, "including violation of conditions and safeguards established in connection with grants of variance or special exceptions," a misdemeanor, and a violator is also subject to fines and penalties under the county's stormwater management ordinance. Each day the violation continues is treated as a separate offense, and the county retains the right to pursue other lawful remedies beyond the misdemeanor charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build in a Knox County flood zone?
How high must a new home be built above flood level in Knox County?
Who administers Knox County's floodplain development rules?
What happens if I build without a required flood development permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Knox County
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