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North Las Vegas, NV Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Some Restrictions

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

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

Key Facts

Floodway district: F-1, NLVMC § 17.12.070.G
Floodplain district: F-2, NLVMC § 17.12.070.H
Drainage standard source: Ch. 15.40 / Clark County Regional Flood Control District regs
F-1 test: No increase in flood levels from base flood discharge
Appeal body: North Las Vegas City Council

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 North Las Vegas, NV.

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 North Las Vegas, NV on the FEMA flood map

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

Summary

North Las Vegas zones flood-prone land into a Floodway Overlay District (F-1) and a Floodplain Overlay District (F-2) under City Code § 17.12.070. F-1 blocks any development that would raise flood levels; F-2 defers to the drainage-control regulations in Chapter 15.40.

G. Floodway Overlay District (F-1). 1. Permitted Uses. Those permitted principal, conditional, special, accessory, and temporary uses that are allowed in the underlying zoning district shall be allowed in the F-1 district only if a technical evaluation demonstrates that encroachments fill, new construction, substantial improvements, or other development shall not result in any increase in flood levels during the occurrence of the base flood discharge. ... H. Floodplain Overlay District (F-2). ... 2. Standards for Flood Hazard Reduction. Development in all floodway and floodplain areas shall conform to the standards of the City's drainage control uniform regulations as referenced in Chapter 15.40 of the North Las Vegas Municipal Code.

Source: FEMA Map Service CenterView 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 146 Update 1).

Full Breakdown

Title 17's zoning ordinance layers two flood overlay districts onto the city's underlying zoning map. G, the Floodway Overlay District (F-1), permits the underlying district's uses "only if a technical evaluation demonstrates that encroachments fill, new construction, substantial improvements, or other development shall not result in any increase in flood levels during the occurrence of the base flood discharge," and it bars any expansion of nonconforming uses, allowing only flood-proofing modifications that do not raise the 100-year flood level. 40 of the North Las Vegas Municipal Code": the chapter that adopts the Clark County Regional Flood Control District's Uniform Regulations for the Control of Drainage. 040.

Violations & Fines

Development in the F-1 Floodway District without the required technical evaluation showing no increase in flood levels is not a permitted use and can be denied at the permitting stage; F-2 development that fails to meet the drainage-control standards incorporated from Chapter 15.40 is likewise non-compliant. Appeals of drainage-related determinations go to the City Council within 30 days under § 15.40.050, and variances from the drainage regulations require City Council approval under the hardship and no-increase findings set out in § 15.40.040.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are North Las Vegas's flood zoning districts?

Section 17.12.070 establishes the F-1 Floodway Overlay District and F-2 Floodplain Overlay District, layered on top of the underlying zoning district to regulate development in flood-prone areas.

Can I build in the F-1 Floodway District?

Only if a technical evaluation demonstrates the encroachment, fill, new construction, or substantial improvement will not increase flood levels during the base flood discharge; nonconforming uses cannot be expanded, only flood-proofed without raising the 100-year flood level.

What standards apply to F-2 Floodplain development?

F-2 development must comply with the use-specific standards of § 17.20.020 and with the drainage-control standards incorporated by reference into Chapter 15.40, which adopts the Clark County Regional Flood Control District's Uniform Regulations for the Control of Drainage.

Sources & Official References

[1]NLVMC § 17.12.070, library.municode.com

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