San Bernardino, CA Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in San Bernardino, CA, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Key Facts
- Permit authority
- City Engineer as Floodplain Administrator
- Map basis
- 1979 FIS and FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps
- Permit lapse
- 180 days unused or suspended
- Violation penalty
- Misdemeanor, Section 8.79.430
- Appeal body
- Council, Commission and DRC
Summary
Any development inside a San Bernardino flood hazard area needs a floodplain development permit from the City Engineer, who serves as Floodplain Administrator, before work can begin. Flood hazard areas are the zones mapped on the federal Flood Insurance Rate Maps adopted into Chapter 8.79, and building without a permit is a misdemeanor.
Any person, owner or authorized agent who intends to conduct any development in a flood hazard area shall first make an application to the Floodplain Administrator and shall obtain the required permit for floodplain development. No permit shall be issued until compliance with the requirements of this chapter and all other applicable codes and regulations has been satisfied. No building permit shall be issued based on conditional letters of map revision issued by FEMA. Depending on the nature and extent of proposed development that includes a building or structure, the Floodplain Administrator may determine a permit for floodplain development is required in addition to a building permit.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-2: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. MC-1666, passed 8-5-2026).
Full Breakdown
100. 110 adopts the county's Flood Insurance Study, dated July 16, 1979, and its accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Maps by reference as the basis for those flood hazard area boundaries, with maps on file at the County Department of Public Works, 825 E. Third Street. 190: no floodplain development permit issues until the applicant satisfies this chapter and every other applicable code, and FEMA conditional letters of map revision alone are never enough to support a building permit. 200 requires a written application describing the development, its location, intended use, a site plan and construction documents, and a stated valuation of the work.
230 if work does not start within 180 days of issuance or is suspended for 180 days after starting, though the Floodplain Administrator may grant extensions of up to 180 days at a time. 250.
Violations & Fines
Developing in a flood hazard area without an issued permit, or in conflict with an issued permit, is a violation under Section 8.79.430; a structure lacking documentation of its lowest-floor elevation or other required design certification is presumed to be in violation until that documentation is submitted. Violating Chapter 8.79 is a misdemeanor, and the Floodplain Administrator may issue a stop-work order or notice of violation under Section 8.79.440; continuing work after a stop-work order under Section 8.79.450 draws penalties, fines and remediation fees the Public Works Department sets case by case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build in a San Bernardino flood zone?
Who decides what counts as a flood hazard area in San Bernardino?
What happens if I build in a San Bernardino flood zone without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Bernardino
California rules heatmap·Compare San Bernardino to another location·View the California environmental rules overview
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Flood Zones in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle flood zones.