Pierce County, WA Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Pierce County, WA, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- PCC 18E.70, Flood Hazard Areas
- Permit requirement
- PCC 18E.70.030.A, before any development
- Rivers with regulated CMZs
- Puyallup, White, Carbon, Nisqually, Mashel
- FEMA study reference
- March 7, 2017 Flood Insurance Study
- Enforcement chapter
- Chapter 18.140 PCC, Compliance
Summary
In unincorporated Pierce County, no one may start development or a regulated activity within a mapped flood hazard area without a permit from Pierce County Planning and Public Works. The rule covers FEMA AE/VE zones, floodways, flood fringe, coastal flood hazard areas and channel migration zones on rivers like the Puyallup and Nisqually.
No person may commence any development or regulated activity in a critical area without first obtaining the applicable permits and/or approvals from Pierce County, unless otherwise exempt under this Title. Permits and approvals may be obtained from Pierce County by first submitting applications that comply with the Pierce County Code, along with payment of the applicable fees, to the Department.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-515, and legislation passed through May 26, 2026).
Full Breakdown
140 Appendix A. A requires a permit before any development or regulated activity begins in a flood hazard area, and the applicant carries the burden of researching and delineating the hazard area before or during the application. 3 requires a flood boundary delineation survey, and may add a flood study, a deep and/or fast flowing water analysis, or a zero-rise analysis, except coastal flood hazard areas are exempt from the flood study, fast-water analysis and zero-rise analysis. 020 include the FEMA-mapped floodway (an extremely hazardous area due to depth and velocity of water), the flood fringe (land within the base flood but outside the floodway), coastal flood hazard areas adjacent to Puget Sound, groundwater flooding areas, potholes, and channel migration zones on the South Prairie Creek, Carbon River, Puyallup River, White River, Greenwater River, Nisqually River and Mashel River.
A FEMA Letter of Map Amendment or Revision cannot go to FEMA until Pierce County's Planning and Public Works Department has reviewed and approved it first. 090.
Violations & Fines
Development undertaken in a flood hazard area without the required permit or without the flood boundary delineation survey is a code compliance violation handled under Chapter 18.140 PCC. PCC 18E.10.110.B requires the property owner to bring the site into compliance, submit the applicable critical area application, and file a restoration plan identifying how the site will be brought back into compliance with Title 18E standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build in a Pierce County flood hazard area?
What counts as a flood hazard area in unincorporated Pierce County?
Who reviews flood hazard area applications in Pierce County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pierce County
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