Apex, NC Hurricane Preparedness: Flood Elevation (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum elevation
- BFE plus 2 ft freeboard
- No-BFE areas
- 2 ft above adjacent grade
- Applies to
- New builds, substantial improvements
- Nonresidential option
- Floodproof instead of elevate
- Coverage area
- Town limits plus mapped ETJ
Summary
New construction and substantial improvements in Apex's mapped flood hazard areas, inside town limits and the extraterritorial jurisdiction, must have their lowest floor built at least two feet above the base flood elevation.
New construction or substantial improvement of any residential structure (including manufactured homes) existing on August 1, 2000 shall have the reference floor, including basement, elevated no lower than the Regulatory Flood Protection Elevation, as defined in Sec. 6.2.19 of this Ordinance. ... "Regulatory Flood Protection Elevation" means the "Base Flood Elevation" plus the "Freeboard". ... In "Special Flood Hazard Areas" where Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) have been determined, this elevation shall be the BFE plus two (2) feet of freeboard.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Apex's Unified Development Ordinance sets the town's flood elevation standard as the 'Regulatory Flood Protection Elevation': the base flood elevation (BFE) plus two feet of freeboard, or at least two feet above the highest adjacent grade where no BFE has been set. New or substantially improved residential structures, including manufactured homes, must have their reference floor built no lower than that elevation (UDO Sec. 6.2.16). Nonresidential buildings in AE and Future X zones may floodproof instead of elevate, with a licensed engineer's certification. This flood damage prevention overlay reaches both the town's corporate limits and its mapped extraterritorial jurisdiction. The standard comes from the UDO's July 2021 codification.
Violations & Fines
Violating the flood ordinance is a Class 1 misdemeanor under N.C. Gen. Stat. Section 143-215.58: up to a $100 fine, up to 30 days in jail, or both; each day is a separate offense (UDO Sec. 6.2.12).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rule apply outside the Apex town limits?
Can a commercial building be floodproofed instead of elevated?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Apex
Compare Apex to another location·View the North Carolina hurricane preparedness overview
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Flood Elevation in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wake County handle flood elevation.