Boca Raton, FL Hurricane Preparedness: Flood Elevation (2026)
Key Facts
- Freeboard
- Lowest floor must beat BFE + 1 ft (Sec. 19-238)
- Alternative benchmark
- 1.5 ft above crown of road, if higher
- Non-flood zones
- Standard still applies (Sec. 19-238(2)(c))
- Variances
- Granted only by the LCRB (Sec. 19-225)
- Certification
- As-built elevation required before C.O. (Sec. 19-179)
Summary
Boca Raton sets its own freeboard above FEMA's base flood elevation: Sec. 19-238 requires new buildings in flood hazard areas to set their lowest floor at the highest of the base flood elevation plus 1 foot, the design flood elevation, the South Florida Water Management District's permitted finished floor elevation, or 1.5 feet above the crown of the road.
(2)Minimum building elevations:(a)In flood hazard areas, buildings and structures shall have: the lowest floor, dry floodproofing measures, or the bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member of the lowest floor, as applicable to occupancy and flood zone, at or above the highest of: (i) the base flood elevation plus 1 foot, (ii) the design flood elevation, (iii) the South Florida Water Management District permit minimum required finished floor elevation (if applicable), or (iv) 1.5 feet above the crown of road.(c)In non-flood hazard areas, new buildings and structures shall have the lowest floor at or above the South Florida Water Management District permit minimum required finished floor elevation (if applicable), or 1.5 feet above the crown of road, whichever is higher.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 72 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Section 19-238 amends the Florida Building Code's flood-resistant design requirements with city-specific minimum elevations. 5 feet above the crown of the adjacent street. In Zone AO, the standard swaps the BFE-plus-1-foot benchmark for the FIRM depth number plus 1 foot, or a flat 3 feet if no depth number is published. Even outside any mapped flood hazard area, Sec. 5 feet above the crown of road, whichever is higher, and a substantial improvement to an existing non-flood-zone building under 19-238(2)(d) must raise any noncompliant existing floor to match.
The underlying flood zone, base flood elevation, and design flood elevation must be documented on the site plan for the permit application under Sec. 19-107(8), and a builder seeking relief from these elevations needs a variance from the permitting and construction review board.
Violations & Fines
Building below the elevation Sec. 19-238 requires blocks issuance of a certificate of occupancy under Sec. 19-179, since that certificate must document the as-built lowest floor elevation for flood hazard area construction. A builder who pours a slab or sets the lowest floor below the required elevation faces a stop-work order under Sec. 19-206 and, absent a variance from the permitting and construction review board under Sec. 19-225, a misdemeanor citation under Sec. 19-199 for building code noncompliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much higher than FEMA's flood map does my house have to be built in Boca Raton?
Does the elevation rule apply if my lot isn't in a flood zone?
Can I get a variance from the flood elevation requirement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Boca Raton
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Boca Raton to another location·View the Florida hurricane preparedness overview
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Flood Elevation in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Palm Beach County handle flood elevation.