Single Lot Floodplain

Single Lot Floodplain Management

A floodplain certification review is required with your building permit for lots containing to or adjacent to flood hazard areas including FEMA flood zones, flood hazard soils, water features (lakes and streams) or backwater areas from road culverts or pond dams.

When is a Floodplain Certification required?

A Floodplain Certification review may be required for:

  • Structures within 100 feet of flood hazard areas (FEMA or flood prone soils)

  • Driveway crossing of flood hazard areas or drainage easements

  • Encroachment into riparian buffers or drainage easement

  • Proposed structures near water features including streams, lakes, dams, etc.

Building permit applications made through the Permit Portal will be sent to Watershed Management staff for review. The applicant will be invoiced $50 for flood review.

What is required for a floodplain approval?

Wake County requires structures to be built outside flood hazard areas and elevated above the regulatory floodplain. 

A revised plot plan may be needed which includes a scale drawing of the lot and the proposed impervious features (house footprint, driveway, sidewalks, porches, outbuildings, etc.). The plot plan should include building setbacks, easements, flood hazard areas, riparian buffers or water supply buffers, water features…

For lots with flood hazard soils, two flood surveys are required. The first survey is required prior to any inspections. Your surveyor will complete a flood certification form Flood Hazard Soils Elevation and submit for County review. This survey should state that the structure will be built outside of a flood hazard area. Grade elevations and locations may be needed. The second survey is required prior to the foundation inspection. This survey should show the elevation of the home’s foundation. A third and final as-built survey and/or flood certificate may be required to confirm the location of the structures and/or the finished floor elevation.

For lots with FEMA flood hazard areas, three flood certifications are required. The first elevation certificate is required prior to any inspections. The second certificate is required prior to the foundation inspection. A third and final elevation certificate is required to confirm the finished floor elevation prior to release of the certificate of occupancy.

A FEMA elevation certificate FEMA Elevation Certificate.