Any development in the floodplain requires a building permit according to the Land Development Code Part 51, Section 30.964.

To inquire about obtaining a floodzone determination or a copy of a FEMA elevation certificate or suspect illegal floodplain development is occurring, call the Seminole County Building Division at 407-665-7335.

Additionally, in accordance with NFIP standards, Seminole County Land Development Code requires if the cost of any reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition or other improvements to a building equals or exceeds 50% of the building's market value, work is considered a substantial improvement.  The existing building is required to meet the same standards as a new building or residential structures, these requirements typically mean raising the living area of the building to 1 foot above base flood elevation.

The Seminole County Flood Plain Ordinance requires a building permit to assure that the new house is built above the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) and to protect the house from possible flood damage and losses. 

Find out if your property has been identified by FEMA as a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM).

For more detailed information on your property, Seminole County residents can fill out the Request for Flood Zone Determination form, print and submit $50.00 research fee to:

Seminole County Flood Plain Ordinance 

Seminole County Floodplain Management Plan 2020-2025

Seminole County Floodplain Management Plan Progress Report 2021

Seminole County Floodplain Management Plan Progress Report 2022

Seminole County Floodplain Management Plan Progress Report 2023

When a flood threatens, it is always advisable to take the following emergency actions:

• Sand bagging to reduce erosion and scouring.
• Elevate furniture above flood protection levels.
• Create floodway openings in non-habitable areas such as garage doors.
• Seal off sewer lines to the dwelling to prevent the backflow of sewer waters.

A community can lose a portion of its drainage system capacity or storage capacity due to dumping, debris, soil erosion, sedimentation, and overgrowth of vegetation.  When this happens, flooding occurs more frequently and reaches higher elevations, subjecting properties otherwise protected from unnecessary risk of damage.  Keep grass clippings and clear debris out of stormwater drainage systems to prevent clogging and loss of Stormwater storage and treatment capacity.  Per Land Development Code Appendix B county ordinance, it is illegal to dump trash and debris into drainage ways.

If you experience any localized drainage problems or see illegal dumping, please notify the Seminole County Public Works Department at 407-665-ROAD (7623) so that the problem can be corrected.

Your property may be located in a special flood hazard area (SFHA), (incorrectly, but more commonly referred to as the 100 year Flood Plain). Your property may be high enough that it was not flooded in the most recent flooding events of Tropical Storm Fay or Hurricane Irma. However, it can still be flooded in the future as all storms are unique. If you are located in the floodplain, someday your property will flood.

For more information the flyer  Flood Safety and Awareness for Seminole County Residents contains things you should know as a resident of the unincorporated areas of Seminole County to protect yourself from flooding.

You can protect yourself from flood hazards by taking measures to ensure the safety of life and property before, during and after a flood occurs.

• Do not walk through flowing water.  Drowning is the number one cause of flood deaths, mostly during flash floods.  Currents can be deceptive; six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet.  If you walk in standing water, use a pole or stick to see how deep the water is.
• Do not drive through a flooded area.  More people drown in their cars than anywhere else.  Don’t drive around road barriers; the road or bridge may be washed out.
• Stay away from power lines and electrical wires.  The number two flood killer after drowning is electrocution.  Electric current can travel through water.  Report downed power lines to your Utility Company.
• Turn off your house breakers and inspect property for damage prior to power being restored.  This will help prevent power surges and possible fires.
• Look out for animals, especially snakes. Remember their world is disrupted and they could be dangerous.
• Be alert for gas leaks (use a flashlight to inspect for damage).

Before the Storm:

If your home is well constructed, and local authorities have not called for evacuation, stay home and make emergency preparation. If told to evacuate, follow all instructions from local authorities and follow safe evacuation routes to shelter. Your personal evacuation plan should provide for your pets, your personal hurricane supplies (food, medicine, first aid kit, battery-powered radio, flashlights, extra batteries, etc.) and insurance considerations. When evacuating, take proper identification and important personal papers and documents with you.

During and After the Storm:

If you are in a public shelter, remain there until informed by those in charge that it is safe to leave and return home. Oftentimes, people are injured immediately after a storm due to unsafe buildings, downed power lines, contaminated water, and other dangerous conditions. Carefully check for structural damage prior to entering a building after a storm. Use caution when entering the structure. Turn electricity on one breaker at a time and watch for smoke or sparks. Report broken sewer and water mains to your utility company

Every year, flooding causes more property damage in the United States than any other type of natural disaster.  While recent construction practices and regulations have made new homes less prone to flooding, many existing structures remain susceptible.  Throughout the country there is a growing interest from property owners to develop practical and cost effective methods for reducing or eliminating exposures to flooding.  Several effective ways include acquisition and relocation of a building to a site not subject to flooding, construction of floodwalls or berms to keep water away from the property, or retrofitting structures to make them floodproof.  Retrofitting is a different approach from the other ways because the property itself remains subject to flooding while the building is modified to prevent or minimize flooding of habitable space.

There are several recognizable approaches to retrofitting:

• Elevation of the structure above flood protection levels.
• Construction of barriers (floodwalls, berms)
• Dry floodproofing (water tight floor and wall systems)
• Wet floodproofing (permits entry and passage of flood waters)

Substantial improvement shall mean any repair from damage and or destruction, reconstruction, improvement, or additions to the structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50% of the property assessed tax value of the structure as listed by the Seminole County Property Appraisers Office or by a certified appraisal.  The assessed value of the structure shall be determined before the improvement is started, or if the structure has been damaged and is being restored before the damage or destruction occurred.

There are several departments throughout Seminole County that respond to questions relating to Flood Prone areas. Their contact information is available online to assist.

Please visit the Seminole County Lake Levelspage for the most recent Lake Elevation information.

Go to the Flood Prone Forms page to get the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) Request Form.

For the majority of the County, the primary causes of flooding are tropical systems and afternoon thunderstorms, which generally occur from June to November, during the rainy season.  Certain areas of Seminole County are low-lying and subject to flooding from rising water.  Specific areas include the St. Johns River, Lake Harney, Lake Jesup, Lake Monroe, and the Little Wekiva River.

The other flood problem involves storm water runoff that occurs in many locations.  This problem has recently become more critical because of development in areas subject to urban flooding.  Many homeowners and businesses do not carry flood insurance, which can result in high uninsured losses.

In addition to your local Emergency Management Agency office and local Red Cross office, you can find helpful information on the Internet at these two sites:

• Federal Management Emergency Agency (FEMA) – www.fema.gov
• American Red Cross – www.redcross.org

The following stations serve the Seminole County area:

Online at  Seminole Government Television (SGTV) or Spectrum Cable Channel 498 

The Citizens’ Information Line, (CIL) 407-665-0000.  Citizens' Information Line operators provide information on evacuation procedures, shelter, water, food, and ice locations, as well as a variety of other information.  The Citizens’ Information Line operates around the clock during disaster operations.

 

Seminole County has a Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) that includes a "Reverse 9-1-1" alerting system, outlined below, to provide citizens with up to the minute information on impending storms or flood threats.

Stay Up-To-Date - ALERT SEMINOLE / "REVERSE 9-1-1" 

Seminole County offers an alerting system known as Alert Seminole to inform citizens of hazards in their neighborhoods. Alert Seminole is a FREE electronic notification system, which will notify your device when there is a Seminole County emergency. Go to Alert Seminole to register your account for this valuable service.

Through the Alert Seminole website, registration allows users to be notified during an emergency by immediately sending a notification to:

• Land-line phones
• Cell phones (phone call or text message)
• VOIP phones 
• E-mail accounts (work, home, etc)
• Pager

Seminole County Emergency Operations Center (EOC)

The Seminole County EOC works with the cities, the National Weather Service, and the National Hurricane Center to monitor flood and storm threats and advise the community accordingly.  The Division of Emergency Management manages a preparedness website (www.prepareseminole.org) centered on disaster preparedness and prevention.

Seminole County Emergency Warning Plan

When a storm or flood threatens to impact the county, the Emergency Management staff will monitor the event.  The staff will rely on information from the National Weather Service for detailed and site specific information regarding storm conditions and flood threats.  Emergency Management staff disseminate watches, warnings, updates and evacuation notices.

NOAA Weather Radios 

NOAA weather radios broadcast weather information, warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24-hours a day. NOAA weather radios should be an essential part of your home or business emergency kit. To get Seminole County information, enter code number 012117 or selected 'Seminole County' as the location when programming your radio. 

A 100-year storm is an event having 1% probability of occuring in any given year which would drop 10.6 inches of rain in a 24 hour period.

A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land or of two or more properties from overflow of inland or tidal waters, from unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source or from mudflow.

• FEMA's Risk Mapping, Assessing, and Planning (Risk MAP)

• The Risk MAP Flood Risk Project Lifecycle

• Overview - Flood Hazard Mapping Updates 

• Risk MAP

• FEMA Flood Map Service Center to Search by Address 

• High Water Mark Initiative

• Risk MAP Success Stories

• National Flood Insurance Program: Flood Hazard Mapping

• FEMA Flood Map Service Center

• FEMA National Flood Insurance Program

• Are you protected from the next disaster
• Avoiding Flood Damage Checklist
• Increased Cost of Compliance Coverage
• Increased Cost of Compliance Coverage Benefits
• Avoiding Hurricane Damage Checklist
• Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) Fact Sheet

FEMA has established administrative procedures for changing effective FIRMs based on new or revised scientific or technical data.

How to Read A Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) Tutorial  educates users on the use and application of FEMA FIRMs. Each component of the FIRM is explored. The tutorial includes a section that contains examples of getting specific information from FIRMs.

• Flood Map (Interactive Map)

• FEMA Map Flood Map

• FEMA's Flood Insurance Program

• FEMA Map Service Center

It is the official map of a community on which FEMA has delineated both the special hazard areas and the risk premium zones applicable to the community. Seminole County has completed the map modernization process. The effective date of Seminole County's most current FIRM is September 28, 2007.

Please visit the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map to view the interactive map.

These are in Portable Document Format (PDF) and can be downloaded to your computer and then viewed locally on your computer.

• Private citizens and insurance brokers use the FIRM to locate properties and buildings in flood insurance risk areas.

• Community officials use the FIRM to administer floodplain management regulations and to mitigate flood damage.

• Lending institutions and federal agencies use the FIRM to locate properties and buildings in relation to mapped flood hazards, and to determine whether flood insurance is required when making loans or providing grants following a disaster for the purchase or construction of a building.

• What is the NFIP? 

• Definitions or commonly used terms

• Know Your Risk

• Why buy Flood Insurance?

• Types of Flood Insurance

• Things You Should Know About Flood Insurance

• Understand your Flood Coverage from NFIP

• Facts for Insurance Agents

• How to start your Flood Insurance claim

• How to Prepare for Flooding

• Residential Condominium Insurance Coverage

• Know about Disaster Assistance and Flood Insurance

Yes. Ask your insurance agent for the "Preferred Risk Policy", or call the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at 1-800-720-1090.

Yes, unincorporated Seminole County has been an active participant since 1990.

Due to Seminole County Government efforts beyond minimum standards, the current NFIP/CRS Class rating is 6 and receives 2169 credit points. Therefore, as of May 1, 2011 all Seminole County Unincorporated flood insurance policy holders in Special Flood Hazard Areas will receive a 20 percent discount on their policies. These areas include A, AE, and AH of the SFHA.

The following chart lists the amounts of maximum coverage available to property owners within Seminole County.

Building Coverage	Contents Coverage
Residential $250,000	Residential $100,000
Other Residential $500,000	Other Residential $100,000
Non-Residential/ Business $500,000	Non-Residential/ Business $500,000

For many people, their home and its contents represent their greatest investment.  Property losses due to flooding are not covered under most standard homeowners’ insurance policies.  You can protect your home and its contents with flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

The NFIP is a federal program established by Congress in 1968 that enables property owners to buy flood insurance at reasonable rates in participating communities.  In return, participating communities carry out flood management measures designed to protect life and property from future flooding.

The NFIP is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency through its Federal Insurance Administration.  Seminole County has participated in the NFIP since 1984.

To find out more about flood insurance for your property and its contents, contact your insurance agent.  There is usually a 30 day waiting period before a flood insurance policy takes effect, so don’t wait until a storm threatens before you secure the flood insurance you need.

The NFIP is a Federal program enabling property owners in participating communities to purchase insurance protection against losses from flooding. Please visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency's special area on the Community Rating System. There are many details there which are important to property owners.

For more information, please call (407) 665-7335.

FEMA administers the National Flood Insurance Program. It makes federally guaranteed flood insurance available to property owners in communities that voluntarily adopt and enforce the NFIP's flood plain management requirements. Flood insurance is available in over 22,000 communities throughout the country and in overseas territories.

Under the National Flood Insurance Act (42 U.S.C. 4001 et seq.) federally supervised, approved, regulated, or insured financial institutions must require flood insurance as a condition of making, increasing, extending, or renewing loans on improved real property or mobile homes located in identified special flood hazard areas. This applies to conventional home mortgage loans, home improvement loans, construction loans, commercial loans, etc.

Federal flood insurance protects homes, businesses, and belongings from damage caused by flooding.

It covers:

• Structural elements, including walls, floors, equipment, and fixtures.

• Contents such as furniture, appliances, and carpeting.

• Personal items like clothing, stereos, and televisions.

NFIP policies for dwellings, commercial buildings, condominiums, and other structures are sold through licensed insurance agents and companies. You may want to discuss this with your insurance agent. (6-99)

To find out if your property is in a flood zone, visit fema.gov/flood-maps or please fill in the Flood Zone Determination Request form and submit it via:

• Mail: Seminole County Building Division, 1101 E. First Street, Sanford, FL 32771
• Fax: 407-665-7407
• Email: floods@seminolecountyfl.gov
   

Please visit the Flood Map Changes page to find out if a specific lot or parcel has been amended.

The Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) is available online, copies can be reviewed at the Reference Desk at any of the Seminole County Library's branches or at the County's Building Department at no charge.

If you wish the County to determine in which zone your home is located, you can contact the Building at 407-665-7335 or submit a Request for Flood Zone Determination Form along with the $50.00 processing fee for this review and response to:

Seminole County Building Division

ATTN: Flood Plain Manager

1101 E. First Street

Sanford, FL 32771-1468

If the building is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, the agency or lender is required by law to require the recipient to purchase a flood insurance policy on the building. The requirement is for structural coverage equal to the amount of the loan (or other financial assistance) or the maximum amount available, whichever is less. The maximum amount available for a single-family house is $250,000.

To learn more about flood insurance, please to to the National Flood Insurance Program web page.

On the Special Flood Hazard Area map, click on the map section to review and download the selected Quadrangle Area Map. These FEMA Maps can be viewed online or downloaded for future viewing.

Another option to view the layer bibliography for areas within Seminole County is available through the  GIS Division.

 

These are terms for the same issue. They are higher risk areas, defined as any land that would be inundated by a flood having a 1-percent chance of occurring in any given year. This is also referred to as the base flood.

Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA's) are a darkly shaded area on a FIRM or Flood Hazard Boundary Map(FHBM), identifying an area with a one percent chance of being flooded in any given year; hence the property is in the 100-year flood plain.

Any land area susceptible to being inundated by flood waters from any source, is identified as a flood plain.

One of the following may apply:

1. It is possible that your property could have been incorrectly located by the mortgage company. Please contact 407-665-7335 or visit our office and we will locate your home on the rate map using our computer system.

2. Seminole County began participating in the National Flood Insurance Program in January, 1975. Prior to this date there were no Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for Seminole County. Any homes built before January, 1975 that are now located in a Special Flood Hazard Area can qualify for a flood insurance policy with a "Pre-FIRM" rate.

For more information, please call 407-665-7335 and leave your name, contact information, the address and/or parcel ID for the property in question.