Floodplain and Flooding Information

Keep safe during a flood by following these rules:

• Don't walk through flowing water, even low velocities of water can knock you down.

• Stay away from standing water: flood waters can contain sewage, hidden electrical wires or animals, such as alligators.

• Don't drive through flooded areas and road barriers. You may submerge your vehicle and get stuck.

• Stay away from power lines and electrical wires. 

• Watch your step, floors and stairs become slippery.

• Designate a place where your family can meet after an evacuation order is issued. 

• Never remove a manhole cover. Its removal can potentially cause more water to flow out and make things worse.

• Get more information on what to do in flood conditions by reading our Emergency Management Flood Guide.

Take action and flood proof your structure:

• Keep stormwater systems, such as storm drains, clear of leaves and yard debris. Rake leaves back into your yard and don't blow your yard debris into the streets. Learn more on how to keep leaves off the streets at orlando.gov/leaf.

• Elevate or relocate electrical panel boxes, furnaces, water heaters and washers and dryers.

• Report flood or drainage issues by calling 407.246.2238 or filling out a Flood Report online. 

• Report any pollution to streets, storm drains or lakes by calling 407.246.2370 or emailing stormwater@orlando.gov.

• Install floor drains, interior/exterior back flow valves and interior flood walls around utilities.

• Keep waterproofing materials like sandbags, plywood, plastic sheeting and lumber handy. 

• Check if there is any historical documented flooding event in the vicinity of your property by submitting a Public Records Request. 

• See if your property is located in a Special Flood Hazard Area (floodplain). 
  • If you are in a flood prone area, it is recommended to purchase flood insurance.
• Read FEMA's Homeowner's Guide to Retrofitting: Six Ways to Protect Your House from Flooding (FEMA Publication 312). 

• In case of emergencies (serious medical issues or life threatening situations) call 911.

• If your home starts to flood, or you have reason to believe it will flood, shut off utilities at the main switches or valves. This includes electricity and gas.

• Move to higher ground. 

Leaves and other pollutants that are blown or raked onto the street can cause real harm to our sewage systems and our lakes. Risks include major flooding, contaminated waters and other issues, especially during a major rain event. 

• Learn how to Keep Leaves Off the Street - leave it in the yard, mulch it or bag and bundle it. 

• Report any pollution in our streets, storm drains or lakes by calling 407.246.2370 or emailing stormwater@orlando.gov.

• Report dumping or debris in ditches, broken silt fences around construction sites or earthwork within a floodplain without a permit sign posted by calling Permitting Services at 407.246.2271. 

There are a few ways you can find out if your property is in a floodplain or has a historically documented flood event.

• Request a Public Record - you can ask for us for information about the area around your property if there has been any previous flooding issues.

• View a list of current buildings and property that have acquired Elevation Certificates. 
  • This is only good for buildings constructed after 1993.
• Use our Information Locator Tool and the FEMA Flood Maps.

• If you are in a flood prone area, you should have flood insurance.

• If you are in the vicinity of a flood prone area, it is recommended to get flood insurance.

• All renters should buy flood insurance for their contents.

Helpful tips:

• If you do purchase flood insurance, make sure it covers both structure and contents.

• There is a 30-day waiting period after you purchase a flood insurance policy before coverage is in effect. Don't wait until a flood is threatening.

• Properties located in moderate-to-low risk flood zones can take advantage of a low-cost Preferred Risk Policy.

• The City of Orlando participates in FEMA's Community Rating System (CRS), which means residents and business owners receive a discount on their flood insurance premiums.
  • We currently rank as a class 6, which can equal a 20% discount. 

• Contact your insurance agent for information about flood insurance policies. If your agent does not provide flood insurance, contact FEMA's Office of Flood Insurance Advocate. 

• Additional information on flood insurance can be found at floodsmart.gov. 

• Floodplain filling requires a permit. You must contact Permitting Services before you build on, fill, alter or re-grade your property. 

• All development in designated flood hazard areas is required to be elevated one foot above the base flood elevation.

• Elevation certificates are required for all buildings constructed within the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). 

• Existing buildings within the SFHA are subject to "substantial improvement" and "substantial damage" rules and may require the owner to raise the finished floor elevation to be brought up to current floodplain regulatory standards. 

  • Substantial improvements - when a project costs greater than or equal to 50% of the appraised value of a building.

  • Substantial damage - when repairs to a building are expected to cost greater than or equal 50% of the appraised value of the building.

• All development within the City of Orlando must conform to the criteria set forth by Federal, State and City's Engineering Standards Manual (ESM). View the ESM online. 

• View City of Orlando Municipal Code Chapter 63 - Environmental Protection and Chapter 65 - Officers, Boards, and Procedures - Part 6, Subsection 6D.

• Commercial developments within a FEMA SFHA require a Floodplain Development Permit application. This permit can be found under "Engineering Documents" on the Permitting Forms page. Then follow the instructions on the Get a Permit page. 
  • Any commercial development that proposes to alter/revise a FEMA SFHA is required to submit MT-1 or -2 forms with their Floodplain Development Permit application. These forms can be found on the FEMA website. 

Flood
A rising and overflowing of a body of water especially onto normally dry land.

Floodplain
Any land area susceptible to being flooded by water.

Base Flood 
The flood having a one percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. Sometimes referred to as the “1-percent annual chance flood” or “100-year flood.”

Base Flood Elevation
The height of the base flood, usually in feet, above sea level.

Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA)
Land within a floodplain subject to the base flood / 1-percent annual chance flood. Includes zones A, AE and AH on FEMA FIRMs.

Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM)
Official map of a community on which FEMA has delineated the Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) and Base Flood Elevations (BFEs).

Floodway
The channel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent land areas that must be reserved in order to discharge the base flood without increasing the water surface elevation by more than a designated heigh (City of Orlando allows a 0.00’ increase).

500-year floodplain
The boundary of the flood that has a 0.2 percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. This area is not considered a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA).