Non-Residential Structure Requirements

Commercial and non-residential buildings face similar but slightly more flexible requirements. Like homes, they must meet the standard requirement of having their lowest floor above the Base Flood Elevation. However, unlike residential homes, non-residential structures have an alternative option called floodproofing. A business can be built below the flood elevation if it is designed to be completely water-tight. This means the walls, floors, and doors must be engineered to prevent water from entering and must be strong enough to withstand the immense pressure of standing water during a flood.The importance of this program to the state of Florida cannot be overstated. Due to its extensive coastline, low elevation, and frequency of hurricanes, Florida is the most flood-prone state in the nation. This reality is reflected in the participation numbers for the program. Currently, over 40 percent of all purchasers of National Flood Insurance policies in the United States are located in Florida, highlighting how critical accurate flood zoning and insurance coverage are to the state's real estate market.