Frequently Asked Questions
What are guidelines for floodplains?
Do I need a Floodplain Elevation Certificate?
How do I obtain my floodplain status?
How do I obtain a Floodplain Use Permit?
What is a floodplain?
A floodplain is the part of the land where water collects, pools, and flows during the course of natural events. Such areas are classified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) and are located within identified 100-year flood zones.
What are the guidelines for the floodplains?
Information on the City of Tucson's D-FIRMs
Do I need a Floodplain Elevation Certificate?
Structures located in Federal Emergency Management Ageny (FEMA) floodplains of “A” type zones are often required to have a Floodplain Elevation Certificate for each structure.
If you are looking for a floodplain elevation certificate:
- Enter the property site address into Property Research Online (PRO) to see there is a floodplain elevation certificate on file.
- If you cannot find a floodplain elevation certificate through PRO and you need to have one completed one can be provided. The floodplain elevation certificate that is provided will only be partially completed. The rest needs to be completed by an Arizona Registered Land Surveyor.
To obtain a floodplain elevation certificate in person, please come to the City of Tucson Planning and Development Services Department in the Public Works Building, 201 North Stone Avenue.
You may also mail in a Floodplain Elevation Certificate Application Form with a check of the fee amount payable to the City of Tucson and a self addressed stamped envelope to:
Planning and Development Services Department,
Engineering Division, Floodplain Status Request
P.O. Box 27210
Tucson Arizona 85726-7210
For more information on floodplain elevation certificates and to obtain a blank floodplain elevation certificate, visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) National Flood Insurance Program Elevation Certificate and Instructions.
How do I obtain my floodplain status?
To obtain a written documentation of floodplain status in person, come to the City of Tucson Planning and Development Services Department in Public Works Building, 201 North Stone Avenue. You may also mail in a Floodplain Status Application Form with a check of the fee amount payable to the City of Tucson and a self addressed stamped envelope to:
Planning and Development Services Department,
Engineering Division, Floodplain Status Request
P.O. Box 27210
Tucson Arizona 85726-7210
A verbal floodplain status determination over the counter at the Planning and Development Services Department will be done free of charge. A floodplain status determination cannot be provided over the phone.
You may also come to our office to learn your current Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) status, local floodplain status, as well as preliminary Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (D-FIRM) floodplain information.
FEMA Floodplain Maps: Search your address and follow the step-by-step tutorial to determine the FEMA floodplain status of your property and download a full-scale section of a FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM)
FEMA Flood Insurance Information
Am I in a floodplain?
You can determine if you are located in a floodplain by using the floodplain and stormwater layer in MapTucson.
How do I obtain a Floodplain Use Permit?
Applications for a Floodplain Use Permit (FUP) may be obtained in our office at 201 North Stone Avenue during our regular business hours and are subject to the following regulations:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in these regulations, it shall be unlawful for any person to establish, erect, alter or relocate a use or structure in the regulatory floodplain or an erosion-prone area as described in section 26-11.1(2) without first obtaining a Floodplain Use Permit (FUP) from the city engineer.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to perform any grading operation in or alteration of any watercourse in violation of this chapter. Without written authorization from the city engineer, any such act, including excavation of any kind, is a public nuisance per se and may be abated, prevented or restrained by action of the city.
(c) No license, permit or other similar approval for any development which would be in conflict with the provisions of this chapter shall be issued by any department, official or employee of the city; and any such license, permit or approval, if issued in conflict with the provisions of this chapter, shall be considered null and void.
What are the fees?
| Request, Determination, Application, or Review | Price |
| Floodplain Elevation Certificate Request Form | $37.50 |
| Written determination of FEMA status | $15.00 |
| Floodplain Status Application Form | $15.00 |
| Floodplain Use Permit (FUP) (This form may be obtained in person at the Public Works Building) |
$50.00 plus a $16.50 record archiving fee |
| Review of engineering studies, including review of first resubmittal | $150.00 |
| Review of subsequent resubmittals | $300.00 |
Cash, check, and credit card are accepted by the cashier.
Contact Us and Hours
The Engineering counter is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Public Works Buidling located at 201 North Stone Avenue.
PDSD Engineering can be contacted at (520) 791-5550.