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Basement

NFIP Policy Index

• Definition/Description
• NFIP Requirement
• Guidance
• Related Keywords
• Special Topic Resources

Definition/Description

Any area of the building having its floor subgrade (below ground level) on all sides. The lowest floor of a residential building including basement must be above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE). Basements below the BFE are only allowed in communities that have obtained a basement exception from FEMA. Floodproofed non-residential basements are allowed.

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NFIP Requirement

• 59.1 - Definition
• 60.3 - Flood plain management criteria for flood-prone areas
  • (c)(2) - Elevation Requirements for Residential Buildings
  • (c)(3) - Requirements for Nonresidential Buildings

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Guidance

• IS-9 Managing Floodplain Development Through The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) (page 5-39) (PDF 8MB, TXT 1MB) (entire document)
  
• Ensuring That Structures Built on Fill In or Near Special Flood Hazard Areas Are Reasonably Safe From Flooding (FIA-TB-10) 
• Below-Grade Parking Requirements for Buildings Located in Special Flood Hazard Areas (FIA-TB-6) 

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Related Keywords

• Crawlspace
• Lowest Floor

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Special Topic Resources

• Basement exceptions  
  • 60.6 (b) and ( c) 
  • Federal Register Vol. 51, No.60, March 28, 1986, Proposed Rule, pp. 10746-10747

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Last Modified: Wednesday, 11-Aug-2010 14:30:48 EDT