Skip to main content
Find a Lawyer

District of Columbia Code Division I. Government of District. § 6-501. Review of building permit applications; design and construction requirements.

Current as of January 01, 2024 | Updated by FindLaw Staff

(a) The Mayor shall review all building permit applications for new construction or substantial improvements to determine whether proposed building sites will be reasonably safe from flooding. If a proposed building site is in a location that has flood hazard, the proposed new construction or substantial improvement (including prefabricated homes) must:

(1) Be designed (or modified) and anchored to prevent flotation, collapse, or lateral movement of the structure;

(2) Use construction materials and utility equipment that are resistant to flood damage; and

(3) Use construction methods and practices that will minimize flood damage.

(b)(1) The Mayor, pursuant to subchapter I of Chapter 5 of Title 2, may issue rules designating flood hazard areas in the District and requiring flood insurance as a condition of occupancy for the life of a new or substantially improved building in a flood hazard area.

(2) For the purposes of this subsection, the term:

(A) “Flood hazard area” means an area designated as:

(i) A special flood hazard area or other area of flood hazard on the then-current flood insurance rate map for the District of Columbia issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; or

(ii) An area of flood hazard, as determined by the Mayor by rule.

(B) “Substantially improved building” means any building which has undergone any repair, alteration, addition, or improvement, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50% of the market value of the building before the improvement or repair was started.

Back to chapter list
Previous part of code Next part of code
Back to chapter list

Cite this article: FindLaw.com - District of Columbia Code Division I. Government of District. § 6-501. Review of building permit applications; design and construction requirements. - last updated January 01, 2024 | https://codes.findlaw.com/dc/division-i-government-of-district/dc-code-sect-6-501/

Read this complete District of Columbia Code Division I. Government of District. § 6-501. Review of building permit applications; design and construction requirements. on Westlaw

FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature or via Westlaw before relying on it for your legal needs.

Was this helpful?

Search all District of Columbia Codes

Welcome to FindLaw's Cases & Codes

A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes, visit FindLaw's Learn About the Law.

Go to Learn About the Law

Latest Blog Posts

For Legal Professionals

Learn About the Law

Get help with your legal needs

FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.

Go to Learn About the Law

Need to find an attorney?

Search our directory by legal issue

Enter information in one or both fields (Required)

    More Options
    Copied to clipboard