Technical Bulletins

Technical Bulletins are issued by FEMA to provide guidance on the building standards of the NFIP.  The bulletins cover a wide range of topics and are used by state and local community officials who enforce floodplain regulations and engineers, builders and developers associated with projects in high hazard flooding areas.

As of October 2008, the following Technical Bulletins are available:

• Guide-01 User's Guide to Technical Bulletins (FIA-TB-0) 
  Provides a list of available technical bulletins, a key word/subject reference index for all the bulletins, and information about how to obtain copies of the bulletins.

• Openings in Foundation Walls and Walls of Enclosures (Technical Bulletin 1) (2008) 
  Provides guidance on the NFIP regulations concerning the requirement for openings in below-Base Flood Elevation foundation walls for buildings located in Zones A, AE, A1-A30, AR, AO, and AH.

• Flood Damage-Resistant Materials Requirements (Technical Bulletin 2) (2008)  
  Provides guidance on the NFIP regulations concerning the required use of flood damage-resistant construction materials for building components located below the Base Flood Elevation in Special Flood Hazard Areas (both A and V Zones).

• 3-93 Non-Residential Floodproofing -- Requirements and Certification -- (FIA-TB-3) 
  Provides guidance on the NFIP regulations concerning watertight construction and the required certification for floodproofed non-residential buildings in Zones A, AE, A1-A30, AR, AO, and AH whose lowest floors are below the Base Flood Elevation.

• 4-93 Elevator Installation (FIA-TB-4) 
  Provides guidance on the NFIP regulations concerning the installation of elevators below the Base Flood Elevation in Special Flood Hazard Areas (both A and V Zones).

• Free-of-Obstruction Requirements (Technical Bulletin 5) (2008)  
  Provides guidance on the NFIP regulations concerning obstructions to flood waters below elevated buildings and on building sites in Coastal High Hazard Areas (Zones V, VE, and V1-V30).

• 6-93 Below-Grade Parking Requirements -- (FIA-TB-6) 
  Provides guidance on the NFIP regulations concerning the design of below-grade parking garages beneath buildings located in Zones A, AE, A1-A30, AR, AO, and AH.

• 7-93 Wet Floodproofing Requirements (FIA-TB-7) 
  Provides guidance on the NFIP regulations concerning wet floodproofing of certain types of structures located in Zones A, AE, A1-A30, AR, AO, and AH.

• 8-96 Corrosion Protection for Metal Connectors in Coastal Areas (FIA-TB-8) 
  Provides guidance on the need for, selection of, and use of corrosion-resistant metal connectors for the construction of buildings in coastal areas.

• 9-99 Design and Construction Guidance for Breakaway Walls Below Elevated Coastal Buildings (Technical Bulletin 9) (2008) 
  Provides guidance on the NFIP regulations concerning the design and construction of breakaway walls beneath elevated buildings in Coastal High Hazard Areas (Zones V, VE, and VI-V30).

• 10-01 Ensuring that Structures Built on Fill In or Near Special Flood Hazard Areas are Reasonably Safe From Flooding (FIA-TB-10)
  This technical bulletin discusses building techniques, including the use of fill, that can be used to ensure structures are reasonably safe from flooding.

• 11-01 Crawlspace Construction for Buildings Located in Special Flood Hazard Areas (FIA-TB-11) 
  Provides interim guidance on minimum NFIP requirements as well as best practices for crawlspace construction in the Special Flood Hazard Area.