FPL (flood planning level)
The FPL is the flood level used to set minimum floor heights in NSW: the 1% AEP flood plus 0.5 m freeboard. Habitable rooms must sit at or above it.
Ask Chalkline about this →The FPL (flood planning level) is the minimum flood height used in NSW planning to set floor levels for development on flood-prone land. It combines the Defined Flood Event (DFE) level, typically the 1% AEP (1-in-100-year) flood, with a freeboard of typically 0.5 m above that level. Habitable rooms in new residential development must have their floor structure at or above the FPL (verified 2026-05-09: NSW Flood Risk Management Manual 2023).
The FPL is determined by the council’s flood study for the local catchment. Each site has a specific FPL elevation in metres AHD; the generic 0.5 m freeboard figure is a starting point, not a universal. Some councils apply additional height for climate change provisions. Pull the flood study from the council or check the DCP flood chapter for the site-specific FPL before designing any ground-floor habitable space.
Also known as: flood planning level
Category: Approvals, flood management
Related
See also
- AEP (annual exceedance probability)
- Overland flow
- DCP (Development Control Plan)
- Section 10.7 planning certificates NSW
Last updated: 2026-05-09. Verified: 2026-05-09. Quarterly review for currency.