This interactive map shows FEMA flood zones across Virginia, drawn directly from the National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL). Virginia faces flood risk from two distinct sources: coastal storm surge and tidal flooding along its shoreline, plus inland (riverine) flooding from rivers, creeks, and heavy rainfall. Use the map to see Special Flood Hazard Areas, coastal V and VE zones (where applicable), the 500-year (Zone X) floodplain, and regulatory floodways – the data is identical to what underwrites the National Flood Insurance Program.

Flood risk overview for Virginia

• Inland (riverine) flood risk: FEMA rates Virginia as Relatively Moderate, with an expected annual loss of $1.15 billion/year from rivers, creeks, and rainfall flooding.
• Coastal flood risk: FEMA rates Virginia as Relatively Moderate, with an expected annual loss of $32.3 million/year from storm surge and tidal flooding along the coast.
• Combined flood expected annual loss across Virginia: $1.18 billion per year, based on FEMA’s December 2025 National Risk Index.
• Population in mapped flood-exposed areas: roughly 264,589 Virginia residents in inland flood zones and 349,728 along the coast.
• Recorded historical flood events: 1,013 inland flood events in the NRI source record.

FEMA’s National Risk Index ratings range from Very Low through Very High. Ratings reflect the state’s expected annual economic loss from each hazard, normalised against the rest of the country.

Interactive map of Virginia flood zones

The map below opens centred on Virginia. FEMA flood zone polygons load at zoom level 11 and above – this is a hard limit set by the source dataset, which contains over 51 GB of polygon geometry. Use the +/- controls or scroll to zoom in until polygons appear, then pan to any address in the state. Click a polygon for the full zone designation, SFHA status, and base flood elevation where available.

Virginia counties with the highest flood risk

FEMA’s National Risk Index aggregates flood loss expectations to the county level. The Virginia counties below carry the largest combined inland + coastal expected annual loss from flooding:

Recent flood-related federal disaster declarations in Virginia

Federal disaster declarations covering flood, severe storm, hurricane, and coastal storm events affecting Virginia in the last decade. Each declaration unlocks federal Public Assistance, Individual Assistance, and Hazard Mitigation funding for the designated counties.

• DR-4863 (Apr 2025): Severe Winter Storms And Flooding – 36 designated counties/areas
• DR-4674 (Sep 2022): Flooding And Mudslides – 2 designated counties/areas
• DR-4644 (Mar 2022): Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm – 28 designated counties/areas
• DR-4628 (Oct 2021): Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
• DR-4411 (Dec 2018): Tropical Storm Michael – 36 designated counties/areas
• DR-4401 (Oct 2018): Hurricane Florence – 32 designated counties/areas
• DR-3403 (Sep 2018): Hurricane Florence – 134 designated counties/areas
• DR-4291 (Nov 2016): Hurricane Matthew – 10 designated counties/areas

Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.

How to look up the FEMA flood zone for a Virginia address

The map on this page is for general orientation. For an authoritative flood zone determination on any specific Virginia property – which is what mortgage lenders, insurance underwriters, and permitting offices use – go to the FEMA Map Service Center, search by address, and download the effective Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) or generate a FIRMette for that location. This is the only legally recognised flood zone determination in Virginia.

Flood zone categories on the Virginia map

• Floodway – the channel of a river plus floodplain that must remain clear to carry the base flood. Construction in floodways is severely restricted across Virginia.
• Zone AE – the most common Special Flood Hazard Area in Virginia. Has a published Base Flood Elevation. Mandatory flood insurance for federally backed mortgages.
• Zone A – SFHA without a published base flood elevation; common in less-studied parts of Virginia. An engineer or surveyor must determine the elevation.
• Zone AH / AO – shallow flooding zones (1-3 ft of ponded water or sheet flow).
• Zone V / VE – coastal high-hazard areas with wave action. Coastal V and VE zones (the highest-risk category, with wave action) appear along the Virginia shoreline.
• Zone X (shaded) – the 0.2% annual chance (500-year) floodplain. Insurance optional but risk is not zero.

Flood insurance in Virginia

If a Virginia property carries a federally backed mortgage and sits inside an SFHA zone (any A or V zone), flood insurance is mandatory. Properties outside the SFHA can buy NFIP coverage on a voluntary basis, often at a much lower premium. FEMA’s Risk Rating 2.0 system now prices NFIP premiums based on each individual property’s flood risk – distance to water, elevation, replacement cost – rather than zone alone, so two homes in the same zone can have very different premiums.

Frequently asked questions

What does “1% annual chance” mean for Virginia flood zones?

A 1% annual chance flood (the “100-year flood”) has a 1% probability of occurring in any single year. Over a 30-year mortgage, that compounds to roughly a 26% probability of at least one such flood at the property. SFHA zones in Virginia are defined by this 1% threshold.

How current are the Virginia flood maps shown here?

The polygons come from FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer, which FEMA updates on a rolling basis as individual communities complete new flood studies. Some Virginia communities have very recent maps; others may be running on FIRMs that are 10-20 years old. The effective date is shown in the FEMA Map Service Center for each panel.

Why is my Virginia property not in a flood zone but still flooded?

FEMA flood maps cover riverine and coastal flooding from named flood sources. They do not show pluvial (urban surface-water) flooding from extreme rainfall, sewer back-up, or drainage failure. A significant fraction of US flood losses each year happen outside mapped SFHAs – which is why FEMA encourages flood insurance even for Virginia properties in Zone X.

Flood zone maps for nearby states

• North Carolina flood zones map
• Tennessee flood zones map
• Kentucky flood zones map
• West Virginia flood zones map
• Maryland flood zones map

Sources

• FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer – the source of all polygon geometry shown on the map.
• FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025) – state and county expected annual loss figures.
• OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries – federal disaster declarations.
• FEMA Map Service Center – authoritative effective FIRM lookup.
• Mapscaping national FEMA Flood Zones map – the full US-wide version of this tool.