Flood Protection Information

The FEMA Flood Map Service Center (MSC) is the official public source for flood hazard information produced in support of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Use the MSC to find your official flood map, access a range of other flood hazard products, and take advantage of tools for better understanding flood risk.FEMA flood maps are continually updated through a variety of processes. Effective information that you download or print from this site may change or become superseded by new maps over time. For additional information, please see the Flood Hazard Mapping Updates Overview Fact Sheet.

To obtain your current flood hazard information, please click here.  This link will take you to an interactive flood mapping service.  Find instructions for printing a FIRMette or downlading a FIRM panel here. If you have difficulties or need assistance with this site, please contact Sandy Cross at 252-255-1234 or scross@townofduck.com.

New FEMA flood maps and accompanying flood damage prevention ordinance were adopted by the Town of Duck on May 20, 2020 with an effective date of June 19, 2020.  The flood map amendments shifted 837 properties in the Town of Duck out of special flood hazard areas (V and A flood zones) and significantly lowered the base flood elevation in remaining A flood zones.   An educational brochure was developed by the Outer Banks municipalities to help educate owners, builders, realtors and lenders of the risk that remains despite these flood map changes.  To view this brochure please click here.

To address these changes and comply with new FEMA standards, the Town of Duck Planning Board recommended amendments to the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance which the Town Council adopted on May 20, 2020.  The new standards are designed to improve the Town’s resiliency to coastal flooding and minimize property damage due to flooding.  Many of the adopted standards will have the additional benefit of improving the Town’s CRS rating and potentially reducing insurance rates.

FEMA regulations apply to most man-made activities in flood zones, from construction of buildings, pools, and fences to installation of driveways and patios. A large portion of development in Duck is impacted by these FEMA rules and the Town of Duck Floodplain Ordinance. A permit is required for most development activities in flood zones and up to a local elevation standard of ten (10) feet to ensure compliance and to allow the Town of Duck continued participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The NFIP makes limited federally backed flood insurance available for all buildings, whether they are in a floodplain or not, and requires the mandatory purchase of flood insurance when a property is located within a special flood hazard area.

View the updated Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance – effective June 19, 2020

Owners of property affected by flood map revisions should be aware of the NFIP’s “Grandfather Rules” (PDF here) under which flood insurance premiums for many properties can be determined based on the flood map in effect when a home was built, even though a new map places it in a higher risk flood zone. Owners should ask their insurance agents to look for the lowest cost option when rating their property since the adoption of the new flood maps.

The Town of Duck maintains a Flood Map Information Service as part of its participation in the National Flood Insurance Program and Community Rating System Program.  The Town maintains copies of current and previous Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) for areas within the Town’s incorporated limits.  We can determine if a structure is located within a Special Flood Hazard Area as well as the applicable flood zone and base flood elevation that applies to the property.  In addition to property map location, we are able to provide the FIRM community number; panel number; index date; and elevation datum (NGVD or local datum).  This information can be requested and provided to you directly, or you can access this information online at msc.fema.gov/portal/home.

The Town can provide copies of all FEMA Elevation Certificates for structures constructed since the Town’s incorporation in 2002.  Town records include some FEMA Elevation Certificates maintained by Dare County for the Duck area prior to the Town’s incorporation.  In addition to elevation certificates, we are able to provide property contours from recent aerial pictometry, and we can verify local drainage or stormwater issues, hot-spot flooding, repetitive loss areas and coastal erosion hot-spots.

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