What do FEMA flood zones A, AE, X and D mean?

Zones beginning with A or V are Special Flood Hazard Areas, the high-risk land expected to flood in a 1-percent-annual-chance flood (often called the 100-year flood, though it means a 1 percent chance each year, not once a century). AE zones have a mapped Base Flood Elevation, the expected water level in that flood. V and VE are coastal high-hazard zones with wave action. Zone X marks moderate-to-low risk, where flood insurance is available but not mandatory. Zone D means the hazard has not been studied. If a building in an A or V zone has a federally backed mortgage, flood insurance is required. Local floodplain permits and elevation rules may also apply.

Check your local rule. This varies by state, county or city. Your permitting office has the final word; the official lookup pages below show you who that is.

Sources

• How to Read a Flood Insurance Rate MapFederal Emergency Management Agency