FEMA flood zone rules in Annapolis, MD — also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules — determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Annapolis has significant flood exposure as a tidal capital city on the Chesapeake Bay. Properties in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) require flood insurance and must meet floodplain development rules. Nuisance flooding ('sunny day flooding') affects City Dock regularly.
Annapolis participates in FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Properties in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA, zones AE and VE) are required to carry flood insurance if they have a federally-backed mortgage. Annapolis's historic low-lying downtown — particularly City Dock (Ego Alley), Compromise Street, and the West Street area — experiences regular nuisance flooding from Chesapeake Bay storm surge and sea level rise. The city has published a Resilience Plan addressing long-term flood mitigation. New construction in the SFHA must be elevated to at least Base Flood Elevation (BFE) plus freeboard. The city also enforces the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area buffer program within 1,000 feet of tidal waters.
Construction in SFHA without floodplain permit: $500/day. Building below BFE: potential insurance non-compliance and fine.
Annapolis, MD
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Annapolis, MD
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Annapolis, MD
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Annapolis, MD
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Anne Arundel County.
See how other cities in Anne Arundel County handle flood zones.
See how Annapolis's flood zones rules stack up against other locations.
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