Brunswick County, NC Hurricane Preparedness: Flood Elevation (2026)
Key Facts
- Regulatory elevation
- BFE plus 2 feet freeboard
- No-BFE minimum
- 2 feet above highest adjacent grade
- Substantial-damage trigger
- Repairs = 50% of market value in 1 year
- Temp structure removal
- 72 hours before hurricane landfall
- Manufactured home parks
- Must file evacuation plan
- Governs
- Unincorporated county only
Summary
Before rebuilding after hurricane damage in unincorporated Brunswick County's flood hazard areas, owners must meet the county's Regulatory Flood Protection Elevation, the Base Flood Elevation plus two feet of freeboard (or two feet above the highest adjacent grade where no BFE exists). Repairs that reach 50 percent of a structure's market value in a year trigger full compliance, and temporary structures need a hurricane removal plan filed in advance.
"Freeboard" means the height added to the BFE to account for the many unknown factors that could contribute to flood heights greater than the height calculated for a selected size flood and floodway conditions, such as wave action, blockage of bridge or culvert openings, and the hydrological effect of urbanization of the watershed. The BFE plus the freeboard establishes the "Regulatory Flood Protection Elevation."..."Regulatory Flood Protection Elevation" means the "Base Flood Elevation" plus the "Freeboard". In "Special Flood Hazard Areas" where Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) have been determined, this elevation shall be the BFE plus two (2) feet freeboard. In "Special Flood Hazard Areas" where no BFE has been established, this elevation shall be at least two (2) feet above the highest adjacent grade.
Full Breakdown
2 as the Base Flood Elevation plus two feet of freeboard in mapped Special Flood Hazard Areas, or at least two feet above the highest adjacent grade where no BFE has been set; this elevation, not the bare BFE, is the floor a rebuilt home or business must clear. B(5)(d) forces full compliance with new-construction elevation standards whenever repair costs in a one-year period reach 50 percent of a structure's pre-storm market value, or when flood damage on two separate occasions within 10 years each cost 25 percent or more of that value on average; once a structure crosses that threshold, every repair must meet current elevation rules regardless of the work actually performed.
B(3)(d). B(7)(c) requires removal to begin no later than 72 hours before a hurricane's landfall or immediately upon a flood warning. These storm-readiness duties apply only to unincorporated Brunswick County; each of the county's incorporated beach towns enforces its own separate flood ordinance.
Violations & Fines
Failing to meet the Regulatory Flood Protection Elevation on a substantially damaged or newly built structure is enforced as an ordinance violation under Section 7.1.3.H, a Class 1 misdemeanor carrying up to a $200 fine and 30 days in jail, with each day counted separately. The Floodplain Administrator can also order corrective action, including elevation or removal of noncompliant work, after a hearing, and failure to comply with that order is itself a separate Class 1 misdemeanor under Section 7.1.4.D.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much extra elevation does Brunswick County require above the base flood level?
If my house floods twice in a hurricane, do I have to rebuild higher?
What do I need to do with a temporary structure before a hurricane hits?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brunswick County
Compare Brunswick County to another location·View the North Carolina hurricane preparedness overview
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