What does flood zone X mean?
FEMA's flood map splits land into zones. The high-risk area is every zone whose letter starts with A or V. That land has at least a 1 percent chance of flooding in any year. Zone X is all the mapped land outside it. It comes in two kinds.
| Kind of Zone X | What it means | On the map | Older maps called it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shaded X (often called X500) | Moderate risk. Land between the 1 percent and the 0.2 percent flood lines. | Orange shading | Zone B |
| Unshaded X | Minimal risk. Land above the 0.2 percent flood line. | No shading | Zone C |
Zone X has no base flood elevation (BFE). FEMA only sets that flood height inside the high-risk area.
What is flood zone X500, or shaded X?
Shaded X is the moderate-risk part of Zone X. People call it X500 because its outer edge is the 0.2 percent flood line, the flood with a 1 in 500 chance in any year. FEMA also puts some land behind levees and some spots with shallow flooding under a foot in shaded X.
Shaded X sits right next to the high-risk area. A home in shaded X is close to the line where the lender rule starts.
Does flood zone X require flood insurance?
Not under federal law. The federal rule makes a lender require flood insurance only when the home is in a zone that starts with A or V and the loan comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is backed by the federal government. Zone X is outside that area.
Two things can still put a policy on your list in Zone X:
- Your lender. Any lender can ask for flood insurance in any zone. It is their call, not the federal rule.
- Citizens. In Florida, Citizens Property Insurance requires flood coverage on most of its home policies, in any zone. If Citizens insures your home, ask them what applies to you.
If your lender says you need flood insurance, read what to do when your lender requires flood insurance.
Is flood zone X safe? Low risk is not no risk
No zone is flood-free. FEMA says nearly one-third of NFIP flood claims from 2014 to 2024 came from outside high-risk flood areas.
So a Zone X address tells you the lender rule does not apply. It does not tell you the home will stay dry. If you are not sure you want a policy, read do I need flood insurance in Florida.
What does flood insurance cost in Zone X?
Same flood zone, very different prices. Under Risk Rating 2.0, the NFIP price comes from the home and its spot: how high the first floor sits, what it would cost to rebuild, how far it is from the water, and how often that spot floods. The zone letter does not set it.
The old low-cost Preferred Risk Policy for Zone X ended with Risk Rating 2.0. A Zone X home is now priced on the building like every other.
What you can do:
- Get a quote for the home itself. Two Zone X homes on the same street can price very differently.
- Compare a private quote. Private flood insurers set their own prices.
See what decides your flood insurance price.
Florida counties with Zone X on the FEMA map
Every one of Florida's 67 counties has Zone X on its FEMA flood map. For 39 counties the list comes from the county's FEMA Flood Insurance Study, the "Flood Zone Designations by Community" table, which names the zones on the map for every city and the county's unincorporated land. For the other 28, the study has no such table, so the list comes from FEMA's flood map data for the whole county.
| County | FEMA flood study or map in force |
|---|---|
| Alachua County | County-wide flood map, effective September 24, 2021 |
| Baker County | County-wide flood map, effective June 17, 2008 |
| Bay County | 12005CV001C, October 24, 2024 |
| Bradford County | County-wide flood map, effective November 2, 2018 |
| Brevard County | 12009CV001B, January 29, 2021 |
| Broward County | 12011CV001B, July 31, 2024 |
| Calhoun County | 12013CV001B, November 14, 2025 |
| Charlotte County | 12015CV001B, December 15, 2022 |
| Citrus County | 12017CV001B, January 15, 2021 |
| Clay County | County-wide flood map, effective March 17, 2014 |
| Collier County | 12021CV001C, February 8, 2024 |
| Columbia County | County-wide flood map, effective November 2, 2018 |
| DeSoto County | 12027CV000B, October 7, 2021 |
| Dixie County | 12029CV000C, January 18, 2019 |
| Duval County | 12031CV001B, November 2, 2018 |
| Escambia County | 12033CV000B, August 19, 2025 |
| Flagler County | 12035CV001B, June 6, 2018 |
| Franklin County | County-wide flood map, effective October 10, 2024 |
| Gadsden County | County-wide flood map, effective February 4, 2009 |
| Gilchrist County | County-wide flood map, effective January 19, 2018 |
| Glades County | 12043CV000C, March 22, 2022 |
| Gulf County | 12045CV000C, March 9, 2021 |
| Hamilton County | 12047CV000D, April 23, 2025 |
| Hardee County | County-wide flood map, effective November 6, 2013 |
| Hendry County | 12051CV000B, May 15, 2020 |
| Hernando County | 12053CV001B, January 15, 2021 |
| Highlands County | County-wide flood map, effective November 18, 2015 |
| Hillsborough County (map) | 12057CV001C, October 7, 2021 |
| Holmes County | County-wide flood map, effective December 17, 2010 |
| Indian River County | 12061CV001B, January 26, 2023 |
| Jackson County | 12063CV000B, November 14, 2025 |
| Jefferson County | County-wide flood map, effective April 23, 2025 |
| Lafayette County | County-wide flood map, effective October 5, 2017 |
| Lake County | County-wide flood map, effective December 18, 2012 |
| Lee County | 12071CV001C, November 17, 2022 (until March 2, 2027) |
| Leon County | County-wide flood map, effective August 18, 2009 |
| Levy County | 12075CV000D, January 28, 2022 |
| Liberty County | 12077CV000B, August 2, 2022 |
| Madison County | 12079CV000D, April 23, 2025 |
| Manatee County | 12081CV001B |
| Marion County | 12083CV001B, April 19, 2017 |
| Martin County | 12085CV001C, February 19, 2020 |
| Miami-Dade County | County-wide flood map, effective September 11, 2009 |
| Monroe County | County-wide flood map, effective February 18, 2005 |
| Nassau County | County-wide flood map, effective August 2, 2017 |
| Okaloosa County | 12091CV000B, March 9, 2021 |
| Okeechobee County | County-wide flood map, effective July 16, 2015 |
| Orange County | County-wide flood map, effective September 24, 2021 |
| Osceola County | County-wide flood map, effective June 18, 2013 |
| Palm Beach County | 12099CV001B, December 20, 2024 |
| Pasco County | 12101CV001B, June 5, 2020 |
| Pinellas County (map) | 12103CV001D, August 24, 2021 |
| Polk County | County-wide flood map, effective December 22, 2016 |
| Putnam County | County-wide flood map, effective February 2, 2012 |
| Santa Rosa County | 12113CV000B, November 19, 2021 |
| Sarasota County | 12115CV001B, March 27, 2024 |
| Seminole County | County-wide flood map, effective September 28, 2007 |
| St. Johns County | 12109CV001D, December 7, 2018 |
| St. Lucie County | County-wide flood map, effective February 19, 2020 |
| Sumter County | 12119CV001B, June 5, 2020 |
| Suwannee County | County-wide flood map, effective August 28, 2018 |
| Taylor County | 12123CV000B, February 1, 2019 |
| Union County | County-wide flood map, effective November 2, 2018 |
| Volusia County | 12127CV001D, September 29, 2017 |
| Wakulla County | 12129CV000B, August 2, 2022 |
| Walton County | 12131CV000B, December 30, 2020 |
| Washington County | County-wide flood map, effective July 4, 2011 |
Every city, town and unincorporated area with Zone X, by county
Bay County (8): Unincorporated Bay County, Callaway (city), Lynn Haven (city), Mexico Beach (city), Panama City (city), Panama City Beach (city), Parker (city), Springfield (city).
Brevard County (18): Unincorporated Brevard County, Cape Canaveral (city), Cape Canaveral Port Authority, Cocoa (city), Cocoa Beach (city), Grant-Valkaria (town), Indialantic (town), Indian Harbour Beach (city), Malabar (town), Melbourne (city), Melbourne Beach (town), Melbourne Village (town), Palm Bay (city), Palm Shores (town), Rockledge (city), Satellite Beach (city), Titusville (city), West Melbourne (city).
Broward County (33): Unincorporated Broward County, Coconut Creek (city), Cooper City (city), Coral Springs (city), Dania Beach (city), Davie (town), Deerfield Beach (city), Fort Lauderdale (city), Hallandale Beach (city), Hillsboro Beach (town), Hollywood (city), Lauderdale-By-The-Sea (town), Lauderdale Lakes (city), Lauderhill (city), Lazy Lake (village), Lighthouse Point (city), Margate (city), Miramar (city), North Lauderdale (city), Oakland Park (city), Parkland (city), Pembroke Park (town), Pembroke Pines (city), Plantation (city), Pompano Beach (city), Sea Ranch Lakes (village), Seminole Tribe of Florida, Southwest Ranches (town), Sunrise (city), Tamarac (city), West Park (city), Weston (city), Wilton Manors (city).
Calhoun County (3): Altha (town), Blountstown (city), Unincorporated Calhoun County.
Charlotte County (2): Unincorporated Charlotte County, Punta Gorda (city).
Citrus County (3): Unincorporated Citrus County, Crystal River (city), Inverness (city).
Collier County (4): Unincorporated Collier County, Marco Island (city), Naples (city), Seminole Tribe of Florida.
DeSoto County (2): Arcadia (city), Unincorporated DeSoto County.
Dixie County (3): Cross City (town), Unincorporated Dixie County, Horseshoe Beach (town).
Duval County (5): Atlantic Beach (city), Baldwin (town), Jacksonville (city), Jacksonville Beach (city), Neptune Beach (city).
Escambia County (4): Century (town), Unincorporated Escambia County, Pensacola (city), Pensacola Beach - Santa Rosa Island Authority.
Flagler County (6): Beverly Beach (town), Bunnell (city), Flagler Beach (city), Unincorporated Flagler County, Marineland (town), Palm Coast (city).
Glades County (2): Unincorporated Glades County, Moore Haven (city).
Gulf County (3): Unincorporated Gulf County, Port St. Joe (city), Wewahitchka (city).
Hamilton County (4): Unincorporated Hamilton County, Jasper (city), Jennings (town), White Springs (town).
Hendry County (3): Clewiston (city), Unincorporated Hendry County, LaBelle (city).
Hernando County (2): Brooksville (city), Unincorporated Hernando County.
Hillsborough County (4): Unincorporated Hillsborough County, Plant City (city), Tampa (city), Temple Terrace (city).
Indian River County (6): Fellsmere (city), Unincorporated Indian River County, Indian River Shores (town), Orchid (town), Sebastian (city), Vero Beach (city).
Jackson County (12): Alford (town), Bascom (town), Campbellton (town), Cottondale (city), Graceville (city), Grand Ridge (town), Greenwood (town), Unincorporated Jackson County, Jacob City (town), Malone (town), Marianna (city), Sneads (town).
Lee County (7): Bonita Springs (city), Cape Coral (city), Estero (village), Fort Myers (city), Fort Myers Beach (town), Unincorporated Lee County, Sanibel (city).
Levy County (8): Bronson (town), Cedar Key (city), Chiefland (city), Inglis (town), Unincorporated Levy County, Otter Creek (town), Williston (city), Yankeetown (town).
Liberty County (2): Bristol (city), Unincorporated Liberty County.
Madison County (4): Greenville (town), Lee (town), Madison (city), Unincorporated Madison County.
Manatee County (7): Anna Maria (city), Bradenton Beach (city), Bradenton (city), Holmes Beach (city), Longboat Key (town), Unincorporated Manatee County, Palmetto (city).
Marion County (6): Belleview (city), Dunnellon (city), Unincorporated Marion County, Ocala (city), McIntosh (town), Reddick (town).
Martin County (5): Jupiter Island (town), Unincorporated Martin County, Ocean Breeze (town), Sewall’s Point (town), Stuart (city).
Okaloosa County (10): Cinco Bayou (town), Crestview (city), Destin (city), Fort Walton Beach (city), Laurel Hill (city), Mary Esther (city), Niceville (city), Unincorporated Okaloosa County, Shalimar (town), Valparaiso (city).
Palm Beach County (40): Atlantis (city), Belle Glade (city), Boca Raton (city), Boynton Beach (city), Briny Breezes (town), Cloud Lake (town), Delray Beach (city), Glen Ridge (town), Golf (village), Greenacres (city), Gulf Stream (town), Haverhill (town), Highland Beach (town), Hypoluxo (town), Juno Beach (town), Jupiter (town), Jupiter Inlet Colony (town), Lake Clarke Shores (town), Lake Park (town), Lake Worth Beach (city), Lantana (town), Loxahatchee Groves (town), Manalapan (town), Mangonia Park (town), North Palm Beach (village), Ocean Ridge (town), Pahokee (city), Palm Beach (town), Unincorporated Palm Beach County, Palm Beach Gardens (city), Palm Beach Shores (town), Palm Springs (village), Riviera Beach (city), Royal Palm Beach (village), South Bay (city), South Palm Beach (town), Tequesta (village), Wellington (village), West Palm Beach (city), Westlake (city).
Pasco County (7): Dade City (city), New Port Richey (city), Unincorporated Pasco County, Port Richey (city), San Antonio (city), St. Leo (town), Zephyrhills (city).
Pinellas County (22): Belleair (town), Belleair Beach (city), Belleair Bluffs (city), Belleair Shore (town), Clearwater (city), Dunedin (city), Gulfport (city), Indian Rocks Beach (city), Indian Shores (town), Kenneth City (town), Largo (city), Madeira Beach (city), Oldsmar (city), Unincorporated Pinellas County, Pinellas Park (city), Safety Harbor (city), Seminole (city), South Pasadena (city), St. Pete Beach (city), St. Petersburg (city), Tarpon Springs (city), Treasure Island (city).
Santa Rosa County (4): Gulf Breeze (city), Jay (town), Milton (city), Unincorporated Santa Rosa County.
Sarasota County (5): Longboat Key (town), North Port (city), Unincorporated Sarasota County, Sarasota (city), Venice (city).
St. Johns County (3): St. Augustine (city), St. Augustine Beach (city), Unincorporated St. Johns County.
Sumter County (6): Bushnell (city), Center Hill (city), Coleman (city), Unincorporated Sumter County, Webster (city), Wildwood (city).
Taylor County (2): Perry (city), Unincorporated Taylor County.
Volusia County (18): Daytona Beach Shores (city), Daytona Beach (city), DeBary (city), DeLand (city), Deltona (city), Edgewater (city), Flagler Beach (city), Holly Hill (city), Lake Helen (city), New Smyrna Beach (city), Oak Hill (city), Orange City (city), Ormond Beach (city), Pierson (town), Ponce Inlet (town), Port Orange (city), South Daytona (city), Unincorporated Volusia County.
Wakulla County (2): Sopchoppy (city), Unincorporated Wakulla County.
Walton County (3): DeFuniak Springs (city), Freeport (city), Unincorporated Walton County.
A row marked county-wide comes from FEMA's flood map data for the whole county, because that county's study has no city-by-city zone table. The zone is on the map somewhere in that county, not in every city. Miami-Dade County's row is the map in force today; its new study takes effect February 19, 2027. Lee County's newest study takes effect March 2, 2027, so the Lee row shows the study in force until then.
To compare Zone X with the high-risk zones, read flood zone X vs AE vs VE.
Is your address in Zone X?
A neighbor's zone or a ZIP code is not enough. What zone is your home in? Check my address and see the FEMA zone for that exact spot.
Questions Florida buyers ask about flood zone X
What does flood zone X mean?
Zone X is land outside FEMA's high-risk flood area. Shaded X is moderate risk, between the 1 percent and 0.2 percent flood lines. Unshaded X is minimal risk, above the 0.2 percent flood line.
Does flood zone X require flood insurance?
Federal law does not make your lender require it in Zone X, but any lender can still ask. In Florida, if Citizens insures your home, Citizens may require flood coverage in any zone.
What is flood zone X500?
X500 is another name for shaded Zone X. It is moderate-risk land between the 1 percent and the 0.2 percent (1 in 500) flood lines. Older maps called it Zone B.
Is flood zone X good?
It means the land is outside FEMA's high-risk area, so the federal lender rule does not apply. It does not mean the home cannot flood. FEMA says nearly one-third of NFIP claims from 2014 to 2024 came from outside high-risk areas.
Is flood insurance cheaper in Zone X?
Not as a rule. Under Risk Rating 2.0, the NFIP price comes from the home: first floor height, rebuild cost, distance to water and how often the spot floods. The old Zone X Preferred Risk Policy ended with Risk Rating 2.0.
Sources and dates
- FEMA, Flood Zones (Special Flood Hazard Area; shaded and unshaded X zones; Zone B and Zone C on older maps). Read October 26, 2026. https://www.fema.gov/flood-zones
- FEMA, NFIP Study Guide, Unit 3 (Zone X shaded and unshaded, the base flood elevation). Read October 26, 2026. https://www.fema.gov/pdf/floodplain/nfip_sg_unit_3.pdf
- FEMA, How to read a Flood Insurance Rate Map tutorial, January 2022 (moderate-risk Zone X shading). Read October 26, 2026. https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/how-to-read-flood-insurance-rate-map-tutorial.pdf
- FEMA Flood Insurance Studies, Volume 1, "Flood Zone Designations by Community," for each county in the table above (study number and date in the table), from the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. Read November 4, 2026. https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home
- FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer, county flood map data (flood zone areas on the map in force), for each county marked county-wide in the table above, from the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. Read November 4, 2026. https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home
- 42 U.S.C. 4012a, flood insurance purchase requirement. govinfo.gov, read October 26, 2026. https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/4012a
- 12 CFR Part 22, Loans in Areas Having Special Flood Hazards. eCFR, read October 26, 2026. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-12/chapter-I/part-22
- FEMA, FloodSmart, What is my flood risk ("From 2014 - 2024, nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside high-risk flood areas."). Read October 26, 2026. https://www.floodsmart.gov/flood-zones-and-maps/what-is-my-flood-risk
- Section 627.351(6)(aa), Florida Statutes, and Citizens Property Insurance, flood insurance requirement. Read October 26, 2026. https://www.citizensfla.com/flood
- FEMA, Risk Rating 2.0 Frequently Asked Questions, December 2022 (the NFIP "will no longer offer the Preferred Risk Policy (PRP) insurance product"). Read October 29, 2026. https://agents.floodsmart.gov/sites/default/files/media/document/2025-07/fema-nfip-risk-rating-2.0-FAQs.pdf
- FEMA, Understanding Risk Rating 2.0 fact sheet, July 2025 (rating factors). Read October 26, 2026. https://agents.floodsmart.gov/sites/default/files/media/document/2025-08/fema-understanding-risk-rating-2.0-fact-sheet-2025.pdf
Facts last checked November 4, 2026. Every figure comes from the federal or state source listed above.