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Look it up by address on the Florida Division of Emergency Management's Know Your Zone map.
The zones are drawn around storm surge, which the state calls the greatest threat to life in a hurricane, and they run from A to F: Zone A is the most vulnerable and the first to be evacuated, Zone F the last. The order to leave comes from local officials, zone by zone, as a storm approaches, so learn your letter before the season starts and listen for it. If your zone is not being evacuated and the home is sound, staying in it may be the safer choice. Anyone in a mobile home should follow every evacuation order. The zone is also worth knowing before you buy or rent: the lower the letter, the more exposed the address is to surge, which is a reason to price flood insurance before an offer.
Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. The National Hurricane Center puts its peak on September 10, with most of the activity from mid-August to mid-October.
Read the answer →A standard homeowners policy does not cover flooding. Flood is a separate policy, from the National Flood Insurance Program or a private insurer, and an NFIP policy usually takes 30 days to start, so it cannot be bought the day a storm is named.
Read the answer →The six checks that decide whether a Florida county is right for you: housing cost, flood and wind, schools, healthcare, daily travel and storm readiness.
Open the page →The state starts the clock on the day you establish residency, and two deadlines come first.
You have 30 days from the day you establish residency. Bring originals.
Within 10 days of establishing residency. Buy the insurance first: Florida needs proof of a policy from an agent licensed in Florida before it registers the car.
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