Coastal high-risk zone with wave action, no base flood elevations
Where V sits
VE / V Storm waves of 3 feet or more ride on top of the flood. Strictest building rules; homes go up on pilings.
A / AE Inside the 1%-a-year floodplain: about a 26% chance of flooding over a 30-year mortgage. AE has a mapped base flood elevation; plain A does not.
X shaded The 0.2% (500-year) floodplain, plus some levee-protected and very shallow flood areas.
X Outside both lines. No federal requirement to insure, which is not the same as no risk.
What Is Zone V?
Zone V is a coastal high-risk area with wave action where FEMA has not determined Base Flood Elevations. The risk is similar to Zone VE but without detailed elevation data.
Building requirements in Zone V are similar to VE — structures must be elevated on pilings or columns and designed to withstand wave forces.
Flood Insurance Requirements
Flood insurance is required if you have a mortgage from a federally regulated or insured lender, or a federally backed loan such as FHA, VA, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. This is a coastal Special Flood Hazard Area.