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X (Shaded) Zone X (Shaded)

500-year floodplain — 0.2% annual chance of flooding

Where X (Shaded) sits

Cross-section of a river floodplainDiagram: a river valley. The floodway is the channel and the land beside it; the 1%-annual-chance flood surface (the base flood elevation) covers the valley floor as zone A or AE; a narrow band higher up is shaded X, the 0.2% floodplain; higher ground is X.0.2% CHANCE A YEAR (500-YEAR)BASE FLOOD ELEVATION · 1% A YEARXAEFloodwayAEX
  1. 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.
  2. Floodway The channel and the land beside it that has to be kept clear enough to carry the flood. Building here is tightly limited.
  3. X shaded The 0.2% (500-year) floodplain, plus some levee-protected and very shallow flood areas.
  4. X Outside both lines. No federal requirement to insure, which is not the same as no risk.

What Is Zone X (Shaded)?

Zone X (Shaded), also called Zone B on older maps, represents areas with a 0.2% annual chance of flooding — the 500-year floodplain. While moderate-risk, these areas can and do flood.

Properties in shaded X zones may also include areas protected by levees or areas where shallow flooding could occur. Many homeowners in these zones choose to purchase flood insurance even though it is not required.

Flood Insurance Requirements

Flood insurance is not required by federal law (your lender may still require it) but is strongly recommended. FEMA no longer offers the discounted Preferred Risk Policy; premiums are priced on each building’s own risk, so get a quote.

Flood insurance in Zone X: what 687,000 claims show →

How the National Flood Insurance Program works →

Base Flood Elevation (BFE)

Not determined for moderate-risk zones.

What base flood elevation means and how to read it →

Check Your Property's Flood Zone

Enter your address to see if your property is in Zone X (Shaded)