New Orleans, Louisiana Flood Zones
New Orleans sits mostly below sea level, protected by an extensive levee and pump system. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 demonstrated the catastrophic consequences of levee failure, and the city remains vulnerable to storm surge, heavy rainfall, and pump system failures.
Common Flood Zones in New Orleans
Properties in New Orleans, LA are commonly designated in these FEMA flood zones:
Check Your New Orleans Address
Enter any New Orleans, LA address to instantly see its FEMA flood zone, risk level, and whether flood insurance is required.
Free Flood Zone LookupWhat Your Flood Zone Means in New Orleans
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to every property in the United States based on flood risk assessments. In New Orleans, the most common designations are Zone AE, Zone VE, Zone AO, Zone AH, Zone X.
Properties in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) - zones starting with A or V - are required to carry flood insurance if they have a federally-backed mortgage. Properties in Zone X are outside the SFHA and flood insurance is typically optional but often recommended.
Flood zone designations can change over time through Letters of Map Amendment (LOMA) or Letters of Map Revision (LOMR). Use our free lookup tool to check the current flood zone for any New Orleans address.