Bristol County, RI zoning map, flood zone and property lines by address
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Towns in Bristol County: Bristol, Barrington, Warren.
Flood zone by address
ParcelSheet reads FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer at the lot: the zone, whether it is a high risk area where lenders ask for flood insurance, and the base flood elevation where FEMA lists one. FEMA's countywide study for Bristol County has 18 FIRM panels, the newest effective July 2014; coastal V zones, where waves add to the flood, are mapped along its shore.
The official panel and any Letter of Map Amendment are at FEMA's Map Service Center. An elevation certificate for a Bristol house comes from a licensed surveyor and is often on file with the county or city building office.
Property lines
The parcel outline, parcel number and mapped size come from the Rhode Island tax parcels from the 39 towns, published by RIDEM on RIGIS, so a Bristol lot shows the same lines the town assessor draws. Bristol County covers about 15,444 acres of land and 13,185 acres of water.
Mapped lines are approximate. The town assessors in Bristol County keep the parcel record; a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
Zoning
In Rhode Island zoning is set by each city and town, not by the county. ParcelSheet shows the use code on the lot's parcel record and the municipality it sits in; the town zoning office has the district, the uses it allows and the lot size it needs. The Bristol County website lists the county's municipalities.
ADU and guest houses
Under Rhode Island Zoning Enabling Act of 1991 (General Laws Title 45, Chapter 24), each city and town can allow an accessory dwelling unit on a lot with a house. Whether a Bristol lot can add one depends on its district; the town zoning office has the rule. ParcelSheet shows the mapped lot size and the ground's slope, the first two things the question turns on.
Septic and soil
ParcelSheet reads the USDA soil survey at the lot: the soil's name, its septic absorption rating and whether it is prime farmland. Bristol County is soil survey area RI600, State of Rhode Island: Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence, and Washington Counties, last updated September 2026, on Web Soil Survey.
A new or changed septic system in Bristol County needs a permit from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management OWTS program.
Setbacks
Setbacks in Bristol County come from the zoning district: the front, side and rear distances a house must keep. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines; the town zoning office gives them for the lot's district.
Hazards that apply
- Storm surge. Bristol County has coastal V zones on its FEMA map, so storm surge reaches its shore. The county's evacuation zones are on its emergency management site; ParcelSheet shows the FEMA zone and the 3 ft sea level rise map at the lot.
- Wetlands and wildfire. ParcelSheet shows the National Wetlands Inventory near a Bristol lot and the Forest Service wildfire hazard rating at it.
Questions
Is my house in a flood zone in Bristol County?
Type the address in the box above and ParcelSheet reads FEMA's flood zone at the lot's center. FEMA's countywide flood map for Bristol County has 18 panels, the newest effective July 2014. A lender or insurer uses the official FIRM panel; FEMA's Map Service Center has it.
How do I find property lines in Bristol County?
Open the Rhode Island map, type the address, and the parcel outline from the town assessors in Bristol County shows on the map with its parcel number and mapped size. Mapped lines are approximate; only a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
What is my property zoned in Bristol County?
Zoning in Bristol County is set by each city and town, not by the county. ParcelSheet shows the use code on the parcel record and names the municipality; the town zoning office has the final word.
Can I build an ADU in Bristol County?
Under Rhode Island Zoning Enabling Act of 1991 (General Laws Title 45, Chapter 24), each city and town can allow an accessory dwelling unit, and each sets its own rules. In Bristol County ask the town zoning office for the lot's district first; ParcelSheet shows the lot size as mapped so you can see the room you have.
Do I need a septic permit in Bristol County?
Yes. A new or changed septic system in Bristol County needs a permit from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management OWTS program. ParcelSheet shows the USDA soil survey's septic rating at the lot, from survey area RI600 (State of Rhode Island: Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence, and Washington Counties).
What can I build on 5 acres in Bristol County?
Zoning in Bristol County is set by each city and town, not the county. The zoning district decides the uses, how many homes and the smallest lot it allows on 5 acres. ParcelSheet shows the lot size as mapped and the use code on the parcel record; the town zoning office has the district and its rules.
What are the residential setbacks in Bristol County (2026)?
Setbacks in Bristol County come from the zoning code of the municipality the lot sits in: the front, side and rear distances depend on the lot's district. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines or give a number it did not read; the town zoning office gives them for the district.
Next to Bristol County: Kent County, Newport County, Providence County.
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