Nelson County, VA zoning map, flood zone and property lines by address
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Towns in Nelson County: Nellysford, Lovingston.
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 Nelson County has 75 FIRM panels, the newest effective August 2025; no coastal V zones are mapped in it.
The official panel and any Letter of Map Amendment are at FEMA's Map Service Center. An elevation certificate for a Nelson 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 Virginia statewide parcel layer (Virginia Geographic Information Network, from each locality), so a Nelson lot shows the same lines the real estate assessor draws. Nelson County covers about 301,277 acres of land and 2,220 acres of water.
Mapped lines are approximate. The Nelson County real estate assessor keeps the parcel record (Nelson County website); a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
Zoning
Nelson County zones its unincorporated land. ParcelSheet shows the use the real estate assessor lists for the lot and links the county planning office for the district, the uses it allows and the lot size it needs.
ADU and guest houses
Under Virginia's zoning law (Code of Virginia Title 15.2, Chapter 22), local governments can allow an accessory dwelling unit on a lot with a house. Whether a Nelson lot can add one depends on its district; the county planning 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. Nelson County is soil survey area VA125, Nelson County, Virginia, last updated August 2026, on Web Soil Survey.
A new or changed septic system in Nelson County needs a permit from the Nelson County local health department (Virginia Department of Health).
Setbacks
Setbacks in Nelson County come from the zoning district: the front, side and rear distances a house must keep. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines; the county zoning office gives them for the lot's district.
Hazards that apply
- Wetlands and wildfire. ParcelSheet shows the National Wetlands Inventory near a Nelson lot and the Forest Service wildfire hazard rating at it.
Questions
Is my house in a flood zone in Nelson 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 Nelson County has 75 panels, the newest effective August 2025. A lender or insurer uses the official FIRM panel; FEMA's Map Service Center has it.
How do I find property lines in Nelson County?
Open the Virginia map, type the address, and the parcel outline from the Nelson County real estate assessor 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 Nelson County?
Zoning in Nelson County is set by the county for unincorporated land and by each city inside its own limits. ParcelSheet shows the use code the real estate assessor lists and links the office that sets the zoning; the planning office has the final word.
Can I build an ADU in Nelson County?
Under Virginia's zoning law (Code of Virginia Title 15.2, Chapter 22), counties and cities can allow an accessory dwelling unit, and each sets its own rules. In Nelson County ask the 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 Nelson County?
Yes. A new or changed septic system in Nelson County needs a permit from the Nelson County local health department (Virginia Department of Health). ParcelSheet shows the USDA soil survey's septic rating at the lot, from survey area VA125 (Nelson County, Virginia).
What can I build on 5 acres in Nelson County?
Zoning in Nelson County is set by the county for unincorporated land and each city inside its own limits. 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 planning office has the district and its rules. See the Nelson County website.
What are the residential setbacks in Nelson County (2026)?
Setbacks in Nelson County come from the zoning code of the county, or of the city when the lot is inside city limits: 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 zoning office gives them for the district. See the Nelson County website.
Next to Nelson County: Albemarle County, Amherst County, Appomattox County, Augusta County, Buckingham County, Rockbridge County.
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