Northampton County, VA zoning map, flood zone and property lines by address
Free, no account. Or open the Virginia map and tap a lot.
Towns in Northampton County: Exmore, Eastville, Cape Charles.
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 Northampton County has 69 FIRM panels, the newest effective March 2015; 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 Northampton 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 Northampton lot shows the same lines the real estate assessor draws. Northampton County covers about 135,497 acres of land and 373,466 acres of water.
Mapped lines are approximate. The Northampton County real estate assessor keeps the parcel record (Northampton County website); a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
Zoning
Northampton County zones its unincorporated land, and Exmore, Eastville, Cape Charles each zone the land inside their limits. 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 Northampton 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. Northampton County is soil survey area VA131, Northampton County, Virginia, last updated August 2026, on Web Soil Survey.
A new or changed septic system in Northampton County needs a permit from the Northampton County local health department (Virginia Department of Health).
Setbacks
Setbacks in Northampton 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, and Exmore, Eastville, Cape Charles for land inside their limits.
Hazards that apply
- Storm surge. Northampton 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 Northampton lot and the Forest Service wildfire hazard rating at it.
Questions
Is my house in a flood zone in Northampton 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 Northampton County has 69 panels, the newest effective March 2015. A lender or insurer uses the official FIRM panel; FEMA's Map Service Center has it.
How do I find property lines in Northampton County?
Open the Virginia map, type the address, and the parcel outline from the Northampton 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 Northampton County?
Zoning in Northampton County is set by the county for unincorporated land and by each city (such as Exmore, Eastville) 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 Northampton 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 Northampton 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 Northampton County?
Yes. A new or changed septic system in Northampton County needs a permit from the Northampton County local health department (Virginia Department of Health). ParcelSheet shows the USDA soil survey's septic rating at the lot, from survey area VA131 (Northampton County, Virginia).
What can I build on 5 acres in Northampton County?
Zoning in Northampton County is set by the county for unincorporated land and each city inside its own limits (such as Exmore, Eastville). 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 Northampton County website.
What are the residential setbacks in Northampton County (2026)?
Setbacks in Northampton 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 Northampton County website.
Next to Northampton County: Accomack County, Mathews County, York County, Hampton city, Poquoson city, Virginia Beach city.
The Virginia map · All Virginia counties · Flood zones explained · FIRM panels and LOMAs · All 50 states