Virginia Beach city, VA zoning map, flood zone and property lines by address
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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 has 115 FIRM panels covering Virginia Beach city, the newest effective December 2018; 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 Virginia Beach 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 Virginia Beach lot shows the same lines the real estate assessor draws. Virginia Beach city covers about 156,621 acres of land and 161,778 acres of water.
Mapped lines are approximate. The Virginia Beach city real estate assessor keeps the parcel record (Virginia Beach city website); a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
Zoning
In Virginia Beach city zoning is set by the city itself, an independent city outside any county. ParcelSheet shows the use code on the lot's parcel record and the municipality it sits in; the city planning office has 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), the city itself, an independent city outside any county can allow an accessory dwelling unit on a lot with a house. Whether a Virginia Beach lot can add one depends on its district; the city 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. Virginia Beach city is soil survey area VA810, City of Virginia Beach, Virginia, last updated September 2026, on Web Soil Survey.
A new or changed septic system in Virginia Beach city needs a permit from the Virginia Beach city local health department (Virginia Department of Health).
Setbacks
Setbacks in Virginia Beach city come from the zoning district: the front, side and rear distances a house must keep. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines; the city planning office gives them for the lot's district.
Hazards that apply
- Storm surge. Virginia Beach city 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 Virginia Beach lot and the Forest Service wildfire hazard rating at it.
Questions
Is my house in a flood zone in Virginia Beach city?
Type the address in the box above and ParcelSheet reads FEMA's flood zone at the lot's center. FEMA has 115 flood map panels covering Virginia Beach city, the newest effective December 2018. A lender or insurer uses the official FIRM panel; FEMA's Map Service Center has it.
How do I find property lines in Virginia Beach city?
Open the Virginia map, type the address, and the parcel outline from the Virginia Beach city 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 Virginia Beach city?
Zoning in Virginia Beach city is set by the city itself, an independent city outside any county. ParcelSheet shows the use code on the parcel record and names the municipality; the city planning office has the final word.
Can I build an ADU in Virginia Beach city?
Under Virginia's zoning law (Code of Virginia Title 15.2, Chapter 22), the city itself, an independent city outside any county can allow an accessory dwelling unit, and each sets its own rules. In Virginia Beach city ask the city planning 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 Virginia Beach city?
Yes. A new or changed septic system in Virginia Beach city needs a permit from the Virginia Beach city local health department (Virginia Department of Health). ParcelSheet shows the USDA soil survey's septic rating at the lot, from survey area VA810 (City of Virginia Beach, Virginia).
What can I build on 5 acres in Virginia Beach city?
Zoning in Virginia Beach city is set by the city itself, an independent city outside any 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 city planning office has the district and its rules. See the Virginia Beach city website.
What are the residential setbacks in Virginia Beach city (2026)?
Setbacks in Virginia Beach city 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 city planning office gives them for the district. See the Virginia Beach city website.
Next to Virginia Beach city: Northampton County, Chesapeake city, Hampton city, Norfolk city.
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