Is my address in a flood zone?

An independent service by EZOSHosting, Austin, TX. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the City of Austin or Travis County. Official information: austintexas.gov.

Austin actually publishes two different flood maps for the same ground, and they don't always agree. FEMA's flood map — the one tied to federal flood insurance — shows the Special Flood Hazard Area based on current conditions. Austin's own Fully Developed Floodplain (FDFP) map, kept by the City's Watershed Protection Department, models the same creeks and drainage areas at full build-out — what happens once every upstream lot that's zoned for development actually gets developed. Because Austin is still growing, the FDFP line is often wider than the FEMA line, and a lot of property owners never learn that until a permit application or a flood event forces the question.

We show both maps for your address, side by side, so you can see whether it's in one, both, or neither — and which one applies to what. This is informational only: it is not a flood determination, not a substitute for an elevation certificate or a licensed survey, and not insurance or engineering advice. If a flood map matters to a real decision — insurance, a building permit, a purchase — confirm directly with Austin Watershed Protection or a licensed surveyor.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between the FEMA flood map and Austin's Fully Developed Floodplain map? FEMA's map reflects current, as-built conditions and determines federal flood insurance requirements. Austin's Fully Developed Floodplain map is a local planning and building-regulation tool that models the same watershed once all upstream land permitted for development is built out — which is usually a larger area than FEMA's current-conditions line.

My address is in Austin's floodplain but not FEMA's. Do I need flood insurance? Federal flood insurance requirements are generally tied to the FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area, not the FDFP. Being inside the FDFP but outside FEMA's line more commonly affects local building and drainage requirements rather than insurance mandates — but insurance requirements can vary by lender and policy, so confirm with your insurer or lender directly rather than relying on this page.

How often is this flood data updated? Both layers are refreshed from the City's published datasets on a monthly cycle. We show the date each layer was last retrieved next to the result, not just a generic "as of" date, so you can see exactly how current the information is.

Methodology

This tool combines two City of Austin open datasets: the Greater Austin Fully Developed Floodplain (dataset pjz8-kff2, Watershed Protection Department, refreshed monthly) and the Greater Austin FEMA Floodplain (dataset 93kh-rg74, Office of Emergency Management, refreshed monthly). We always display both layers together — never one without the other — because showing just one invites exactly the wrong conclusion about the other. If neither dataset has a polygon covering your address, we say so plainly rather than guessing; "no floodplain flag on file" is a valid, honest result.

Look up your address to see both flood layers together →

Data provenance

Source	Dataset	Retrieved
City of Austin Open Data	pjz8-kff2	2026-08-30T02:04:24
City of Austin Open Data	93kh-rg74	2026-08-30T02:04:51