# FEMA API: Get flood zone for an address

> Finds the FEMA flood zone, risk designation, base flood elevation, flood map panel and community for a US street address, using Census address coordinates and FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer.

Unofficial. Not affiliated with or endorsed by FEMA.

- Page: https://fous.com/methods/fema.gov/get-flood-zone
- Method: `fema.gov/get_flood_zone`, version 1
- Website: fema.gov
- Returns: matched address, flood zone, meaning, high-risk flag, base flood elevation, map panel, effective date, community, FEMA map link, note, coordinates
- Effect: read (it gets data and changes nothing)
- Sign-in: none needed
- Cost: 1 credit per completed run (1¢ with pay as you go); failed runs are free
- Verified: Nov 2, 2026

## Inputs

| Field | Type | Required | In the run below | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `address` | string | yes | `"100 W 1st Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501"` | Full US street address, e.g. 1000 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139. |

## Output

From a run on Oct 31, 2026. Its input:

```json
{
  "address": "100 W 1st Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501"
}
```

Its output:

```json
{
  "note": null,
  "latitude": 61.221443772936,
  "longitude": -149.88337811389,
  "flood_zone": "A",
  "community_name": "MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE",
  "matched_address": "100 W 1ST AVE, ANCHORAGE, AK, 99501",
  "flood_zone_meaning": "High-risk flood area; flood insurance is usually required with a federally backed mortgage.",
  "flood_map_panel_number": "0200050732D",
  "flood_map_effective_date": "2009-09-25",
  "base_flood_elevation_feet": null,
  "fema_map_service_center_link": "https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search?AddressQuery=100%20W%201ST%20AVE%2C%20ANCHORAGE%2C%20AK%2C%2099501",
  "in_high_risk_special_flood_hazard_area": true
}
```

## Run it

From code, with a Fous API key in `FOUS_API_KEY`; the answer's `data` holds the output:

```bash
curl https://api.fous.com/v1/runs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"method":"fema.gov/get_flood_zone","input":{"address":"100 W 1st Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501"}}'
```

From an AI agent connected to the Fous MCP server: its `run` with the same method and input. To connect one, give it `set up https://fous.com/SKILL.md`.

## Ask your agent

- What flood zone is 412 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70130 in?
- Is the house at 2207 Seawall Blvd, Galveston, TX 77550 in a high-risk flood area, and what's the base flood elevation?
- Look up the FEMA flood map panel and effective date for 88 Harbor View Rd, Charleston, SC 29412
- I'm buying a condo at 1500 S Ocean Blvd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 — do I need flood insurance? Check the fema.gov flood zone designation.
- Pull the National Flood Hazard Layer info (zone, community, BFE) for 615 W 5th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501 from FEMA

## Input schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "address"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "address": {
      "type": "string",
      "examples": [
        "1000 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139"
      ],
      "minLength": 1,
      "description": "Full US street address, e.g. 1000 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139."
    }
  }
}
```

## Output schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "matched_address",
    "flood_zone",
    "flood_zone_meaning",
    "in_high_risk_special_flood_hazard_area",
    "base_flood_elevation_feet",
    "flood_map_panel_number",
    "flood_map_effective_date",
    "community_name",
    "fema_map_service_center_link",
    "note",
    "latitude",
    "longitude"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "note": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "Explanation when no digital flood map or zone is available."
    },
    "latitude": {
      "type": "number",
      "description": "Census geocoder latitude."
    },
    "longitude": {
      "type": "number",
      "description": "Census geocoder longitude."
    },
    "flood_zone": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "FEMA flood zone code, or null if no digital flood zone is available."
    },
    "community_name": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "FEMA political jurisdiction name."
    },
    "matched_address": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Street address matched by the Census geocoder."
    },
    "flood_zone_meaning": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "Plain-language flood hazard designation."
    },
    "flood_map_panel_number": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "FEMA FIRM panel number."
    },
    "flood_map_effective_date": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "format": "date",
      "description": "Effective date of the mapped FIRM panel."
    },
    "base_flood_elevation_feet": {
      "type": [
        "number",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "Mapped static base flood elevation in feet, if available."
    },
    "fema_map_service_center_link": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Link to search this address on FEMA Map Service Center."
    },
    "in_high_risk_special_flood_hazard_area": {
      "type": [
        "boolean",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "Whether FEMA marks the location as in a high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area; null if unavailable."
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false
}
```

## See more

- [FEMA API: List disaster declarations](https://fous.com/methods/fema.gov/list-disaster-declarations.md): Lists federal disaster declarations in a US state. You can narrow the list by county, declaration date and incident category. Each disaster comes back with all of its designated counties.
- [U.S. Census Bureau API: Get address details](https://fous.com/methods/census.gov/get-address-details.md): Matches a US street address and returns its city or place, county, state, ZIP code, census tract, congressional and state legislative districts, coordinates and FIPS codes. Districts follow the Census Geocoder's current geography vintage and may differ from sitting representation.
- [NWS API: List weather alerts](https://fous.com/methods/weather.gov/list-weather-alerts.md): Lists active US weather watches, warnings and advisories for a city, address, ZIP code or state, most severe first, then newest.
- [huduser.gov API: Get HUD Fair Market Rents](https://fous.com/methods/huduser.gov/get-fair-market-rent.md): Gets HUD Fair Market Rents for a county, metro area, or ZIP code and fiscal year. ZIP rents are included only where HUD says Small Area FMRs apply.
- [Realtor.com API: Get home details](https://fous.com/methods/realtor.com/get-home.md): Gets a home's details from Realtor.com by street address or Realtor.com property link: status, list price, value estimate, beds, baths, size, year built, HOA fee, property and tax history, nearby schools, flood risk and photos.
- [Zillow API: Get housing market](https://fous.com/methods/zillow.com/get-housing-market.md): Looks up Zillow housing market figures for a city and state or five-digit ZIP code: typical home value, one-year change, list and sale prices, inventory and listing activity.
- [The Weather Channel API: List weather alerts](https://fous.com/methods/weather.com/list-weather-alerts.md): Lists active severe weather alerts for a city, address, ZIP or postcode on The Weather Channel, most severe first. An empty list means no active alerts.
- [NWS API: Get National Weather Service forecast](https://fous.com/methods/weather.gov/get-forecast.md): Looks up the National Weather Service seven-day day and night forecast for a U.S. city, address, or ZIP code. Forecast availability depends on NWS land-grid coverage.
- [All FEMA methods](https://fous.com/methods/fema.gov.md)