In 1987, Onslow County adopted a Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance along with the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) thereby entering into the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Participating in the NFIP affords property owners with the ability to purchase federally-subsidized flood insurance which provides substantial savings in annual premiums. Having this insurance also allows homeowners and business owners to be eligible for low interest federal grants and loans under agencies such as HUD, EPA and SBA. Most importantly, NFIP participation means that Onslow County can receive federal disaster assistance after natural disasters of which Onslow County is particularly vunerable.
The Onslow County Planning & Development Department can provide floodzone determinations, flood insurance letters, elevation certificates and flood mitigation information. Flood permit information is maintained perpetually unlike other building permit records which are purged periodically.