Flood disclosure · State comparisonFlood disclosure laws by state: flood zones, flood history, insurance claims and aid

States handle flood risk in the seller's disclosure in three ways. Some require a dedicated flood history: Florida's flood disclosure form, given at or before the contract, covers known flood damage, flood insurance claims and FEMA or other flood assistance (Fla. Stat. §689.302); Texas's seller's disclosure notice covers flooding, flood insurance claims and FEMA or SBA flood assistance (Tex. Prop. Code §5.008); Maine's property disclosure must state whether the property is in a FEMA special flood hazard area, the flood zone with a copy of the FIRM panel, and flood events, damage, claims and aid during the seller's ownership with dates (33 M.R.S. §173(7)); and New York's disclosure statement asks eight flood questions – FEMA flood zones, required flood insurance, FEMA or SBA flood assistance and flood claims – with the policy and any elevation certificate attached (N.Y. Real Prop. Law §462). Virginia targets one fact: an owner who actually knows the home is a repetitive risk loss structure – two or more NFIP claims over $1,000 in any rolling 10-year period since 1978 – must disclose it on the Real Estate Board's form (Va. Code §55.1-708.2). And some fold flood questions into the general form: Connecticut's residential condition report asks whether the property is in a flood hazard or inland wetlands area (Conn. Gen. Stat. §20-327b), South Dakota's statutory form asks whether the property is in a flood plain and about flood damage and insurance claims (SDCL 43-4-44), and Washington's Form 17 asks about flooding and drainage problems, flood damage and floodplains (RCW 64.06.020). Separately, a federally regulated lender must give a borrower whose home is in a FEMA special flood hazard area a written flood notice before closing and require flood insurance (12 CFR 22.3, 22.9).