Oʻahu's New FEMA Flood Maps Are in Effect: What Business Owners and Nonprofits Need to Know

Oʻahu's updated FEMA flood maps took effect on June 10, 2026. If your business or nonprofit owns or leases a building on the island, your flood zone may have changed, and with it your lender's requirements, your premiums and your risk.

Much of the coverage of the new maps focused on homeowners. But commercial properties face the same changes, with some added wrinkles: higher values, inventory and equipment, and income that stops when the doors close.

What changed

FEMA restudied many of Oʻahu's streams, including some that had never been mapped before. After preliminary maps in 2024 and an appeal period in 2025, FEMA issued its final determination on December 10, 2025, and the new maps took effect June 10, 2026.

• More than 3,500 parcels across Oʻahu had their flood risk designation change, according to the Hawaiʻi Insurance Division.
• Lāʻie, Kāneʻohe and East Honolulu were expected to be among the most affected areas, according to the City's Department of Planning and Permitting.
• High-risk areas are called Special Flood Hazard Areas, usually zones starting with A or V. Properties outside them can still flood.

You can look up your property using the City and County of Honolulu's flood map tool.

What it means for businesses, landlords and nonprofits

• Your lender may now require flood insurance. If your building is newly in a high-risk zone and has a federally backed loan, your lender can require coverage. If you don't buy it in time, the lender can force-place a policy, which usually costs more and covers less.
• Your lease may shift the burden to you. Many commercial leases require tenants to insure their own contents and improvements, and some require flood coverage when the landlord's lender does.
• Your contents and equipment need their own coverage. Inventory, furniture, computers and equipment are separate from the building, whether you own it or rent.
• Your property policy almost certainly excludes flood. Standard commercial property and business owners policies usually don't cover flood damage.
• Nonprofits aren't exempt. Churches, community centers and offices with a mortgage face the same lender rules as any business.
• Renovations and rebuilding may face new rules. Major work in a high-risk zone can trigger requirements to elevate or floodproof the building.

How commercial flood insurance works

There are two main options:

• The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). For non-residential buildings, the NFIP covers up to $500,000 for the building and $500,000 for contents. That can fall short for larger or higher-value properties, and NFIP policies don't cover lost business income.
• Private flood insurance. Private carriers can often offer higher limits, broader coverage and options such as business income, depending on the property.

A few things to keep in mind:

• There's usually a 30-day waiting period before an NFIP policy takes effect, so don't wait for a storm warning.
• Discounts may help. FEMA's newly mapped discount can phase in premium increases for buildings newly mapped into a high-risk zone, and Honolulu's participation in FEMA's Community Rating System can lower NFIP premiums. Continuous coverage is usually required to keep these discounts.
• Excess flood coverage can sit on top of an NFIP policy for properties worth more than the NFIP limits.

What to do now

1. Look up your flood zone under the new maps, for every location you own or lease.
2. Call your lender if your zone changed, and ask whether flood insurance is now required.
3. Read your lease for any flood or contents insurance requirements.
4. Compare NFIP and private flood options, including coverage for contents and lost income.
5. If you think your property was mapped incorrectly, FEMA accepts requests for a map amendment or revision at any time.

Not sure where your property stands? Book a call and I'll check your flood zone, review what your lender and lease require, and compare NFIP and private flood options for you.