Natural Hazard Disclosure (NHD) in California: What It Covers
A separate, government-mapped hazard report every California home sale requires — distinct from the seller's own TDS disclosures.
Separate from the seller’s own knowledge-based disclosures (the TDS), California requires sellers to disclose whether a property falls inside any of six government-mapped natural hazard zones. This is the Natural Hazard Disclosure (NHD), governed by Civil Code §§ 1103–1103.14.
The six statutory zones
- Special Flood Hazard Area — a FEMA-designated flood zone.
- Area of Potential Flooding — at risk if a dam were to fail.
- Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone — state or local fire-severity mapping.
- Wildland Fire Area (State Responsibility Area) — land where the state, not a local fire department, holds primary wildfire responsibility.
- Earthquake Fault Zone — an Alquist-Priolo zone, mapped around known active fault traces.
- Seismic Hazard Zone — separately mapped areas at risk of landslide or liquefaction during an earthquake.
How it’s actually produced
Unlike the TDS, the NHD isn’t the seller narrating what they personally know — it’s a factual lookup against public agency maps, using the property’s address. Sellers typically order this report from a licensed natural hazard disclosure provider (the seller’s agent commonly arranges it), and the statutory form itself is set out in Civil Code § 1103.2.
What a “yes” on the NHD means for you
Being inside one of these zones doesn’t mean a sale can’t happen — the vast majority of California homes touch at least one of these zones somewhere in the state. It does mean you should factor in the real practical consequences: e.g., a lender may require flood insurance in a Special Flood Hazard Area, or a very-high fire-severity zone may affect the cost and availability of homeowners insurance.
Frequently asked
Is the NHD the same thing as the TDS?
No. The TDS is the seller's own knowledge of the property's condition; the NHD is a factual report of which government-mapped hazard zones the address falls within. They're required by different sections of the Civil Code and typically delivered as separate documents.
Does an NHD hazard zone automatically require special insurance?
Not automatically, but it's common — a lender will often require flood insurance for a property in a Special Flood Hazard Area, for example. Confirm the specific requirement with your lender and insurance agent.
Can I dispute an NHD zone designation?
The zones come from official government maps, not the seller's opinion — if you believe a designation is wrong, that's a question for the mapping agency (e.g., FEMA for flood zones), not the seller.
This is educational guidance, not legal advice. Consult a California real estate attorney for legal questions specific to your transaction.