Monday, June 1, 2026 marks the official start of hurricane season, and Dare County Emergency Management urges all residents, visitors and property owners to take steps now to be prepared. Read on for important local tips to help you and your family stay safe, ready and resilient this hurricane season!
Obtain a 2026 Reentry Permit
To reenter Dare County following a mandatory evacuation, everyone must present a current reentry permit or other documents showing they are eligible to reenter. Dare County’s 2026 reentry permits are available at DareNC.gov/Reentry, where a list of acceptable documents are also outlined for each reentry stage. All Dare County residents, non-resident property owners and local business owners are encouraged to visit DareNC.gov/Reentry to review the reentry requirements/priorities and to submit their application for a 2026 reentry permit. Please note that expired reentry permits from previous calendar years will not be accepted.
Sign Up for OBX Alerts
Dare County Emergency Management advises all residents, property owners and visitors to visit OBXAlerts.com and sign up to receive customized alerts—including severe weather watches and warnings, countywide evacuation orders and other time-critical notifications. Individuals are also encouraged to ensure they have “Government Alerts” enabled on their mobile device so that they can receive Wireless Emergency Alerts from government officials.
Know Your Evacuation Zone
When an evacuation order is issued, Dare County utilizes two geographical evacuation zones, as follows.
Zone A: Zone A comprises areas south of Oregon Inlet. This includes all seven villages on Hatteras Island (Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras).
Zone B: Zone B comprises areas north of Oregon Inlet. This includes the Dare County mainland, Roanoke Island, Martin’s Point and Colington, as well as the towns of Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head and Manteo.
Learn Your Local Evacuation Routes
Evacuations are only called for when the lives and safety of those in the area being evacuated will be at risk. With Dare County’s significant seasonal increases in population and limited access on and off the barrier islands, major traffic delays will occur during evacuations. For this reason, Dare County has two evacuation routes: Highway 64 West and Highway 158 North. Dare County Emergency Management encourages the use of Highway 64 West—especially for anyone evacuating from Hatteras Island, Nags Head and Roanoke Island. Highway 64 has less congestion and fewer traffic lights, allowing you to maintain a constant speed. This route may appear longer on a GPS device, but it is typically faster.
Sign Up for the Special Medical Needs Registry
In times of emergency, such as an evacuation, Dare County is able to provide assistance to residents with special medical needs, which can include both physical or mental health disabilities. Examples of individuals who may have special medical needs can include, but are not limited to, someone who uses a wheelchair, requires oxygen or has a caregiver. If you or someone you know has special medical needs and could require assistance with emergency planning and/or evacuating in case of a hurricane or other weather event, complete the Special Medical Needs Voluntary Registration form virtually at DareNC.gov/SpecialNeeds.
For more information about evacuation plans, emergency supply kits and preparations you can make to your home this hurricane season, visit ReadyNC.org. To download the Dare County Hurricane Guide—which contains a wealth of important information for residents, property owners and visitors—please visit DareNC.gov/HurricaneGuide.
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