Dare County urges public to obtain 2023 reentry permits well before hurricane season

Dare County Emergency Management encourages all Dare County residents, non-resident property owners and business owners to obtain their reentry permits well ahead of hurricane season, which officially begins on June 1, 2023.

To enter Dare County following a mandatory evacuation, individuals must present a current reentry permit along with a valid corresponding ID—expired reentry permits from previous years will not be accepted. For local residents, reentry permits are not necessary as long as the resident has a valid ID that contains a local Dare County address.

Reentry permits, which are issued as a PDF file that is sent via email to applicants with the required credentials, can be obtained via Dare County’s online system at any time. Once they have been issued, reentry permits expire at the end of the calendar year. Individuals who were issued 2022 reentry permits—with the exception of business owners/managers who have previously been issued permits—will need to apply for a new reentry permit for the current calendar year.

To obtain a 2023 reentry permit from Dare County Emergency Management, please click here.

Dare County Business Owners/Managers

Dare County business owners who have been approved for reentry permits in the past do not need to reapply. Their assigned “administrator” can manage their permits and only needs to contact Dare County Emergency Management if changes to their accounts need to be made.

Such changes might include assigning a new “administrator” or changing the number of permits allocated to their business. If you are a new Dare County business owner or manager applying for a reentry permit for yourself or your staff members for the first time, please click here.

Mandatory Evacuations & Reentry Delays

During a declared state of emergency that requires a mandatory evacuation in order to ensure public safety, Dare County officials will determine when the area is safe to return to. Delays to reentry into the county can be caused by a variety of factors, including limited public safety response capabilities, damaged/inoperative water supply systems, limited communications, power outages, septic issues, undermined structures, debris making roadways unsafe or impassable, and damage to personal property and critical infrastructure needed to support the population.

Staged Reentry Process

Dare County operates a staged reentry process that is used to facilitate a safe and orderly return to the community following an evacuation that has taken place. Dare County Emergency Management reminds the public that no one will be denied reentry as long as they have obtained and can present the proper forms of identification to checkpoint officials.

Dare County’s reentry process is staged in order of the priority of an individual returning to the community during the recovery period that follows a storm and includes the following four categories:

• Priority One: Essential Personnel. (Essential utilities personnel, government personnel, medical personnel and damage assessment personnel).
• Priority Two: Permanent Residents and Essential Personnel for Critical Businesses. (Non-resident essential personnel of critical businesses such as grocery stores, food distributors, pharmacies, banks, gas stations, property management companies, building supply stores and hotels).
• Priority Three: Non-Resident Property Owners and Non-Resident Employees of Non-Critical Businesses.
• Priority Four: General Public and Visitors. (No reentry permit is needed for Priority Four).

Apply for 2023 Reentry Permits

If you are a Dare County business owner or manager applying for a reentry permit for yourself or your staff members, click here. If you are a Dare County resident, click here. If you are a non-resident property owner, click here.

REMINDER: In order to enter Dare County following a mandatory evacuation, individuals must present a current and valid reentry permit. Expired reentry permits from previous years will not be accepted.