Carolina Beach hurricane guide¶

Carolina Beach is an island beach town, and officials may order the whole island to evacuate before a hurricane. The town urges everyone to follow evacuation orders: if you stay, police, fire, and EMS may not be able to reach you during the storm, and power and water will likely be lost. The town has its own police department and runs its own water and sewer system.

Checked on October 2, 2026

Every phone number and web address on this page was checked against official sources on that date. Details can change, especially during a storm. Always follow instructions from the Town of Carolina Beach. In a life threatening emergency, call 911.

Official website: carolinabeach.gov

What to know in Carolina Beach¶

After a disaster, getting back onto the island may be limited to residents and property owners whose vehicles carry a town re-entry decal. Decals are free from January 1 to March 31 and cost $20 after that. Order one online or pick it up at Town Hall or the Parking Office. Without a decal, you will be sent to an off-site location to get a temporary permit with proper documents.
Once the island is evacuated, no one can return until the Mayor declares the State of Emergency over. Sightseers are not allowed back until all power is restored.
The town does not run its own alert system. It asks residents to sign up for New Hanover County's emergency alerts.

Emergency and information numbers¶

Service	Number	Notes
Town Hall	910-458-2999	Office line. Not for emergencies.
Police non-emergency	910-452-6120	For police matters that are not emergencies.
Parking Office	910-458-4614	Office line. Not for emergencies. Re-entry decals can be picked up here.

Official alerts and information¶

Carolina Beach Emergency Preparedness: The town's official hurricane information page. Website.
Carolina Beach Re-Entry Permits: Rules for re-entry decals, with a link to order one online. Website.
Parking Pass and Re-Entry Decal portal: Order your re-entry decal online. Website.

County services that cover Carolina Beach¶

New Hanover County manages evacuation zones, evacuation centers, and emergency alerts for everyone who lives in Carolina Beach. The New Hanover County guide has the full list of county numbers, radio stations, and recovery help.

Look up your evacuation zone
Official list of open evacuation centers
ReadyNHC: Free alerts by text, email, or phone. Sign up before a storm. Text READYNHC to 24639, or LISTONHC to 24639 for alerts in Spanish. Use the online portal to choose alerts for your neighborhood and your language. Website.
EmergencyNHC.com: The county's official hurricane information page. Evacuations, shelters, and safety instructions are posted here during an emergency. Website.

Power, water and debris¶

Water and sewer (after hours): Report water main breaks, sewer backups, and low water pressure. Town water and sewer on-call line. You can also call 911. Phone: 910-465-0376. Website.
Public Works on-call: Streets and right-of-ways. For drainage and stormwater problems, call the stormwater on-call line at 910-465-0593. Phone: 910-465-0520. Website.

Sources¶

Checked on October 2, 2026. If a number or address here is wrong, please tell us at Keith@KMyers.me.