Hatteras Island is under a state of emergency and has entry restrictions after damage to NC Highway 12 left the island without land access from the north.
La declaration of emergency It went into effect on Saturday, September 26 at 7 p.m. and allows Dare County to control the movement of people, emergency personnel, and essential supplies while the highway remains closed between the Marc Basnight Bridge and Rodanthe.
As an alternative, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) activated an emergency ferry service on Sunday, September 27, between Stumpy Point, in the mainland territory of Dare County, and Rodanthe, on Hatteras Island.
Three ferries will operate on the route, which can carry vehicles and pedestrians. The one-way trip takes approximately two hours.
However, space is limited and authorities warned that travelers should prepare for long lines and delays.
Who can enter Hatteras Island?
While the state of emergency remains in effect, entry to Hatteras Island is limited to individuals included in the Priority One and Priority Two categories established by Dare County.
Visitors and homeowners who are not residents of the island are not allowed to enter at this time.
Priority One
This includes essential personnel, including utility workers, government, healthcare, and damage assessment teams.
To enter, you must present a valid permit and an official ID that matches that document.
Priority Two
It includes permanent residents of Hatteras Island and essential staff of businesses deemed critical.
Residents can prove their address with a driver's license or North Carolina identification card that shows a physical address on Hatteras Island.
They may also present a voter registration card with a physical address on the island accompanied by an official photo ID.
The 2026 entry permits can also be used to expedite the process at checkpoints.
Restrictions
The restrictions apply to all entry routes, including the emergency ferry and any eventual route through Ocracoke Island.
The state of emergency also allows residents of Ocracoke, in Hyde County, to travel across Hatteras Island to return to their homes once necessary connections are restored.
You can leave Hatteras Island
The restrictions do not prevent people currently on Hatteras Island from leaving.
Those wishing to leave the island can use the emergency ferry from Rodanthe to Stumpy Point without needing to meet any special departure requirements.
However, authorities warned that ferry capacity is limited and considerable waiting times may occur.
Visitors who choose to leave should be aware that they will not be able to return to Hatteras Island while current entry restrictions remain in place.
So far, the authorities have not set a date to allow visitors back in.
Ferry schedules for this Sunday, September 27
NCDOT provided three ferries to provide emergency service between Rodanthe and Stumpy Point.
This Sunday, September 27th, the scheduled departures are:
From Rodanthe to Stumpy Point:
11 am, 2 pm, 3:30 pm, 5 pm, 8 pm and 11 pm
From Stumpy Point to Rodanthe:
12:30 pm, 2 pm, 5 pm, 8 pm and 11 pm
Starting Monday, September 28th, there will be more frequent service.
From Rodanthe to Stumpy Point:
2 am, 5 am, 8 am, 9:30 am, 11 am, 2 pm, 3:30 pm, 5 pm, 8 pm and 11 pm
From Stumpy Point to Rodanthe:
2 am, 5 am, 6:30 am, 8 am, 11 am, 12:30 pm, 2 pm, 5 pm, 8 pm and 11 pm
Schedules may change depending on weather and sea conditions.
Food, fuel, and medicine will have priority.
Transporting essential supplies will be one of the emergency service's priorities.
According to Dare County, shipments deemed essential — which may include food, fuel, and medical supplies — will be given priority before other types of traffic are allowed to board.
Priority can also be requested for certain urgent circumstances, such as medical appointments, health procedures or treatments, and other exceptional situations.
Authorization is not automatic: each application will be evaluated individually. Furthermore, obtaining priority for one leg of the journey does not guarantee the same status for the return trip.
Where are the terminals located?
The Stumpy Point emergency terminal is located at:
100 Log Storage Road
Stumpy Point, NC 27953
From US Highway 64 in Manns Harbor, take US Highway 264 south toward Stumpy Point and continue approximately 13 miles past the entrance to the community.
The Rodanthe emergency terminal is located at:
23170 Myrna Peters Road
Rodanthe, NC 27968
From NC Highway 12 in Rodanthe, turn west onto Myrna Peters Road, north of the Rodanthe-Waves-Salvo Community Building.
Authorities asked travelers to respect the signs and instructions of staff at both terminals.
No date set for the reopening of NC 12
The closure was due to significant damage to NC Highway 12 on Pea Island.
The road remains closed between the Marc Basnight Bridge in Oregon Inlet and Rodanthe, eliminating land access to and from Hatteras Island from the north.
Reports from this Sunday indicate that episodes of [unclear] continued to be recorded overwash —ocean water and sand that spill over the dunes and reach the road— on Pea Island.
NCDOT continues to assess the damage and plans to begin construction of a temporary roadway when conditions permit.
There is currently no timeframe for restoring road access to Hatteras Island.
NC Highway 12 is the main road that runs through this area of the Outer Banks and passes through or connects the communities of Hatteras Island.
What should those with reservations do?
Authorities asked people with upcoming reservations on Hatteras Island not to travel to the island while restrictions remain in place.
Those with booked accommodation should contact the hotel, rental company or lodging provider directly.
Dare County clarified that it cannot modify reservations or provide information about individual accommodations.
For inquiries about access procedures, the county has enabled the line 252-475-5655, where Spanish translators are available.
Road conditions can be viewed at DriveNC.gov, while information on permits and reentry categories is available at DareNC.gov/Reentry.
County officials announced that the next official update will be released no later than noon on Monday, September 28.
You may be interested: Know your rights as an immigrant before, during, and after a disaster
What communities are part of Hatteras Island?
Hatteras Island should not be confused with a single city. It is a barrier island in the Outer Banks that is part of Dare County and comprises seven unincorporated communities: Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco, and Hatteras Village.
The county itself identifies those seven communities as part of Hatteras Island.
From north to south, the communities are Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco, and Hatteras Village.
Therefore, the current entry restrictions to Hatteras Island affect access to all of them.
Ocracoke Island is not part of Hatteras Island. It is located further south, in Hyde County, and is connected to Hatteras Island by ferry. NC Highway 12 continues through Ocracoke after that ferry connection.
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