Durham County imposes no breed-specific ban. It controls dangerous dogs by behavior under Chapter 4, Article VIII and NCGS 67-4.1, which authorizes local dangerous-dog programs. NCGS 67-4.5 lets a county run its own program but Durham's is conduct-based, not breed-based.
No Durham County ordinance bans pit bulls, Rottweilers, or any breed. A dog is regulated only after it behaves dangerously: Sec. 4-13 and NCGS 67-4.1 define a 'dangerous dog' as one that without provocation has killed or inflicted severe injury on a person, or that the animal control administrator determines to be potentially dangerous (a bite causing broken bones, disfiguring lacerations, cosmetic surgery, or hospitalization; killing/severely injuring a domestic animal off the owner's property; or menacing a person off-property). Once declared, Sec. 4-192 requires the dog be confined or, when off the owner's property, muzzled and restrained by a competent person on a leash, chain, or rope. Private landlords and HOAs may still set breed terms.
There is no breed offense to cite. A dog declared dangerous or potentially dangerous that violates the ordinance draws a $500 civil penalty per violation under Sec. 4-9(a)(3), plus possible seizure, mandatory microchipping (Sec. 4-195), and criminal exposure under NCGS
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
durham-county-nc
Backyard composting is legal in Durham and the city offers a curbside food-waste program. Compost piles must be maintained so they do not harbor rodents or p...
durham-county-nc
Durham has no ordinance banning artificial turf in residential yards. It counts toward impervious-surface and lot-coverage limits under the UDO, and cannot b...
durham-county-nc
Durham lies in the Neuse River and Falls Lake watersheds, where state and UDO riparian buffer rules require a 50-foot protected buffer of native vegetation a...
durham-county-nc
Rain barrels and cisterns are legal and encouraged in Durham; no county ordinance bans collecting rooftop rainwater. Durham has historically offered subsidiz...
durham-county-nc
Durham enforces a year-round odd/even irrigation ordinance and can impose tighter water-shortage stages. As of June 2026 Durham is in Stage 2, which bans spr...
durham-county-nc
Durham declares dense weeds, vines, briars and undergrowth a public nuisance when they harbor pests or sit near buildings. Overgrowth over 12 inches high mus...
See how Durham County's breed restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.