Nash County, NC Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Allowed districts
- RC and GC districts only
- Outdoor pens/runs
- Prohibited, no exceptions
- Governing section
- UDO § 11-4.41
- Civil penalty
- $100 per day, each day a separate offense
Summary
Unincorporated Nash County confines kennels and pet grooming businesses to the RC and GC zoning districts under the Unified Development Ordinance, and bars outdoor pens or runs entirely regardless of district. A groomer or kennel operator cannot house animals outdoors on site under any circumstance the ordinance recognizes.
11-4.41.Kennels or Pet Grooming.(A)Where Required. RC and GC districts.(B)Outside Storage. Pens and runs located outdoors are prohibited.
Full Breakdown
41 of the Unified Development Ordinance sets the standard in two short provisions. Under (A) Where Required, kennels or pet grooming operations are permitted only in the RC (rural commercial) and GC (general commercial) zoning districts; they are not a use the UDO allows in residential, agricultural or industrial districts. ' There is no exception written into the section for fenced yards, covered runs, or temporary outdoor exercise areas; the prohibition covers any pen or run located outdoors on the site, meaning animals boarded or groomed at the facility must be kept and exercised inside the building.
Because the use is confined to just two commercial districts and the outdoor-keeping ban has no carve-out, a groomer or kennel wanting an outdoor play or exercise yard cannot get one approved anywhere in unincorporated Nash County; that operator would need to locate in a municipality with a different ordinance, such as Rocky Mount, Nashville or one of the county's other towns, each of which governs its own limits separately.
Violations & Fines
The Zoning Administrator enforces Section 11-4.41 the same way as other UDO use standards: a Notice of Violation identifies the section violated, such as an outdoor pen or run, and the corrective action required (Sec. 5-3.1), with a right to appeal to the Board of Adjustment within 30 days (Sec. 7-1). An uncorrected violation draws a civil penalty of $100 per day, with each additional day a separate offense (Sec. 5-5.1, 5-5.4), plus possible permit denial or revocation (Sec. 5-4.3, 5-4.5) and misdemeanor exposure under NCGS 14-4 (Sec. 5-4.6).
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I open a pet grooming business or kennel in Nash County?
Can a kennel have an outdoor dog run?
What happens if I keep dogs in an outdoor pen at my grooming shop?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nash County
Compare Nash County to another location·View the North Carolina animal ordinances overview
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