What Apex Regulates: A Complete Ordinance Overview

Apex, North Carolina may not be the biggest city in the state, but it has its own set of local rules that residents need to follow. With 104 tracked ordinances across 23 categories, there is more here than you might expect.

Noise Ordinances

Amplified Music & Events: Apex Town Code Sec. 14-33 makes it unlawful to use or operate on or over any street within the town any radio, phonograph, mechanical loudspeaker, or other sound-magnifying device at a level greater than 55 dB(A) measured at 20 feet from the device.

Also covered: Industrial Noise (moderate), Aircraft Noise (permissive), Decibel Limits (moderate). See the full noise ordinances guide for Apex for details.

Outdoor Lighting

Dark Sky Rules: Outdoor lighting in Apex is governed by Sec. 8.6 (Exterior Lighting) of the Apex Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), administered by the Town of Apex Planning Department.

Parking Rules

Abandoned Vehicles: Abandoned, junked, health/safety hazard, and aesthetic nuisance vehicles in Apex are governed by Chapter 20, Article III of the Apex Code of Ordinances, implemented under NCGS 20-137.7, NCGS 160A-303, and NCGS 160A-303.2. NCGS 20-137.7 defines an abandoned vehicle as 'a motor vehicle that has remained illegally on private or public property for a period of more than 10 days without the consent of the owner or person in control of the property.' The Apex Police Department uses Form F1313 (Violation Checklist), Form F1313a (Pre-towing Notice and Right to Appeal - 11 days to remove), and Form F1313b (Post-towing Notice and Right to Hearing - 24 hours for NC-registered, 72 hours for out-of-state).

Also covered: Loading Zones (moderate), Oversized Vehicle Parking (moderate), Driveway Rules (moderate). See the full parking rules guide for Apex for details.

Noise from Specific Sources

HVAC & Mechanical Noise: Apex does not publish an HVAC-specific decibel rule. Residential and commercial HVAC equipment (heat pumps, condensers, pool heaters, rooftop units, generators) is governed by the general Sec.

Short-Term Rentals

Taxes & Fees: Short-term rentals in Apex collect a stack of state and county taxes on every stay of less than 90 continuous days. Wake County imposes a 6% Room Occupancy Tax (levied December 1991 under NC General Assembly authorization) on the gross receipts derived from the rental of rooms, lodgings, and accommodations including Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com bookings, remitted monthly to the Wake County Tax Administration.

Also covered: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (permissive), Noise Rules (moderate), Permit Requirements (permissive). See the full short-term rentals guide for Apex for details.

Fire Regulations

Fireworks: North Carolina has one of the strictest consumer fireworks regimes in the United States. NCGS § 14-410 makes it unlawful for any person, firm, partnership or corporation to manufacture, purchase, sell, deal in, transport, possess, receive, advertise, use, handle, exhibit, or discharge any pyrotechnics within the State - punishable as a Class 2 misdemeanor (Class 1 if indoors).

Also covered: Fire Pit Rules (moderate), Wildfire Zones (permissive), Backyard Fires (strict). See the full fire regulations guide for Apex for details.

Animal Ordinances

Livestock: Section 4-3 of the Apex Town Code (Chapter 4 - Animals), effective June 1, 2007, prohibits the keeping of livestock within the corporate limits of the Town. 'Livestock' is defined to include cattle, goats, sheep, swine and other similar animals.

Also covered: Breed Restrictions (permissive), Chickens & Livestock (moderate), Wildlife Feeding (permissive). See the full animal ordinances guide for Apex for details.

Swimming Pools & Spas

Pool Permits: Residential swimming pools, hot tubs, and spas in Apex require Wake County building and electrical permits when they hold more than 24 inches of water, plus inspection by the Apex Building Inspections Division at (919) 249-3418. Pools must be enclosed with a barrier meeting NC Residential Code Appendix V (2018) / Appendix NC-A (2024).

Also covered: Hot Tub Rules (moderate), Safety Rules (strict), Fencing Requirements (strict). See the full swimming pools & spas guide for Apex for details.

Landscaping Rules

Water Restrictions: Apex enforces year-round irrigation restrictions on its water system, sourced from Jordan Lake through the jointly owned Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility (CAWTF) serving Apex, Cary, Morrisville, Wake County RTP, and RDU Airport. Lawn irrigation is allowed three days a week on an alternate-day schedule (odd addresses Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday; even Wednesday/Friday/Sunday).

Also covered: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (moderate), Native Plants (permissive), Rainwater Harvesting (permissive). See the full landscaping rules guide for Apex for details.

Fence Regulations

Pool Barriers: Pool barriers in Apex are governed by Appendix V (2018 edition) / Appendix NC-A (2024 edition) of the North Carolina Residential Code, applied through Wake County Inspections and the Apex Building Inspections Division. The barrier must be at least 48 inches above grade on the side facing away from the pool, openings must not allow passage of a 4-inch sphere, the maximum vertical clearance between grade and the bottom of the barrier is 2 inches (4 inches with concrete or fixed solid material), and pedestrian access gates must open outward, be self-closing, and have a self-latching device.

Also covered: Height Limits (moderate), Neighbor Fence Rules (permissive), Permit Requirements (moderate). See the full fence regulations guide for Apex for details.

Environmental Rules

Flood Zones: Apex regulates floodplain development through Article 6, Section 6.2 (Flood Damage Prevention Overlay District) of the Unified Development Ordinance and participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The Town uses the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps produced through the North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Program (NCFMP), which generally applies a 2-foot freeboard above the Base Flood Elevation as the regulatory flood protection elevation statewide.

Also covered: Stormwater Management (strict), Grading & Drainage (strict), Erosion Control (strict). See the full environmental rules guide for Apex for details.

Tree Protection

Tree Ordinances: Apex's tree-protection framework is built into Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Article 8 — Section 8.1 (Resource Conservation Areas requiring a Site and Tree Survey) and Section 8.2 (Landscaping, Buffering, and Screening). The Town is a designated Tree City USA community and supports a Tree Citizen Advisory Panel (TreeCAP), the Plant the Peak free-tree program, and an annual Arbor Day observance.

Also covered: Tree Replacement Requirements (moderate), Tree Removal Permits (moderate), Heritage & Protected Trees (permissive). See the full tree protection guide for Apex for details.

Invasive Plant Rules

Bamboo Restrictions: The Town of Apex does not have a bamboo-specific ordinance, and North Carolina does not list any bamboo species on the state regulated noxious-weed list maintained by NCDA&CS Plant Industry Division. Running bamboo (Phyllostachys spp.) is recognized by the NC Invasive Plant Council as an established invasive threat, but planting is not prohibited at the state or town level.

Home Business

Signage Rules: Apex UDO Sec. 4.5.5.G strictly limits home occupation signage to a single 12 in.

Also covered: Customer Traffic Restrictions (moderate), Zoning Restrictions (moderate), Cottage Food Operations (permissive). See the full home business guide for Apex for details.

Accessory Structures

ADU Rules: Apex UDO Sec. 4.5.6 permits one Accessory Apartment per single-family lot.

Also covered: Shed Rules (permissive), Garage Conversions (moderate), Carport Rules (permissive). See the full accessory structures guide for Apex for details.

Cannabis Regulations

Home Cultivation: Home cultivation of marijuana is PROHIBITED in Apex and across North Carolina. North Carolina has no recreational marijuana program AND no operational medical marijuana program — making it one of the last holdout states in the country.

Also covered: Dispensary Zoning (strict). See the full cannabis regulations guide for Apex for details.

Sign Regulations

Political Signs: Apex regulates political and other temporary signs in Section 8.7 of the Unified Development Ordinance. Any sign permitted by the UDO may display a non-commercial message, and non-commercial signs on residential property are expressly exempt from regulation (UDO 8.7.1, exemptions).

Also covered: Garage Sale Signs (moderate), Holiday Displays (permissive). See the full sign regulations guide for Apex for details.

Property Maintenance

Trash Bin Storage: Residential garbage and recycling in Apex is collected weekly by GFL Environmental (formerly Waste Industries) under contract with the Town. Carts must be rolled to the curb the night before the assigned collection day, with garbage and recycling carts spaced 3-4 feet apart for the automated arm.

Also covered: Property Blight (moderate), Vacant Lot Maintenance (moderate), Garage Sale Rules (permissive). See the full property maintenance guide for Apex for details.

Building Setbacks & Zoning

Setback Rules: Apex residential setbacks are set in UDO Sec. 5.1.1 (effective August 12, 2025).

Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors

Vending Zones: Apex Town Code Sec. 13-62 limits Mobile Food Vendors to (a) private property with written owner permission, (b) Town-owned property with the Town Manager's written approval, and (c) parks under Sec.

Also covered: Food Truck Permits (moderate). See the full food trucks & mobile vendors guide for Apex for details.

Trash & Recycling

Pickup Rules & Schedules: Apex residential garbage and recycling collection is provided weekly by GFL Environmental (formerly Waste Industries) under contract with the Town, governed by Chapter 12, Article IV (Solid Waste Disposal) of the Apex Code of Ordinances. Yard waste collection is performed separately by the Town's own Public Works crews on the business day following the garbage/recycling day.

Also covered: Bulk Item Disposal (moderate), Bin Placement Rules (moderate). See the full trash & recycling guide for Apex for details.

Solar Energy

Panel Permits: Apex has aggressively streamlined residential solar permitting. In July 2018 the Town eliminated the $100 application review fee and the ~$100 building-inspection fee for standard rooftop solar PV systems, removed the engineer's-seal requirement for rooftop PV under most cases, and raised the residential rooftop system cap from 10 kW to 20 kW.

Also covered: HOA Restrictions (moderate). See the full solar energy guide for Apex for details.

Drone Rules

Recreational Drones: Federal law preempts municipal regulation of the airspace over Apex. Recreational flyers operate under 49 U.S.C.

What to Do With This Information

If you are moving to Apex, buying a home, or starting a project, use this as a starting point. Each category links to detailed pages with the full text, penalties, and FAQs. Verify anything time-sensitive with Apex's city hall or code enforcement office.