Wake County, NC Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential cap
- 30% of lot
- Governing table
- UDO § 5-11-2
- Review basis
- Subdivision-wide, not per lot
- Stormwater trigger
- Required above 15% subdivision-wide
Summary
Residential lots in Wake County's non-watershed zoning districts may not exceed 30 percent impervious surface coverage under the UDO's dimensional standards table.
R-80
R-40
R-30
R-20
R-15
R-10
R-5
HD
Minimum Lot Area per Dwelling Unit
[1]
(square feet)
80,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
30,000
Minimum Lot Width (feet)
150
110
95
75
65
55
55
95
Minimum Lot Frontage (feet)
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
Minimum Required Setbacks (feet)
Front and Corner
40
30
30
30
20
20
20
30
Side
20
15
10
10
10
10
10
10
Rear
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
Maximum Impervious Coverage (% of lot)
Residential Development
[1]
[2]
[3]
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
Nonresidential Development
[1]
[2]
[3]
[5]
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
Maximum Building Height (feet)
35
35
35
35
35
35
[4]
35
Minimum Building Separation (feet)
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
20
NA
[1]
In some cases, more restrictive standards may apply to lots within the Swift Creek, Little River and Smith Creek Water Supply Watersheds. See Article 11 , Part 3.
[2]
Lots created after 7/01/2001 are subject to Wake County stormwater management regulations.
[3]
Nitrogen export check required and is limited to 3.6 lbs./ac./yr. without best management practices or payments made to the N.C. Ecosystem Enhancement Program. Does not apply to nonresidential development in R-80W and R-40W districts.
[4]
Maximum height in R-5 = 35 feet or one foot of building height for each three feet that the building is set back from front, side and rear property lines, whichever allows the greater height.
[5]
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Unified Development Ordinance: Supplement 9).
Full Breakdown
UDO Sec. 5-11-2 limits residential development in the R-80, R-40, R-30, R-20, R-15, R-10, R-5 and HD districts to 30 percent maximum impervious coverage of the lot, counting buildings, driveways, parking and loading areas. A commentary note in the UDO states that Wake County's Department of Environmental Services reviews subdivisions for this limit as a whole rather than lot by lot, and requires stormwater management devices if the subdivision's total impervious cover exceeds 15 percent.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the 30 percent impervious coverage cap without approval is a zoning violation; the county can require stormwater management devices or deny plat or permit approval for noncompliant lots.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the maximum impervious coverage on a residential lot in unincorporated Wake County?
Is the 30% impervious limit checked per lot or per subdivision?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wake County
Compare Wake County to another location·View the North Carolina building setbacks & zoning overview
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