Davidson County, NC Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- RA-1/RA-2/RA-3/RS coverage cap
- 30 percent
- RM-2 coverage cap
- 60 percent
- Single-family homes
- Exempt from all lot coverage limits
- Table location
- Zoning Ordinance § IV.13
- Enforcing agency
- Planning and Zoning Department
Summary
In unincorporated Davidson County, the zoning ordinance caps how much of a lot buildings can cover, from 30% in RA-1, RA-2, RA-3 and RS districts up to 60% in RM-2 and mixed-use residential lots, but Table Note 3 exempts every single-family residence from the lot coverage limit entirely.
Regulations governing the required minimum lot size, minimum lot width, required front, side and rear setbacks, maximum building height and maximum lot coverage for each general district shall be as shown in the Table of Area, Height and Placement Requirements. ... 3) Single family residences are exempt from lot coverage limits.
Full Breakdown
13's Table of Dimensional Requirements sets maximum lot coverage by all buildings for every general zoning district: 30% in RA-1, RA-2, RA-3 and RS on individual well and septic lots, 40% in RM-1, and up to 60% in RM-2 and on MX-R and MX-C residential lots. Non-residential and commercial categories run higher with public water and sewer service: CS climbs from 30% to 40%, O/I from 40% to 50%, HC from 30% to 40%, and LI from 35% to 45%, while HI runs 30% to 40% and PEC sits at 50%.
Table Note 3, however, states plainly that single family residences are exempt from lot coverage limits, so the percentage caps bind duplexes, multi-family buildings, commercial structures and other non-single-family development rather than the ordinary house on an RA-1 or RS lot. 11(A)(4) extends the same maximum lot coverage standard to irregular lots computed under the ordinance's alternate open-space method.
Violations & Fines
Building a structure that pushes a non-single-family lot's coverage past its district cap is a zoning violation under Article VIII, triggering a notice of violation from the Zoning Administrator. Civil penalties under Section VIII.5 run $25 for a first offense, $50 for a second, $100 for a third and $200 for each one after that, with each day of a continuing over-build treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does unincorporated Davidson County limit how much of my lot a house can cover?
What lot coverage cap applies to duplexes or commercial buildings?
Where is the lot coverage table published?
Do irregular lots get a different lot coverage rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Davidson County
Compare Davidson County to another location·View the North Carolina building setbacks & zoning overview
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