High Point, NC Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Maximum height
- 50 feet
- Applies to
- R-3 single-family detached homes
- Core City difference
- None: same 50 ft limit
- Governing table
- § 3.3.2.B Dimensional Standards
- Over-height remedy
- Variance or rezoning required
Summary
In High Point's R-3 single-family zoning district, principal buildings are capped at 50 feet, the same maximum whether the lot sits inside or outside the Core City area.
Maximum Building Height (feet) 50 n/a 50 50 n/a 50 [1] Lots in projects 2 acres or greater in area may be between 75% and 125% of the district minimum lot area, provided the development as a whole maintains an average lot area that equals or exceeds the district minimum (See Section 10.2.3 C.2 Lot Area Averaging). [2] At applicant's option, may be reduced to the lesser of: zoning district minimum or between 75% and 125% of the average for lots on the same block face (See Section 10.2.3 D, Dimensional Standards in the Core City). [3] All development shall comply with the City's Driveway Ordinance requirements.
C. TYPICAL BUILDING FORMS
D. TYPICAL LOT PATTERNS
E. DISTRICT DIMENSIONS
F. TYPICAL BUILDING CONFIGURATION
(Ord. No. 7266/17-08, § 32, 1-17-2017; Ord. No. 7415/18-44, § 3.B, 5-21-2018)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 9 | Development Ordinance: Supplement 14).
Full Breakdown
Development Ordinance § 3.3.2.B, the R-3 district's dimensional standards table, sets Maximum Building Height at 50 feet for single-family detached homes and all other uses, and that ceiling doesn't change between land inside and outside the designated Core City area. Height is one of the numbered standards every general zoning district carries in Chapter 3. R-5, R-7, and the multi-family and business districts each set their own maximum, so a 50-foot cap describes R-3 specifically, not the citywide default. A property owner who needs to build taller than the table allows must apply for a variance or rezoning rather than build as-of-right.
Violations & Fines
Constructing a building above the R-3 table's 50-foot maximum is a Development Ordinance violation under § 9.9.5, subject to a civil penalty starting at $50 for a first offense and rising to $500 for the fourth and later.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a house be in High Point's R-3 zone?
Is the height limit the same in every High Point zoning district?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in High Point
Compare High Point to another location·View the North Carolina building setbacks & zoning overview
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Structure Height Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle structure height limits.