Animal Ordinances in Apex, NC (2026)
7 verified animal ordinances for Apex, North Carolina, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Section 4-3 of the Apex Code of Ordinances (Chapter 4 - Animals), adopted effective June 1, 2007, prohibits the keeping of livestock and male chickens within the corporate limits of the Town. Livestock includes, but is not limited to, cows, goats, sheep, swine and other similar animals. Exempt from this prohibition are horses, ponies, rabbits, fowl (except for male chickens), and miniature pigs that are neutered and no more than 20 inches in height at the shoulders when full grown. Backyard hens are therefore allowed by-right in Apex residential zones; roosters are not. The Town has no numeric hen cap in the Code itself, but coops are subject to general nuisance/sanitation rules and Unified Development Ordinance accessory-structure setbacks.
Apex Chickens & Backyard Hens (Town Code Ch. 4, Sec. 4-3)
Some RestrictionsDog Leash Laws
Apex follows the Wake County Animal Control Ordinance for animal restraint within the town. All dogs (and cats) off the owner's property must be under physical restraint - a leash, chain, or fence sufficient to allow the owner to maintain control. Wake County's definition of 'adequate restraint' is a secure enclosure on the owner's property, or a physical/electronic device of sufficient strength to control the animal. Rabies tags are required to be worn under N.C. Gen. Stat. 130A-185. Apex does not require separate Town pet registration. Wake County Animal Services (919-212-7387) is the field enforcement agency.
Apex Dog Leash & Restraint Rules (Wake County Animal Control Ordinance)
Some RestrictionsBreed Restrictions
The Town of Apex does not have a breed-specific dog ban. Pit bulls, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, and other commonly-restricted breeds are legal to own in Apex without breed-specific permits, muzzle, insurance, or enclosure requirements. North Carolina has NO statewide preemption of breed-specific legislation - cities and counties retain authority under N.C. Gen. Stat. 160A-186 and 153A-131 to enact local BSL - but Apex and Wake County have chosen conduct-based enforcement instead, using the state Dangerous Dog statute (N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 67, Article 1A, sections 67-4.1 through 67-4.5) and the Wake County Animal Control Ordinance.
Apex Breed Restrictions (No BSL; Conduct-Based Dangerous-Dog Rule under NCGS Ch. 67)
Few RestrictionsBeekeeping
Backyard beekeeping is permissive in Apex. North Carolina General Statute 106-645 (Limitations on local government regulation of hives, part of the N.C. Bee and Honey Act of 1977) preempts any city or county ordinance that prohibits owning or operating five (5) or fewer hives on a single parcel. Cities may adopt setback, ground-level placement, anchor, and removal-for-public-safety rules, but cannot ban small-scale apiaries outright. The Apex Town Code does not include a city-specific beekeeping ordinance, so all NCDA&CS apiary best-management practices and the statewide five-hive floor apply by default.
Apex Beekeeping (Protected by NC Bee & Honey Act of 1977 - NCGS 106-645)
Few RestrictionsExotic Pets
North Carolina is one of only four U.S. states with NO comprehensive statewide ban on private ownership of inherently dangerous exotic animals (lions, tigers, bears, primates, etc.) - regulation is left to counties and cities. Wake County, however, has adopted Chapter 91 (Animals) of its Code regulating wild and exotic animals, which applies inside the Town of Apex by intergovernmental agreement. At the state level, NCGS 14-417 regulates venomous reptiles and large constricting/crocodilian reptiles - requiring escape-proof enclosures, written bite/escape protocols, and antivenin information. NCGS 14-417.1 makes violation a Class 2 misdemeanor, escalating to Class I felony if a release results in serious injury or death.
Apex Exotic Pets (No NC Statewide Ban; NCGS 14-417 Venomous Reptiles)
Some RestrictionsWildlife Feeding
The Town of Apex does not have a wildlife-feeding ordinance in Chapter 4 of the Town Code, and the Wake County Animal Control Ordinance does not generally prohibit residential bird feeders or backyard wildlife feeding. North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) rules under N.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 113 govern statewide. Intentional feeding that habituates bears, coyotes, or deer to human food sources can be cited as a public-safety nuisance under general Town and County provisions; baiting deer to take them is regulated by NCWRC hunting rules. Bird feeders in residential yards are permitted.
Apex Wildlife Feeding (No Town Ordinance; NCWRC Rules + Nuisance Backstop)
Few RestrictionsLivestock
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. The express exemptions are horses, ponies, rabbits, fowl (except for male chickens), and miniature pigs (neutered and not exceeding 20 inches at the shoulders when full grown). The Apex Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) further restricts where exempt large animals such as horses can practically be kept - the necessary acreage and accessory-structure setbacks are only realistic in the rural and very-low-density residential districts.
Apex Livestock (Sec. 4-3 Prohibition; UDO Restricts to Rural/Agricultural Zones)
Heavy RestrictionsLooking for Wake County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Apex city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Wake County →