Business Licensing & Operations in Apex, NC (2026)
5 verified business licensing & operations rules for Apex, North Carolina, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Tattoo & Body Modification
Apex's UDO classifies tattoo parlors as a distinct commercial use tied to North Carolina tattooing law, and recognizes body piercing only as an accessory activity to a tattoo parlor, not as a standalone business.
Apex, NC Tattoo Parlor and Body Piercing Rules
Some RestrictionsApex Unified Development Ordinance § 4.3.5
Tattoo parlor and body piercing. An establishment whose principal business activity is the practice of placing of designs, letters, figures, symbols, or other marks upon or under the skin of any person, using ink or other substances that result in the permanent coloration of the skin by means of the use of needles or other instruments ...
Tobacco Retail License
Apex's Unified Development Ordinance requires vape and tobacco stores to locate at least 1,000 feet from any public or private school, a locational standard layered on top of normal zoning-district permissions in Wake County, North Carolina.
Apex, NC Vape and Tobacco Store Setback Rule
Some RestrictionsApex Unified Development Ordinance § 4.4.5
Vape and tobacco stores shall be located at least 1,000 feet from any public or private school.
Pawnbrokers
Apex, NC pawn shops must follow the North Carolina Pawnbrokers Modernization Act and cannot locate within 1,000 feet of another pawn shop, tattoo parlor, or adult establishment under the Town's Unified Development Ordinance.
Apex Pawn Shop Location and Licensing Rules
Some RestrictionsApex Unified Development Ordinance § 4.4.5
Pawn shop. A pawn shop shall comply with the following standards: a) Pawn shops shall be regulated by the North Carolina Pawnbrokers Modernization Act of 1989 (1989, c.638, 5.2); and b) No pawn shop shall be located within 1,000 feet of another pawn shop, tattoo parlor, or adult establishment. Artisan...
Auto Repair on Residential Property
Apex's home occupation rules cap vehicle work at one vehicle in a standard parking space, ban commercial trucks and wreckers, and forbid any equipment that produces noise, vibration, heat, or odor outside the home: effectively ruling out a real auto repair business.
Apex NC Home Auto Repair Limits
Significant RestrictionsApex Unified Development Ordinance § 4.5.5
Only one vehicle used in connection with the home occupation shall be stored on the premises. The vehicle shall fit in a standard 9' x 18' parking space and shall not be a commercial truck or vehicle, such as but not limited to a dump truck, a fuel oil truck, delivery truck, or a wrecker; and No Mechanical, Electrical or Other Equipm...
Towing Companies
Apex requires posted signage, a police report, and a fast release window before a tow company can nonconsensually tow a vehicle from private lots in town.
Apex, NC Non-Consent Towing Rules
Some RestrictionsApex Town Code § 20-208
It shall be unlawful to tow or remove a vehicle which is parked on private property without the permission of the owner or lessee of that private property unless notice in accordance with the provisions of this section is posted on the private property from which the towing or removal is made... A person with the authority and ability to release the vehicle must respond to the location of the v...
Looking for Wake County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Apex city rules.
Business Licensing & Operations in Wake County →