Animal Ordinances in Wilmington, NC (2026)
5 verified animal ordinances for Wilmington, North Carolina, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Keeping poultry, livestock or a wild animal in Wilmington requires a permit under City Code § 6-2, and only hens are allowed: roosters, geese, ducks and other listed fowl are banned outright. A poultry permit needs a 15,000-square-foot single-family lot, a secure enclosure set back from property lines, and caps ownership at five female chickens.
Wilmington Backyard Chicken and Livestock Permit Rules
Significant RestrictionsWilmington City Code § 6-2
No permit shall be issued to keep or maintain poultry in the city unless the poultry will be on a lot of land maintained as follows:a.Poultry shall only be permitted in single family residential zoning districts;b.The lot shall consist of at least fifteen thousand (15,000) square feet under single ownership or control;c.Such poultry must be contained in a secure fenced enclosure at all times;d....
Dog Leash Laws
Wilmington City Code § 6-3.1 bars any dog owner from letting the animal run at-large off the owner's property unless it stays on a chain, leash or harness held by a competent person. Animal control officers can impound the dog, and fines climb from $25 for a first offense up to $250 for a fifth.
Wilmington Dogs Running At-Large Prohibited
Some RestrictionsWilmington City Code § 6-3.1
It shall be unlawful for any owner of a dog to allow it to run at-large off the premises of its owner unless such dog is physically restrained by a chain, leash or harness with one end attached to the dog and the other end held by a competent person, except in any posted, designated pet exercise areas in parks owned or operated by New Hanover County. ... For the purposes of this section, the te...
Breed Restrictions
Wilmington does not impose breed-specific bans. North Carolina law does not prohibit specific breeds. Dangerous dog designations are behavior-based.
Wilmington Dog Breed Restrictions
Few RestrictionsN.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 67, Article 1A
modified in subsection (b) of this section, the term: (1) "Dangerous dog" means a. A dog that: 1. Without provocation has killed or inflicted severe injury on a person; or 2. Is determined by the person or Board designated by the county or municipal authority responsible for animal control to be potentially dangerous because the dog has engaged in one or more of the behaviors listed in subdivis...
Beekeeping
Beekeeping is generally permitted in Wilmington. Hives must be registered with the NC Department of Agriculture and maintained responsibly.
Wilmington Beekeeping Rules
Some RestrictionsN.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 106, Article 55
§ 106-635. Definitions. As used in this Article: (1) The term "apiary" means bees, comb, hives, appliances, or colonies, wherever they are kept, located, or found. (2) The term "bee(s)" means insects of the superfamily Apoidea; in particular, the honeybees, Apis mellifera (L). It includes all life stages of such insects, their genetic material, and dead remains. (3) The term "beeyard" means a l...
Pet Limits
Wilmington households may keep up to four dogs over four months old without a permit; keeping five or more turns the property into a "kennel" under City Code Section 6-2.2, which requires an annual permit from the code enforcement officer. Cats are not capped by this section.
Wilmington Home Dog Limit Before Kennel Permit
Some RestrictionsWilmington City Code § 6-2.2(a), (b)(1), (h)
(a)No person may maintain a kennel within the City of Wilmington except in accordance with a permit issued pursuant to this section.(b)Definitions: ... (1)Kennel: A place where five (5) or more dogs over four (4) months of age are kept or maintained by the owner or occupant of the property, whether or not for compensation and whether or not the dogs are owned by the operator of the kennel. ... ...
Looking for New Hanover County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Wilmington city rules.
Animal Ordinances in New Hanover County →