3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 3 cities in Wake County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
North Carolina counties do not have express statutory authority to regulate driveway connections directly, so Wake County itself does not issue residential driveway permits in unincorporated areas. Driveway connections onto state-maintained roads (including most secondary roads in unincorporated Wake County, which carry SR-prefixed numbers under NCDOT maintenance) are regulated by the NC Department of Transportation under N.C.G.S. 136-18(39) and the NCDOT "Policy on Street and Driveway Access to North Carolina Highways." A permit from the NCDOT District 5 Engineer (Wake County) is required for any new driveway connection, change in use, or modification of an existing driveway onto an NCDOT-maintained road. Single-family residential driveways are generally exempt from a formal permit but property owners are still required to coordinate with the District Engineer.
NCDOT Policy on Street and Driveway Access to North Carolina Highways (July 2003), Chapter 1.D (Permit Classifications) and Definitions
Private Residential Driveway - A driveway connecting to a State-maintained street or highway to provide entrance to and/or exit from a private residential dwelling for the exclusive use and benefit of those residing within. Residential Subdivision Driveway - A driveway connecting to a State-maintained street or highway to provide entrance to and/or exit form residential subdivisions, apartment ...
Wake County does not maintain any streets. Per the Wake County GIS division, "Public streets are maintained by the NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) or the city or town where it is located." That means there is no county-wide on-street parking ordinance in Wake County. On NCDOT-maintained state secondary roads in the unincorporated county, parking is governed by NC General Statutes Chapter 20 (Motor Vehicles), enforced by the Wake County Sheriff's Office and the State Highway Patrol. On streets inside Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Wake Forest, Garner, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Morrisville, Rolesville, Wendell, Zebulon, or Fuquay-Varina, the municipality's own code applies. Private streets in subdivisions outside town limits are governed by HOA or owner agreements, not the county.
Wake County GIS — Public and Private Streets
Public streets are maintained by the NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) or the city or town where it is located. Streets without an SR that are outside city or town limits are maintained by agreements that have been made between the owners. The recorded plat for the property usually indicates whether the street is public or private. Wake County does not maintain streets. The county also re...
Abandoned vehicles in unincorporated Wake County are governed by two statewide statutes: NCGS Section 20-137.7 (state definitions of 'abandoned' and 'derelict' motor vehicles) and NCGS Section 153A-132 (county authority to remove abandoned, nuisance, or junked vehicles). The Wake County Sheriff's Office (919-856-6900) and Wake County Code Enforcement (919-856-2613) are the lead agencies. On private property, removal generally requires the property owner's written consent unless a county official declares the vehicle a health or safety hazard; owners are entitled to notice and a hearing before final disposition.
NC General Statutes § 153A-132
An 'Abandoned Motor Vehicle' includes vehicles left in violation of parking laws, longer than 24 hours on county-owned property, 'longer than two hours on private property without the consent of the owner,' or over seven days on public grounds. A 'Junked Motor Vehicle' is an abandoned vehicle that is dismantled, non-functional, 'more than five years old and appears to be worth less than one hun...
3 cities in Wake County have their own parking rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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