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Guilford County, NC Landscaping Rules: Artificial Turf (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified July 2026

Key Facts

County ban
None
Watershed limit
Counts toward built-upon area
Riparian buffer
New impervious restricted
Typical lots
Generally unrestricted
Key concern
Stormwater / runoff

Summary

Guilford County has no ordinance banning or specifically regulating artificial turf on residential lots. Because turf is an impervious-type surface, it may count toward built-upon-area limits in protected watershed districts and stream buffers.

City-specific rules exist: High Point has its own artificial turf rules that differ from Guilford County's county-level regulations. If you live in High Point, check the city-specific page instead.

Development in all WS-IV watersheds, except the Lower Randleman Lake, shall not exceed seventy percent (70%) maximum built-upon area. Development in the Lower Randleman Lake Watershed shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) maximum built-upon area.

Full Breakdown

The county's Unified Development Ordinance contains no provision prohibiting synthetic lawns, so homeowners on ordinary lots may install artificial turf. The main constraint is stormwater: in Water Supply Watershed districts serving Randleman and Jordan lakes, built-upon area is capped (for example, Lower Randleman Lake developments may not exceed 50 percent built-upon area), and impervious or compacted surfaces can count toward those limits. Within protected riparian buffers, adding impervious surface is restricted. On unregulated single-family lots outside watershed critical areas, artificial turf is generally unrestricted.

Violations & Fines

No dedicated turf penalty; exceeding watershed built-upon-area caps or adding impervious surface in a buffer can trigger watershed-ordinance enforcement and required corrective action.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I install artificial turf in Guilford County?
Yes. There is no county ordinance banning synthetic turf on residential lots. In protected watershed and buffer areas, turf can count as built-upon area, so verify stormwater limits first.
Why might turf be limited near lakes or creeks?
Guilford County caps built-upon (impervious) area in Water Supply Watershed districts protecting Randleman and Jordan lakes, and restricts new impervious surface inside riparian stream buffers.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Guilford County

All Guilford County rules

How Guilford County compares: Most Artificial Turf-Friendly Cities·Compare Guilford County to another location·View the North Carolina landscaping rules overview

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