Apex, NC Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in Apex, NC, also called nuisance dog, dog noise, or excessive barking ordinances, define when a barking dog becomes a code violation and how complaints are handled.
Key Facts
- Citation
- Apex Town Code § 14-33(a)(13)
- Criminal penalty
- Misdemeanor under G.S. 14-4
- Civil fine
- $100/day first 5 days, then $500/day
- Evidence rule
- Two households' complaints = prima facie proof
Summary
Apex Town Code makes it unlawful to keep an animal or bird whose frequent or long continued noise disturbs the comfort and repose of neighbors, enforced as a misdemeanor under state law.
(a)The following acts are specifically declared to be plainly audible and unreasonably loud, the emission of which shall be unlawful: ...(13)The keeping of any animal or bird which by causing frequent or long continued noise shall disturb the comfort and repose of any person in the vicinity.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 3).
Full Breakdown
Apex Town Code § 14-33(a)(13) bans keeping any animal or bird whose frequent or long continued noise disturbs the comfort and repose of any person nearby: the town's barking-dog rule. It sits inside the general noise ordinance (§§ 14-29 through 14-37), so the same complaint-based enforcement applies: a violation is a misdemeanor under G.S. 14-4, and civil penalties under § 14-37 run up to $100/day for the first five days and $500/day after that. Two independent complainants from different households, or one resident plus an investigating officer, count as prima facie evidence of an unreasonable noise under § 14-35.
Violations & Fines
Complaint-based misdemeanor under G.S. 14-4; civil penalties up to $100/day for days one through five, $500/day thereafter, referred to the town attorney if unpaid after 60 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Apex, NC have a barking dog law?
What's the penalty for a noisy dog in Apex?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Apex
Compare Apex to another location·View the North Carolina noise ordinances overview
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Barking Dogs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wake County handle barking dogs.