Carteret County, NC Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in Carteret County, 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
- Governing section
- Sec. 10-1(b)(5), Loud and Disturbing Noise
- Covered noise
- Habitual barking, whining, howling, crowing, cackling
- Grandfather exception
- Neighbor moved within 50 feet after May 8, 2006
- Warning required
- Officer warning before citation, Sec. 10-1(e)(1)
- First-offense fine
- $50.00, rising to $500.00 per later offense
Summary
Unincorporated Carteret County makes it unlawful to keep a dog or other animal that habitually barks, whines or howls enough to interfere with a neighbor's use and enjoyment of their property under Sec. 10-1(b)(5). An exception protects owners whose neighbors moved within 50 feet of an existing dog pen after May 8, 2006.
(5)It shall be unlawful for any dog owner or other type animal owner to keep or have a dog or other type animal that habitually or repeatedly barks, whines, howls, crows, cackles, or any other noise that might interfere with the reasonable use and enjoyment of neighboring premises. This provision to the noise ordinance will not apply to an individual, firm or corporation who has moved or located a dwelling within 50 feet of a dog pen or animal compound on adjacent properties after May 8, 2006.
Full Breakdown
Section 10-1(b)(5) of the county's general noise ordinance folds animal noise into the same enforcement scheme as loud music and shouting: it is unlawful for a dog owner, or the owner of another type of animal, to keep an animal that habitually or repeatedly barks, whines, howls, crows, cackles, or makes any other noise that interferes with the reasonable use and enjoyment of neighboring premises. The provision carries a grandfather clause aimed at protecting long-established animal keepers from new neighbors: it does not apply against an owner whose dog pen or animal compound already existed if a complaining dwelling has moved or been located within 50 feet of that pen or compound after May 8, 2006.
As with the rest of Sec. 10-1, whether the barking is habitual or repeated is assessed using the factors in subsection (a), including how recurrent or intermittent the noise is, the time of day, and its effect on people of ordinary sensibilities. Sheriff's Office deputies and Animal Control, which operates by contract with the Humane Society, are the officers most likely to respond to a barking-dog complaint in the unincorporated county, but subsection (e) requires a warning and a chance to comply before any citation is written under this section.
Violations & Fines
A confirmed violation is a Class 3 misdemeanor under Sec. 10-1(e)(2): $50.00 for a first offense, $150.00 for a second, and $500.00 for each offense after that, plus up to 30 days in jail. The county can also pursue injunctive relief and a civil penalty under G.S. 153A-123 instead of, or alongside, criminal charges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I report a neighbor's dog for constant barking in Carteret County?
Is there an exception for existing dog owners?
What happens after I file a barking-dog complaint?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Carteret County
Compare Carteret County to another location·View the North Carolina noise ordinances overview
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