Wake County does not enforce vacant-lot grass or maintenance rules in unincorporated areas. Inside Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Wake Forest and other cities, municipal codes require vacant lot owners to keep grass below the city's threshold and to abate accumulations of debris, junk vehicles, and hazardous conditions.
Unincorporated Wake County relies on state nuisance law (NCGS §160D-1129) but has not adopted a vacant-lot enforcement program. Each Wake municipality maintains its own: Raleigh §10-6028 mandates vacant lot maintenance with grass below 8 inches, no junk vehicles, no accumulated debris; Cary §22-30 sets a 12-inch threshold; Apex §11-67 covers vacant-lot weed nuisances. Failure to maintain results in city cuts and liens billed against the property under NCGS §160D-1129. Demolition liens follow the same priority as ad-valorem taxes and survive subsequent sale.
Inside cities: 7-10 day notice to abate, then city cuts and bills $300-500 per cut plus admin fees, lien on property. Unincorporated: no county enforcement.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Wake County, NC
Wake County Code §92.05(H), (I), and (L) target industrial and commercial noise: construction over 1,000 ft from residences, loading/unloading noise at night...
Wake County, NC
Wake County Code §92.05(B), (C), (F) prohibits vehicle exhaust noise from out-of-repair or modified vehicles, gong/siren on non-emergency vehicles, and any i...
Wake County, NC
Wake County treats cats the same as dogs under Ch. 91 — owners must vaccinate against rabies at 4 months and keep current tag displayed at all times per §91....
Wake County, NC
Wake County does NOT impose a numeric limit on pets in unincorporated areas. Cities vary: Raleigh allows up to 4 dogs/cats over 4 months per dwelling under §...
Wake County, NC
Wake County adopted the NC Fire Prevention Code (NCFC) under Code Ch. 72. Residential propane storage follows NCFC Chapter 61 and NFPA 58 — typical residenti...
Wake County, NC
Wake County Code §130.05 (adopted 11-9-2022, effective 12-9-2022) prohibits firearm discharge within 300 yards of any dwelling, school, church, warehouse, pl...
See how Wake County's vacant lot maintenance rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.