Apex, NC Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum heat required
- 70°F, 3 ft above floor
- Min. window area
- 10% of habitable floor area
- Repair order deadline
- Up to 90 days
- Enforced by
- Code enforcement officer
- Appeals go to
- Zoning board of adjustment
Summary
Apex's Minimum Housing Code (Town Code Ch. 5, Art. VII) sets fitness standards every rental dwelling must meet, sound structure, working plumbing, heat to at least 70°F, adequate ventilation, and lets the town order repairs or vacate-and-demolish units that fail.
Every dwelling and dwelling unit used for human habitation or held out for use for human habitation shall comply with all of the minimum standards of fitness for human habitation and all of the requirements of sections 5-91 through 5-96. No person shall occupy as owner-occupant or let to another for occupancy or use for human habitation any dwelling or dwelling unit which does not comply with all of the minimum standards of fitness for human habitation and all of the requirements of sections 5-91 through 5-96.
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
Under Town Code §§ 5-90 through 5-107 (Ch. 5, Art. VII, Housing Code), every dwelling or dwelling unit 'let to another for occupancy' must meet minimum standards: sound structural members, connected plumbing with hot and cold water, heat to at least 70°F measured three feet above the floor, habitable-room windows totaling at least 10% of floor area, insect/rodent screens, and clean shared areas. A code enforcement officer inspects on complaint, can order repairs within 90 days for a 'deteriorated' unit or order a 'dilapidated' unit vacated, closed, and demolished, and may placard it 'unfit for human habitation.' Appeals go to the zoning board of adjustment, then Wake County Superior Court under G.S. 160D-1203 and 160D-1208.
Violations & Fines
Failing to comply with a repair, vacate, or demolition order is unlawful; each day of continued noncompliance, or continued occupancy after a vacate order, is a separate offense under Sec. 5-107.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if my Apex rental fails a housing inspection?
Does Apex require a minimum rental heating temperature?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Apex
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Repairs & Habitability in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wake County handle repairs & habitability.