Dumping litter on public or private property you don't own is illegal statewide under NC G.S. 14-399. Small amounts are an infraction with fines and community service; larger amounts (over 15 pounds) are a misdemeanor. Only City crews may take set-out material.
North Carolina's littering statute, G.S. 14-399, bars intentionally or recklessly throwing, scattering, spilling, placing, or otherwise disposing of litter on public property or on private property not owned by the person. Durham City Code reinforces this: Sec. 58-3 lets only City-authorized crews haul away set-out refuse or recyclables, Sec. 58-132 bars meddling with the contents of receptacles set out for the City, and Sec. 58-100 bars placing material in a private bulk container without the owner's permission. The state penalty scales with the amount dumped, and the City's solid-waste code is enforced civilly through remedial fees.
G.S. 14-399: dumping under 15 lbs is an infraction — fine up to $200 plus 4–12 hours litter community service; over 15 lbs (or for commercial gain) is a Class 3 or higher misdemeanor with larger fines.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
durham-county-nc
Backyard composting is legal in Durham and the city offers a curbside food-waste program. Compost piles must be maintained so they do not harbor rodents or p...
durham-county-nc
Durham has no ordinance banning artificial turf in residential yards. It counts toward impervious-surface and lot-coverage limits under the UDO, and cannot b...
durham-county-nc
Durham lies in the Neuse River and Falls Lake watersheds, where state and UDO riparian buffer rules require a 50-foot protected buffer of native vegetation a...
durham-county-nc
Rain barrels and cisterns are legal and encouraged in Durham; no county ordinance bans collecting rooftop rainwater. Durham has historically offered subsidiz...
durham-county-nc
Durham enforces a year-round odd/even irrigation ordinance and can impose tighter water-shortage stages. As of June 2026 Durham is in Stage 2, which bans spr...
durham-county-nc
Durham declares dense weeds, vines, briars and undergrowth a public nuisance when they harbor pests or sit near buildings. Overgrowth over 12 inches high mus...
See how Durham County's illegal dumping rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.