Davidson County, NC Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited
- Illegal storage, dumping, littering
- Nuisance threshold
- Over 50 lbs or 100 cubic feet
- Abatement notice
- At least 10 days
- Compliance deadline
- Not less than 90 days
- First offense
- $75 civil penalty
Summary
Davidson County makes illegal storage, dumping, and littering of solid waste a criminal and civilly punishable offense under §50.07, and it declares any unpermitted accumulation exceeding 50 pounds or 100 cubic feet a public nuisance under state law. Violators face misdemeanor prosecution, civil penalties, or both, on top of nuisance-abatement costs billed back to the property.
(A) The storage, collection, and disposal of solid waste within the area of jurisdiction of this chapter in a manner not permitted by this chapter, or state and federal laws and regulations is prohibited. A violation of this chapter shall subject the offender to criminal prosecution, assessment of a civil penalty, or other legal action as more particularly set forth in this chapter. (D) By the authority of the provisions of G.S. § 153A-140, the unlawful storage, accumulation, or presence of solid waste on public or private property in the area of jurisdiction of this chapter in an amount exceeding 50 pounds or 100 cubic feet is hereby claimed and declared, subject to the limitations set forth in G.S. Chapter 106, Article 57, to be a public nuisance.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2024 S-15: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinance passed 4-22-2024; and State legislation through 2023 North Carolina Legislative Service, Pamphlet No. 6).
Full Breakdown
07 of the Davidson County Code of Ordinances declares three separate violations. Subsection (A) prohibits storing, collecting, and disposing of solid waste within the county's jurisdiction in any manner not permitted by the chapter or by state and federal law, and subjects an offender to criminal prosecution, a civil penalty, or other legal action. Subsection (B) separately bans littering anywhere in the county's jurisdiction, carrying the same criminal-prosecution-or-civil-penalty consequence. Subsection (C) targets landowners and lessees directly: no one may place, solicit, or knowingly permit the placing of solid waste on property they own or lease unless it was generated on the premises and stored as the chapter requires, or the site has been approved as a solid-waste disposal facility.
S. Chapter 106, Article 57. 08: the Planning Director gives at least ten days' notice, holds a hearing, and, if a nuisance is confirmed, orders removal within not less than 90 days, appealable to Superior Court within ten days. If the owner fails to comply, the Planning Director can abate the nuisance directly and place the cost as a lien on the property, collected like unpaid taxes. 09.
Violations & Fines
Illegal dumping, storage, or littering of solid waste under §50.07 is a misdemeanor under G.S. §153A-123 and G.S. §14-4, and also draws the civil-penalty schedule in §50.99: $75 for a first offense, $200 for a second, $300 for a third, and up to $500 for a flagrant violation. Piles over 50 pounds or 100 cubic feet can also be declared a public nuisance and abated at the owner's expense under §50.08.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as illegal dumping in Davidson County?
How much trash triggers a public nuisance declaration?
What happens if the county declares my property a nuisance?
Can I be criminally charged for illegal dumping, not just fined?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Davidson County
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