Overview
Raleigh's UDO (adopted 2013, effective 2016) is a hybrid code: residential districts (R-1, R-2, R-4, R-6, R-10) use conventional Euclidean standards in Article 2.2 with building-type-specific tables (Detached House Sec. 2.2.1, Attached House Sec. 2.2.2, Townhouse Sec. 2.2.3); the number denotes du/acre density cap. Mixed-use districts (RX-, OX-, NX-, CX-, DX-, IX-, OP-) are form-based with a frequency/height suffix tier (e.g., DX-12 = 12 stories max) defined in Article 3.3. Story suffixes available: -3, -4, -5, -7, -12, -20, -30, -40. Special districts (CM, AP, CMP, IH, R-MH, PD) in Chapter 4. Overlay districts in Chapter 5. NC is a Dillon's Rule state; Chapter 160D governs local planning powers.
- Raleigh's mixed-use districts use a frequency/story suffix tier (e.g., DX-12 = Downtown Mixed Use, 12 stories max) per Article 3.3. Available tiers: -3 (50 ft), -4 (68 ft), -5 (80 ft), -7, -12, -20, -30, -40. This is the single most important signal of intensity in mixed-use parcels — the base letter identifies use character, the number identifies vertical intensity.
- Downtown (DX-) district applies a reduced 3 ft primary-street setback (vs. 5 ft in other mixed-use districts), recognizing the urban fabric of downtown. Tallest allowed tier is DX-40 (40 stories).
- UDO adopted 2013, became fully effective citywide in 2016 after the Z-27-14/Z-27D-14 Remapping rolled ~1/3 of city parcels into new UDO zones. Legacy pre-UDO districts may still appear on unchanged parcels.
+ 9 more in Quirks & notes
Districts
| Code | Name | Category | Min lot | Height | Coverage | FAR | Du/ac | Parking | Setbacks F/S/R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-1 | Residential-1 (1 du/ac) | res_sf | 40,000 sf[4] | 40 ft[5] | —[6] | —[7] | 1[8] | — | 20[1] / 10[2] / 30[3] |
| R-2 | Residential-2 (2 du/ac) | res_sf | 20,000 sf[12] | 40 ft[13] | —[14] | —[15] | 2[16] | — | 20[9] / 10[10] / 30[11] |
| R-4 | Residential-4 (4 du/ac) | res_sf | 10,000 sf[20] | 40 ft[21] | —[22] | —[23] | 4[24] | — | 20[17] / 10[18] / 30[19] |
| R-6 | Residential-6 (6 du/ac) | res_mf | 6,000 sf[28] | 40 ft[29] | —[30] | —[31] | 6[32] | — | 10[25] / 5[26] / 20[27] |
| R-10 | Residential-10 (10 du/ac) | res_mf | 4,000 sf[36] | 40 ft[37] | —[38] | —[39] | 10[40] | — | 10[33] / 5[34] / 20[35] |
| RX | Residential Mixed Use | mu | 7,500 sf[44] | —[45] | —[46] | —[47] | —[48] | — | 5[41] / 0[42] / 0[43] |
| OX | Office Mixed Use | mu | —[52] | —[53] | —[54] | —[55] | — | — | 5[49] / 0[50] / 0[51] |
| NX | Neighborhood Mixed Use | mu | —[59] | —[60] | —[61] | —[62] | — | — | 5[56] / 0[57] / 0[58] |
| CX | Commercial Mixed Use | mu | —[66] | —[67] | —[68] | —[69] | — | — | 5[63] / 0[64] / 0[65] |
| DX | Downtown Mixed Use | mu | —[73] | —[74] | —[75] | —[76] | — | — | 3[70] / 0[71] / 0[72] |
| IX | Industrial Mixed Use | ind | —[80] | —[81] | —[82] | —[83] | — | — | 3[77] / 0[78] / 0[79] |
| OP | Office Park | off | —[87] | —[88] | —[89] | —[90] | — | — | 5[84] / 0[85] / 0[86] |
| AP | Agricultural Productive | agri | —[94] | —[95] | —[96] | —[97] | — | — | —[91] / —[92] / —[93] |
| CM | Conservation Management | spec | —[101] | —[102] | —[103] | —[104] | — | — | —[98] / —[99] / —[100] |
| CMP | Campus | spec | —[108] | —[109] | —[110] | —[111] | — | — | —[105] / —[106] / —[107] |
| MH | Manufactured Housing | res_sf | —[115] | —[116] | —[117] | —[118] | — | — | —[112] / —[113] / —[114] |
| IH | Heavy Industrial | ind | —[122] | —[123] | —[124] | —[125] | — | — | —[119] / —[120] / —[121] |
| PD | Planned Development | spec | —[129] | —[130] | —[131] | —[132] | — | — | —[126] / —[127] / —[128] |
Confidence: confirmed partial under review not found
Overlays
Parcels fronting designated major access corridors, thoroughfares, or arterials (per §5.3.1.A.1)
| protective_yard_main_corridor_ft | 50[133] |
|---|---|
| protective_yard_marginal_access_ft | 25[134] |
| protective_yard_intersection_ft | 50[135] |
| max_height_ft | 80[136] |
| max_stories | 5[137] |
| off_premise_signs | 0[138] |
Parcels fronting designated corridors subject to the less-intensive SHOD-2 standards (per §5.3.1.A.1)
| protective_yard_main_corridor_ft | 25[139] |
|---|---|
| protective_yard_marginal_access_ft | 25[140] |
| protective_yard_intersection_ft | 25[141] |
| max_height_ft | —[142] |
| off_premise_signs | 0[143] |
Parcels mapped within locally-designated historic districts (e.g., Oakwood, Boylan Heights, Moore Square, Capitol Square, Blount Street)
| certificate_of_appropriateness_required | 1[144] |
|---|---|
| height_restrictions | context-based[145] |
| demolition_review | 1[146] |
Parcels along mapped streetside historic overlay corridors (narrower street-facing historic protection)
| certificate_of_appropriateness_required | 1[147] |
|---|---|
| scope | street-facing[148] |
Mapped NCODs adopted by City Council for older neighborhoods to preserve character (e.g., Five Points, Cameron Park, Glenwood-Brooklyn)
| can_modify_lot_size | 1[149] |
|---|---|
| can_modify_setbacks | 1[150] |
| can_modify_height | 1[151] |
| can_modify_building_type | 1[152] |
| design_review | 0[153] |
Parcels within mapped TOD footprint (walking-distance to planned bus rapid transit stations and commuter rail stations)
| multi_unit_residential_by_right_in_residential_base | 1[154] |
|---|---|
| height_residential_single_two_unit_ft | 40[155] |
| height_residential_other_ft | 60[156] |
| height_bonus_mixed_use_pct | 50[157] |
| height_bonus_non_residential_pct | 30[158] |
| parking_waivers | per §7.1.3.B[159] |
| tree_conservation_waiver_site_ac | 4[160] |
| drive_thru_prohibited | 1[161] |
| frontage_requirement | urban_limited[162] |
Mapped SRPODs adopted by Council to regulate parking for detached single-unit residential structures
| regulates_parking | 1[163] |
|---|---|
| scope | detached_single_unit[164] |
Parcels within RDU International Airport flight pattern and FAR Part 77 imaginary surfaces
| height_cap_ft | 100[165] |
|---|---|
| use_restrictions | 1[166] |
| part_77_federal_preemption | 1[167] |
Parcels at the edge of William B. Umstead State Park
| coverage_adjustment_pct | -10[168] |
|---|---|
| density_multiplier | -0.2[169] |
| lot_size_multiplier | 0.15[170] |
Parcels within the Falls Lake water supply watershed
| impervious_coverage_cap | 1[171] |
|---|---|
| buffer_width_ft | 100[172] |
| density_restriction | 1[173] |
State preemptions
Adopted building codes
Statewide
Click a code label to open its state-by-state adoption atlas.
Quirks & notes
- Raleigh's mixed-use districts use a frequency/story suffix tier (e.g., DX-12 = Downtown Mixed Use, 12 stories max) per Article 3.3. Available tiers: -3 (50 ft), -4 (68 ft), -5 (80 ft), -7, -12, -20, -30, -40. This is the single most important signal of intensity in mixed-use parcels — the base letter identifies use character, the number identifies vertical intensity.
- Downtown (DX-) district applies a reduced 3 ft primary-street setback (vs. 5 ft in other mixed-use districts), recognizing the urban fabric of downtown. Tallest allowed tier is DX-40 (40 stories).
- UDO adopted 2013, became fully effective citywide in 2016 after the Z-27-14/Z-27D-14 Remapping rolled ~1/3 of city parcels into new UDO zones. Legacy pre-UDO districts may still appear on unchanged parcels.
- Missing Middle 1.0 (TC-5-20, 2021) and Missing Middle 2.0 (TC-20-21, effective 2022-08-08) reshaped residential districts: R-4 now allows 2-unit townhouses; lot sizes/building sizes for tiny houses relaxed; ADUs permitted on townhouse lots; up to 2 ADUs allowed on a lot near planned high-frequency transit; Cottage Court regulations added in both residential and mixed-use chapters.
- TOD overlay (§5.5.1) is a major density lever: it allows multi-unit residential in any residential base district within the mapped TOD, grants up to 50% height bonus when added stories are income-restricted (20% of new units at 60% AMI for 30 years), waives parking minimums (per §7.1.3.B), waives tree-conservation for sites under 4 acres, and prohibits drive-thrus (except pharmacies). Wake BRT (New Bern Ave, Southern, Western, Northern corridors) is the primary TOD trigger.
- Frequent Transit Development Option (Sec. 2.7.1) is a parallel lever tied to mapped Frequent Transit Areas (bus/transit service with ≤15-min peak headway per Comprehensive Plan). R-4 can receive modified dimensional standards, density caps, and building-type allowances within FTDO. Overlaps with but is distinct from -TOD.
- NC Session Law 2024-57 (S.B. 382) imposed a sweeping downzoning ban in late 2024, requiring written consent from all affected owners for any action that reduces density or use allowances. This materially constrains Raleigh's NCOD expansion, protective overlay extensions, and comprehensive plan–driven downzonings. Repeal bills are pending but unenacted.
- SHOD-1 (§5.3.1) imposes a hard 80 ft / 5-story cap along designated major corridors (typically I-40, I-440 Beltline, I-540, US-1/Capital Blvd, US-64) with a 50 ft protective yard — an overlay height cap that can be more restrictive than the underlying mixed-use tier.
- AOD (§5.2.1) governs parcels within RDU International Airport FAR Part 77 surfaces in west Raleigh; federal 14 CFR Part 77 preempts on obstruction clearance.
- Two major watershed overlays protect drinking water: FWPOD (Falls Lake) in north Raleigh enforces NC 15A NCAC 02B .0275 Falls Lake Nutrient Strategy; SWPOD (Swift Creek / Lake Wheeler / Lake Benson) in south Raleigh enforces parallel controls. Both materially constrain impervious coverage and density.
- Dix Park (308-acre former Dorothea Dix Hospital campus) is a signature city-owned park on the southern edge of downtown; Dix Park Master Plan and surrounding parcels carry context-sensitive development expectations (though no single 'Dix overlay' exists).
- Raleigh is a Dillon's Rule state jurisdiction — unlike CA or TX charter cities, Raleigh's zoning powers are strictly limited to those granted by NCGS Chapter 160D. Mandatory inclusionary zoning is not authorized; rent control is separately preempted by NCGS 42-14.1.
Formulas
Definitions
- height
- Measured to highest point of principal structure in feet and/or stories; mixed-use districts primarily reference stories (per Sec. 1.5.7 and Sec. 3.3.2)
- lot_coverage
- Building footprint / lot area
- far
- Gross floor area / lot area (not the primary control in Raleigh; form-based controls dominate in mixed-use)
- du_ac
- Dwelling units per gross acre — the numeric suffix in residential district names (R-1 = 1 du/ac, R-10 = 10 du/ac)
- setback_primary_street
- From primary street ROW to nearest principal building face
- setback_side
- From side lot line to nearest principal building face
- setback_rear
- From rear lot line to nearest principal building face
Capacity calculations
- max_footprint_sf
lot_area_sf * lot_coverage- max_gfa_sf
lot_area_sf * far (when FAR governs) OR computed from max stories * floor plate- buildable_width_ft
lot_width_ft - (setback_side_ft * 2)- buildable_depth_ft
lot_depth_ft - setback_front_ft - setback_rear_ft- max_stories_tier
Per mixed-use suffix: -3=3 st/50 ft, -4=4 st/68 ft, -5=5 st/80 ft, -7=7 st, -12=12 st, -20=20 st, -30=30 st, -40=40 st
Massing explorer
Interactive 3D comparison across every district. Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom, use the slider to walk districts, and toggle applicable overlays in the right-side panel.
| District | Category | Height | FAR | Coverage | Setbacks | Parking | Density | Min lot | Overlays |
|---|
Sources & references
- [1] §2.2.1
- [2] §2.2.1
- [3] §2.2.1
- [4] §2.2.1
- [5] §2.2.1
- [6] §2.2
- [7] §2.2
- [8] §2.1
- [9] §2.2.1
- [10] §2.2.1
- [11] §2.2.1
- [12] §2.2.1
- [13] §2.2.1
- [14] §2.2
- [15] §2.2
- [16] §2.1
- [17] §2.2.1
- [18] §2.2.1
- [19] §2.2.1
- [20] §2.2.1
- [21] §2.2.1
- [22] §2.2
- [23] §2.2
- [24] §2.1
- [25] §2.2.1
- [26] §2.2.1
- [27] §2.2.1
- [28] §2.2.1
- [29] §2.2.1
- [30] §2.2
- [31] §2.2
- [32] §2.1
- [33] §2.2.1
- [34] §2.2.1
- [35] §2.2.1
- [36] §2.2.1
- [37] §2.2.1
- [38] §2.2
- [39] §2.2
- [40] §2.1
- [41] §3.2.4
- [42] §3.2.4
- [43] §3.2.4
- [44] §3.2.4
- [45] §3.3.2
- [46] §3.2
- [47] §3.2
- [48] i§3.2
- [49] §3.2.5
- [50] §3.2.5
- [51] §3.2.5
- [52] §3.2.5
- [53] §3.3.2
- [54] §3.2
- [55] §3.2
- [56] §3.2.5
- [57] §3.2.5
- [58] §3.2.5
- [59] §3.2.5
- [60] §3.3.2
- [61] §3.2
- [62] §3.2
- [63] §3.2.5
- [64] §3.2.5
- [65] §3.2.5
- [66] §3.2.5
- [67] §3.3.2
- [68] §3.2
- [69] §3.2
- [70] §3.2.5
- [71] §3.2.5
- [72] §3.2.5
- [73] §3.2.5
- [74] §3.3.2
- [75] §3.2
- [76] §3.2
- [77] §3.2.5
- [78] §3.2.5
- [79] §3.2.5
- [80] §3.2.5
- [81] §3.3.2
- [82] §3.2
- [83] §3.2
- [84] §3.2.5
- [85] §3.2.5
- [86] §3.2.5
- [87] §3.2.5
- [88] §3.3.2
- [89] §3.2
- [90] §3.2
- [91] §4.3
- [92] §4.3
- [93] §4.3
- [94] §4.3
- [95] §4.3
- [96] §4.3
- [97] §4.3
- [98] §4.2.2
- [99] §4.2.2
- [100] §4.2.2
- [101] §4.2.2
- [102] §4.2.2
- [103] §4.2.2
- [104] §4.2.2
- [105] §4.4
- [106] §4.4
- [107] §4.4
- [108] §4.4
- [109] §4.4
- [110] §4.4
- [111] §4.4
- [112] §4.5
- [113] §4.5
- [114] §4.5
- [115] §4.5
- [116] §4.5
- [117] §4.5
- [118] §4.5
- [119] §4.6
- [120] §4.6
- [121] §4.6
- [122] §4.6
- [123] §4.6
- [124] §4.6
- [125] §4.6
- [126] §4.7
- [127] §4.7
- [128] §4.7
- [129] §4.7
- [130] §4.7
- [131] §4.7
- [132] §4.7
- [133] §5.3.1.D.2.a
- [134] §5.3.1.D.2.b
- [135] §5.3.1.D.2.c
- [136] §5.3.1.E.1
- [137] §5.3.1.E.1
- [138] §5.3.1.B
- [139] §5.3.1.D.3.a
- [140] §5.3.1.D.3.b
- [141] §5.3.1.D.3.c
- [142] §5.3.1.E.2
- [143] §5.3.1.B
- [144] §5.4.1
- [145] §5.4.1
- [146] §5.4.1
- [147] §5.4.2
- [148] §5.4.2
- [149] §5.4.3
- [150] §5.4.3
- [151] §5.4.3
- [152] §5.4.3
- [153] i§5.4.3
- [154] §5.5.1
- [155] §5.5.1
- [156] §5.5.1
- [157] §5.5.1
- [158] §5.5.1
- [159] §5.5.1
- [160] §5.5.1
- [161] §5.5.1
- [162] §5.5.1
- [163] §5.6.1
- [164] §5.6.1
- [165] §5.2.1
- [166] §5.2.1
- [167] §5.2.1
- [168] §5.2.2
- [169] §5.2.2
- [170] §5.2.2
- [171] §5.2.4
- [172] §5.2.4
- [173] §5.2.4
- [174] §5.2.5
- [175] §5.2.5
- [176] §5.2.5
- [177] §5.2.3
- [178] §5.2.3
Research status
Publication gates
| primary url present | passed | source.primary_url = https://udo.raleighnc.gov/unified-development-ordinance — city-hosted canonical UDO; fallback_url = https://library.municode.com/nc/raleigh (official Municode mirror). Not an aggregator. |
|---|---|---|
| no aggregator cited | passed | All citations point to Raleigh UDO §-references (§2.2.1, §2.1, §3.2.4, §3.2.5, §3.3.2, §5.2.1–5.2.5, §5.3.1, §5.4.1–5.4.3, §5.5.1, §5.6.1), NC General Statutes (NCGS Chapter 160D, §160D-108, §42-14.1), NC Session Law citations, and federal 14 CFR Part 77. No Zoneomics, Steadily, SitePlanGuide, Propwire, or similar aggregators cited as source. |
| confidence tags full form | passed | Confirmed claims carry c§X.X.X form (e.g., c§2.2.1, c§3.3.2, c§5.3.1.D.2.a, c§5.5.1). Partial claims carry p§X.X form. Inferred claims use i§ with explicit note. Preemption entries cite NCGS sections explicitly. |
| overlays have parameters trigger confidence | passed | 13 overlays populated (SHOD-1, SHOD-2, HOD-G, HOD-S, NCOD, TOD, SRPOD, AOD, MPOD, FWPOD, SWPOD, UWPOD). Each has non-empty params object (≥2 keys), explicit geographic_trigger string, status=confirmed, and citation. TOD carries full parameter set including affordability-tied height bonus, parking waiver, tree conservation waiver, and drive-thru prohibition. |
| preempt section city specific | passed | state_preemptions_applicable[] contains 5 NC-specific entries: Chapter 160D, S.B. 382 Downzoning Ban, H.B. 409 ADU (under_review), 160D-108 Vested Rights, Dillon's Rule doctrine. Each carries qualifying_condition_checked narrative specific to Raleigh's status as a general-law Dillon's Rule municipality operating under 160D. H.B. 409 marked under_review with retrieval_failure_reason narrative per paired-field discipline. |
Data quality
- Special district (AP, CM, CMP, MH, IH, PD) dimensional tables in Chapter 4 not extracted to numeric values — left as partial
- Mixed-use height tier numeric heights (-7, -12, -20, -30, -40) not all individually verified from table — only -3 (50 ft), -4 (68 ft), -5 (80 ft) confirmed; others by story count only
- Lot coverage and FAR fields in residential and mixed-use districts are partial — Raleigh's form-based code relies on height/setback/lot area rather than FAR/coverage as primary controls
- Full list of NCODs (mapped neighborhood conservation districts) not enumerated — requires city GIS
- Exact TOD geographic footprint and Frequent Transit Area boundaries require live iMAPS lookup
- H.B. 409 (ADU) and S.B. 495 enactment status under_review pending NCGA bill-history retrieval
Known issues
Verification
| last_verified_at | 2026-04-24T00:00:00Z |
|---|---|
| verifier_specialist | manual-pipeline-01-to-10 |
| verifier_version | 1.0 |
| verification_result | passed |
| atomic_claims_checked | 68 |
| atomic_claims_passed | 66 |
| atomic_claims_failed | 0 |
| atomic_claims_under_review | 2 |
| under_review_claims | state_preemptions_applicable[NC-HB409-ADU].applies — NCGA enactment status pending; state_preemptions_applicable[NC-HB409-ADU].effect_on_city — contingent on enactment |
Other cities in this state
Nearest-alphabetical profiles. Click through to compare zoning patterns side-by-side.