Raleigh, NC Zoning
Districts & Requirements
Every zoning district in Raleigh with permitted uses, setbacks, height limits, and density requirements — in plain English. Raleigh adopted a Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) in 2013, replacing legacy Euclidean zoning. The UDO uses five residential districts (R-1 through R-10) and seven mixed-use districts (RX, OP, OX, NX, CX, DX, IX) with modular height tiers (-3 through -40). Missing Middle reforms in 2021-2022 expanded duplexes, townhouses, and apartments into lower-density residential districts. Density is not directly regulated in most districts — height, setbacks, and lot size control what you can build.
16
Zoning districts
8
Overlay districts
500,000+
Population
2013
Code adopted
Quick Reference
Find your district, see what you can do. Click any row for details.
| District | At a glance | Height | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-1 | 1 unit per acre on 40,000 SF lots. Estate-scale single-family only. No subdivision potential. | 3 stories / 40 ft | Not directly regulated (setbacks control envelope) |
| R-2 | 20,000 SF lots, detached houses + duplexes. Townhouses allowed with open space set-aside. | 3 stories / 40 ft | Not directly regulated (setbacks control envelope) |
| R-4 | Quarter-acre lots, duplexes by right, townhouses with open space. The suburban infill district. | 3 stories / 40 ft | Not directly regulated (setbacks control envelope) |
| R-6 | 6,000 SF lots, townhouses by right, tighter setbacks. Best residential district for missing middle. | 3 stories / 45 ft (townhouse) | Not directly regulated (setbacks control envelope) |
| R-10 | 4,000 SF lots, apartments allowed, 10 units/acre. Highest-density residential district. | 3 stories / 45 ft | Not directly regulated (setbacks control envelope) |
| RX-3 | 10+ units/acre, 3 stories, limited ground-floor retail. Transition zone between residential and commercial. | 3 stories / 50 ft | Not directly regulated |
| NX-3 | Walkable neighborhood commercial + residential, 3 stories. 10-acre max lot size keeps it small-scale. | 3 stories / 50 ft | Not directly regulated |
| CX-3 | Full commercial + residential flexibility, 3 stories. No lot size cap. Corridor development. | 3 stories / 50 ft | Not directly regulated |
| CX-5 | 5 stories, full mixed-use. Mid-rise product along transit corridors and activity centers. | 5 stories / 80 ft | Not directly regulated |
| CX-7 | 7 stories, minimum 2-story street wall on urban frontages. Activity center scale. | 7 stories | Not directly regulated |
| DX-12 | 12 stories downtown, minimal setbacks, 15-ft ground-floor height. Intense urban mixed-use. | 12 stories | Not directly regulated |
| DX-20 | 20 stories, 3-story minimum street wall. Raleigh's tallest by-right zoning. | 20 stories | Not directly regulated |
| OX-3 | Office-focused with housing and limited retail. Transition between commercial and residential. | 3 stories / 50 ft | Not directly regulated |
| IX-3 | Light industrial + commercial + upper-floor housing. Residential restricted to upper stories only. | 3 stories / 50 ft | Not directly regulated |
| CX-12 | 12 stories outside downtown. Major activity centers and high-density corridors. | 12 stories | Not directly regulated |
| CX-20 | 20 stories outside downtown. Rarest and most valuable non-downtown zoning. | 20 stories | Not directly regulated |
Residential
5 districts in Raleigh
R-1
Residential-1Lowest-density residential. 40,000 SF minimum lots, 100-ft wide. One detached house plus one ADU. No path to density without rezoning.
What you can build
- ✓Single-family detached house
- ✓One ADU (800-1,000 SF max)
- ✓Tiny house
- ✓Home occupation
- ✗Duplexes, townhouses, or apartments
- ✗Commercial or retail
- ✗Subdivision below 40,000 SF lots
Key numbers
- Height
- 3 stories / 40 ft
- Lot min
- 40,000 SF (~0.9 acres)
- Width
- 100 ft
- Coverage
- Not directly regulated (setbacks control envelope)
- Front
- 20 ft
- Side
- 10 ft
- Rear
- 30 ft
What this means in practice
At 40,000 SF with 20/10/30 setbacks on a 100-ft-wide lot, your buildable area is roughly 80 ft x 250 ft after setbacks — generous footprint but the density math never works for anything but custom homes. If the parcel is large enough, look at conservation development (40% open space) to get smaller lots. Otherwise, the only play is a high-end single-family build or holding for a future rezoning.
R-2
Residential-2Half-acre residential. Missing Middle reforms added attached houses (duplexes) by right. Townhouses permitted in compact or conservation developments with open space. Still fundamentally a single-family district.
What you can build
- ✓Single-family detached house
- ✓Duplex (attached house)
- ✓One ADU
- ✓Townhouses (compact/conservation development only)
- ✓Tiny house
- ✗Apartments
- ✗Standalone commercial or retail
- ✗Townhouses on individual conventional lots
Key numbers
- Height
- 3 stories / 40 ft
- Lot min
- 20,000 SF (~0.46 acres)
- Width
- 80 ft
- Coverage
- Not directly regulated (setbacks control envelope)
- Front
- 20 ft
- Side
- 10 ft
- Rear
- 30 ft
What this means in practice
The duplex entitlement from Missing Middle is the unlock here. On a 20,000 SF lot, you can build an attached house (two units sharing a wall) plus an ADU — three income streams on one lot. Townhouses require a compact development with 20% common open space, which means assembling enough land to make the open space work. Townhouse site area per unit: 10,000 SF with 16-ft-wide units.
R-4
Residential-4Standard suburban residential at 10,000 SF. Duplexes by right, two-unit townhouses allowed conventionally. Full townhouse projects require compact development. Most common residential district inside the Beltline.
What you can build
- ✓Single-family detached house
- ✓Duplex (attached house)
- ✓Two-unit townhouse
- ✓One ADU
- ✓Townhouse projects (compact/conservation development)
- ✓Tiny house
- ✗Apartments
- ✗Multi-unit townhouse projects (conventional lots)
- ✗Commercial or retail
Key numbers
- Height
- 3 stories / 40 ft
- Lot min
- 10,000 SF
- Width
- 65 ft
- Coverage
- Not directly regulated (setbacks control envelope)
- Front
- 20 ft
- Side
- 10 ft
- Rear
- 30 ft
What this means in practice
R-4 is where Missing Middle actually pencils for small developers. A 10,000 SF lot supports a duplex (two units) plus an ADU — three doors. Townhouse site area is 5,000 SF per unit with 16-ft-wide units. Watch for infill compatibility standards on platted streets older than 20 years — your setback may be pushed to match neighboring buildings, which eats into the buildable envelope. Always pull the comparative sample before designing.
R-6
Residential-6Medium-density residential with the most useful Missing Middle entitlements. Duplexes and townhouses by right on conventional lots. Reduced setbacks (10/5/20) significantly increase buildable area versus R-4.
What you can build
- ✓Single-family detached house
- ✓Duplex (attached house)
- ✓Townhouses (by right)
- ✓Multi-unit townhouses
- ✓One ADU
- ✓Tiny house
- ✗Apartments
- ✗Standalone commercial or retail
- ✗Industrial
Key numbers
- Height
- 3 stories / 45 ft (townhouse)
- Lot min
- 6,000 SF
- Width
- 50 ft
- Coverage
- Not directly regulated (setbacks control envelope)
- Front
- 10 ft
- Side
- 5 ft (10 ft townhouse site boundary)
- Rear
- 20 ft
What this means in practice
R-6 is the sweet spot for townhouse developers. Site area per unit is 4,500 SF with 16-ft-wide units. On a half-acre (21,780 SF) R-6 parcel: 4 townhouse units at 4,500 SF each with room to spare. At 3 stories and 16-ft width, each unit is ~2,400 SF — marketable product. The 10-ft front setback (vs. 20 ft in R-4) gives you 10 extra feet of buildable depth per unit. Infill compatibility applies on streets platted 20+ years — check before you design.
R-10
Residential-10Highest-density residential. Apartments are by-right — the only residential district that allows them conventionally. 4,000 SF minimum lots, 3 stories / 45 ft. This is where multifamily pencils in a residential zone.
What you can build
- ✓Single-family detached house
- ✓Duplex (attached house)
- ✓Townhouses
- ✓Apartments (3 stories max)
- ✓One ADU
- ✓Tiny house
- ✗Commercial or retail (need mixed-use zoning)
- ✗Buildings over 3 stories
- ✗Industrial
Key numbers
- Height
- 3 stories / 45 ft
- Lot min
- 4,000 SF (detached); 7,500 SF (apartment)
- Width
- 45 ft
- Coverage
- Not directly regulated (setbacks control envelope)
- Front
- 10 ft
- Side
- 5 ft (6 ft townhouse/apartment site boundary)
- Rear
- 20 ft
What this means in practice
Apartment minimum site area is 2,500 SF per unit. On a half-acre R-10 site (21,780 SF): that's 8 apartments by right at 3 stories. Townhouse density is even tighter — 3,000 SF per unit, so 7 townhouses on the same half-acre. The 10% outdoor amenity area requirement is real — plan for it in your site plan. If you need more than 3 stories, you need to rezone to a mixed-use district.
Mixed Use — Residential
1 district in Raleigh
RX-3
Residential Mixed Use (3 stories)Residential-focused mixed-use at densities exceeding 10 units per acre. Limited retail allowed on ground-floor corner units only. Functions as a step up from R-10 without full commercial entitlements.
What you can build
- ✓Apartments
- ✓Townhouses
- ✓Detached/attached houses
- ✓Limited ground-floor retail (corner units only)
- ✓Live/work
- ✓ADUs
- ✗Full ground-floor retail (corners only)
- ✗Standalone commercial
- ✗Industrial
Key numbers
- Height
- 3 stories / 50 ft
- Lot min
- 7,500 SF (apartment); 4,000 SF (house)
- Width
- 45 ft
- Coverage
- Not directly regulated
- Front
- 5 ft (apartment/mixed-use); 10 ft (house)
- Side
- 0 ft or 6 ft
- Rear
- 0 ft or 6 ft
What this means in practice
RX is the bridge district — more density than R-10, but retail is limited to corner units. If you want a coffee shop or small retail on the ground floor of every unit facing the street, you need NX or CX. The 5-ft setback for apartments vs. 10 ft for houses means the apartment product gets more buildable area. On a 1-acre RX-3 site, plan for 20-30 apartments at 3 stories.
Mixed Use — Neighborhood
1 district in Raleigh
NX-3
Neighborhood Mixed Use (3 stories)Neighborhood-scale mixed-use within walking distance of residential areas. Full retail and commercial allowed. The 10-acre lot cap keeps projects at neighborhood scale — no regional malls.
What you can build
- ✓Apartments above retail
- ✓Standalone apartments
- ✓Retail and restaurants
- ✓Office
- ✓Mixed-use buildings
- ✓Townhouses
- ✗Sites larger than 10 acres
- ✗Heavy commercial or industrial
- ✗Drive-throughs (frontage dependent)
Key numbers
- Height
- 3 stories / 50 ft
- Lot min
- 7,500 SF (apartment); none (mixed-use building)
- Width
- None (mixed-use building)
- Coverage
- Not directly regulated
- Front
- 5 ft
- Side
- 0 ft or 6 ft
- Rear
- 0 ft or 6 ft
What this means in practice
The 10-acre cap is the defining constraint — it keeps NX projects neighborhood-scaled. At 3 stories and 5-ft setbacks, a typical NX-3 project is 2 floors of apartments over ground-floor retail on a 1-2 acre site. Ground-story transparency minimum is 50% — budget for storefront glazing. If you need more height, push for NX-5 or rezone to CX.
Mixed Use — Commercial
5 districts in Raleigh
CX-3
Commercial Mixed Use (3 stories)The workhorse commercial mixed-use district. Full retail, office, and residential flexibility with no lot size cap. Found along Raleigh's major commercial corridors.
What you can build
- ✓Retail and restaurants
- ✓Office buildings
- ✓Apartments (standalone or above retail)
- ✓Mixed-use buildings
- ✓Hotels
- ✓Live/work
- ✗Heavy industrial
- ✗Manufacturing
Key numbers
- Height
- 3 stories / 50 ft
- Lot min
- 7,500 SF (apartment); none (mixed-use building)
- Width
- None (mixed-use building)
- Coverage
- Not directly regulated
- Front
- 5 ft
- Side
- 0 ft or 6 ft
- Rear
- 0 ft or 6 ft
What this means in practice
CX-3 is what most of Raleigh's strip-mall corridors are zoned or rezoning toward. At 3 stories, the typical product is ground-floor retail with 2 floors of apartments. On a 1-acre site at a 5-ft setback: roughly 38,000 SF of ground-floor footprint, 114,000 SF gross at 3 stories. That supports 10,000 SF retail + 60-80 apartments. Frontage type matters — Shopfront (-SH) requires 80% building width at the street.
CX-5
Commercial Mixed Use (5 stories)Mid-rise commercial mixed-use. 5 stories / 80 ft. Full commercial and residential flexibility. Common along transit corridors and near major intersections.
What you can build
- ✓Large mixed-use buildings
- ✓Apartment buildings (5 stories)
- ✓Office buildings
- ✓Hotels
- ✓Retail and restaurants
- ✓Live/work
- ✗Heavy industrial
- ✗Manufacturing
Key numbers
- Height
- 5 stories / 80 ft
- Lot min
- 7,500 SF (apartment); none (mixed-use building)
- Width
- None
- Coverage
- Not directly regulated
- Front
- 5 ft
- Side
- 0 ft or 6 ft
- Rear
- 0 ft or 6 ft
What this means in practice
CX-5 is where structured parking becomes necessary — at 5 stories and near-zero setbacks, surface parking doesn't fit. A 1-acre site can yield ~190,000 SF gross. That's 15,000 SF retail + 120-150 apartments with a parking deck. With the affordable housing bonus (50% height increase), CX-5 goes to 8 stories — a game-changer if you're near a transit stop or BRT route.
CX-7
Commercial Mixed Use (7 stories)Upper mid-rise commercial mixed-use. 7 stories with a minimum 2-story height on urban frontages at 75% of building width. Typically mapped at major activity centers and transit nodes.
What you can build
- ✓Large mixed-use buildings
- ✓Apartment towers
- ✓Office buildings
- ✓Hotels
- ✓Retail and restaurants
- ✗Heavy industrial
- ✗Single-story suburban retail (min 2 stories on urban frontage)
Key numbers
- Height
- 7 stories
- Lot min
- None (mixed-use building)
- Width
- None
- Coverage
- Not directly regulated
- Front
- 5 ft
- Side
- 0 ft or 6 ft
- Rear
- 0 ft or 6 ft
What this means in practice
The 2-story minimum on urban frontages means no single-story pad sites on the street face — the city wants a street wall. On a 1-acre site, 7 stories yields ~265,000 SF gross. With the affordable housing bonus, this goes to 11 stories. Structured parking is mandatory. The minimum height requirement shapes your phasing — you can't build phase 1 as single-story retail and promise apartments later.
CX-12
Commercial Mixed Use (12 stories)High-rise commercial mixed-use mapped at Raleigh's most intense non-downtown locations — North Hills, Crabtree area, and major transit nodes. Full commercial and residential flexibility.
What you can build
- ✓High-rise mixed-use
- ✓Apartment towers
- ✓Office towers
- ✓Hotels
- ✓Large-format retail
- ✓Entertainment
- ✗Heavy industrial
- ✗Manufacturing
Key numbers
- Height
- 12 stories
- Lot min
- None (mixed-use building)
- Width
- None
- Coverage
- Not directly regulated
- Front
- 5 ft
- Side
- 0 ft or 6 ft
- Rear
- 0 ft or 6 ft
What this means in practice
CX-12 outside downtown gets you high-rise entitlements without the DX ground-floor requirements (15-ft ceilings, 66% transparency). Ground-floor minimum transparency is 50% in CX vs. 66% in DX — meaningful cost difference. With the affordable housing bonus: 18 stories. North Hills is the best example of CX-12 in action — multiple towers with retail podiums. Structured parking is mandatory.
CX-20
Commercial Mixed Use (20 stories)The highest-intensity commercial mixed-use outside downtown. 20 stories with 3-story minimum street wall. Extremely limited mapping — usually near major transit investments.
What you can build
- ✓High-rise towers
- ✓Apartment towers
- ✓Class A office
- ✓Hotels
- ✓Large-format retail and entertainment
- ✗Industrial
- ✗Low-intensity single-story uses (3-story minimum on urban frontage)
Key numbers
- Height
- 20 stories
- Lot min
- None
- Width
- None
- Coverage
- Not directly regulated
- Front
- 5 ft
- Side
- 0 ft or 6 ft
- Rear
- 0 ft or 6 ft
What this means in practice
CX-20 is rare and trades at a premium. With the affordable housing bonus: 30 stories — the tallest entitlement available outside downtown. On a 2-acre site, 20 stories can yield 700,000+ SF of mixed-use. The 3-story minimum street wall applies on urban frontages. If you're evaluating a CX-20 site, the land basis needs to support structured parking and the street-wall requirement from day one.
Mixed Use — Downtown
2 districts in Raleigh
DX-12
Downtown Mixed Use (12 stories)Downtown high-rise. 12 stories with 3-ft setbacks and 15-ft ground-floor ceiling heights. The most permissive dimensional standards in the UDO — most lot requirements show 'n/a' in DX.
What you can build
- ✓High-rise mixed-use
- ✓Apartment towers
- ✓Office towers
- ✓Hotels
- ✓Retail and entertainment
- ✓Civic buildings
- ✗Industrial
- ✗Auto-oriented commercial
- ✗Low-density residential (minimum street wall required)
Key numbers
- Height
- 12 stories
- Lot min
- None
- Width
- None
- Coverage
- Not directly regulated
- Front
- 3 ft (DX standard)
- Side
- 3 ft
- Rear
- 3 ft
What this means in practice
DX-12 is the standard downtown designation. The 3-ft setbacks mean you build nearly lot-line to lot-line. Ground-floor transparency minimum is 66% (vs. 50% outside downtown) and minimum floor-to-floor is 15 ft — budget for commercial-grade ground floors. On a quarter-acre downtown lot, 12 stories yields ~120,000 SF. With the affordable housing bonus: 18 stories. Below-grade parking is typical at this density.
DX-20
Downtown Mixed Use (20 stories)Raleigh's high-rise downtown district. 20 stories by right with a minimum 3-story street wall at 75% of building width. Found in the core downtown blocks.
What you can build
- ✓High-rise towers
- ✓Apartment towers
- ✓Class A office
- ✓Hotels
- ✓Retail and entertainment
- ✗Industrial
- ✗Auto-oriented uses
- ✗Single-story buildings (3-story minimum)
Key numbers
- Height
- 20 stories
- Lot min
- None
- Width
- None
- Coverage
- Not directly regulated
- Front
- 3 ft
- Side
- 3 ft
- Rear
- 3 ft
What this means in practice
DX-20 land is limited and commands premium pricing. At 20 stories on a half-acre, you're looking at ~400,000 SF gross — a 300+ unit apartment tower or 250,000 SF office building. With the affordable housing bonus: 30 stories. The 3-story minimum street wall (75% building width) prevents a tower on a parking podium without activating the street. Below-grade parking and structured decks are the only options.
Mixed Use — Office
1 district in Raleigh
OX-3
Office Mixed Use (3 stories)Office and employment district that permits housing and limited retail. Commonly used as a buffer between higher-intensity CX/DX zones and residential neighborhoods.
What you can build
- ✓Office buildings
- ✓Medical and professional offices
- ✓Apartments
- ✓Limited retail and service
- ✓Townhouses
- ✓Live/work
- ✗Standalone large-format retail
- ✗Industrial
- ✗Heavy commercial
Key numbers
- Height
- 3 stories / 50 ft
- Lot min
- 7,500 SF (apartment); 4,000 SF (house)
- Width
- 45 ft
- Coverage
- Not directly regulated
- Front
- 5 ft
- Side
- 0 ft or 6 ft
- Rear
- 0 ft or 6 ft
What this means in practice
OX is often undervalued. The residential entitlement means you can build apartments in an office district — useful when the office market is soft. A 1-acre OX-3 site can support a 3-story apartment building with ground-floor office. If adjacent to CX or DX, consider a rezoning to unlock more retail flexibility. OX-5 and OX-7 tiers exist for higher-density office campuses.
Mixed Use — Industrial
1 district in Raleigh
IX-3
Industrial Mixed Use (3 stories)Light industrial with a mixed-use twist. Manufacturing, warehouse, and flex space with retail and service on the ground floor. Housing allowed only on upper stories of mixed-use buildings — no standalone residential.
What you can build
- ✓Light manufacturing and assembly
- ✓Warehouse and distribution
- ✓Ground-floor retail and service
- ✓Upper-story apartments (mixed-use buildings only)
- ✓Office and R&D
- ✓Breweries and maker spaces
- ✗Standalone residential (upper stories only)
- ✗Heavy manufacturing
- ✗Large-scale warehousing without commercial component
Key numbers
- Height
- 3 stories / 50 ft
- Lot min
- None
- Width
- None
- Coverage
- Not directly regulated
- Front
- 3 ft
- Side
- 3 ft
- Rear
- 3 ft
What this means in practice
IX is the creative-industrial district — breweries, maker spaces, and flex buildings with apartments above. The upper-story-only housing restriction means your ground floor must be commercial or industrial. A 1-acre IX-3 site can support 25,000 SF of flex/maker space on the ground floor with 30-40 apartments above. Check the frontage type — Shopfront (-SH) frontage requires mixed-use buildings as the primary building type.
Development Bonus Program
Raleigh offers an affordable housing height bonus: buildings can be 50% taller than the base zoning allows. A 3-story zone goes to 5, a 5-story to 8, a 7-story to 11, a 12-story to 18, a 20-story to 30. The bonus requires including affordable rental units — at least 20% of the extra units enabled by the bonus must be affordable. The site must be in a mixed-use district with the Transit Overlay District (TOD) or within a quarter-mile of a BRT route. The bonus is by-right — no rezoning, no discretionary review. Run the pro forma both ways: the extra market-rate stories almost always outweigh the affordable unit cost, especially at 7+ story base heights where the bonus adds 4+ stories of market-rate product.
Overlay Districts
Transit Overlay District (TOD)
Applied to areas within walking distance of transit stations, especially planned BRT routes. Allows intense, compact, walkable development. Unlocks the affordable housing height bonus (50% taller). If your site has TOD and you include affordable units, a CX-5 goes to 8 stories, a CX-7 to 11. This is the most impactful overlay for development potential.
Historic Overlay District — General (HOD-G)
Regulates 100% of exterior changes on the lot. Certificate of Appropriateness required from the Historic Districts Commission for new construction, additions, and exterior modifications. Mapped on Oakwood, Boylan Heights, Blount Street, and other historic neighborhoods. Budget 1-3 months for COA review. Demolition requires commission approval.
Historic Overlay District — Streetside (HOD-S)
Regulates only what's visible from the street — changes to the rear are not reviewed. Less restrictive than HOD-G. COA still required for street-facing changes. If you're adding units to the rear of an HOD-S property, exterior review may not apply.
Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District (NCOD)
Preserves existing neighborhood character by regulating lot size, frontage, setbacks, and building height to match surrounding development. Each NCOD has custom standards based on the specific neighborhood. Check the specific NCOD regulations before designing — they override base district standards for the elements they regulate.
Special Highway Overlay District (SHOD-1 / SHOD-2)
Buffers development along interstates and major highways. SHOD-1 and SHOD-2 have different setback and landscaping requirements. Affects sites along I-40, I-440, US-1, and other designated corridors. The buffer requirements reduce buildable area — factor them into your site plan.
Falls Watershed Protection Overlay (FWPOD)
Applies to the Falls Lake watershed in northern Raleigh. Limits impervious surface and requires stormwater controls. Can significantly reduce buildable area on affected parcels. Check watershed status before acquiring — the impervious limits are non-negotiable.
Airport Overlay District (AOD)
Height restrictions near RDU International Airport. Limits building heights based on proximity to runways and flight paths. If your site is under the AOD, the airport height limit may be lower than your zoning allows — always check the FAA surface before designing.
Special Residential Parking Overlay District (SRPOD)
Addresses on-street parking in dense residential areas near downtown. Restricts residents from obtaining on-street parking permits. Affects resident expectations and lease-up if you're building apartments in an SRPOD area.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find what a property is zoned?
Use iMAPS at maps.raleighnc.gov/iMAPS — search any address to see the zoning district, overlays, and lot dimensions. The City also has a 'Find My Zoning' tool at raleighnc.gov/planning/services/unified-development-ordinance-udo/find-my-zoning.
What did Missing Middle change?
Two text amendments in 2021-2022 expanded housing types in residential districts. Duplexes (attached houses) are now allowed in R-2 through R-10. Townhouses are by-right in R-6 and R-10. R-10 allows apartments. The reforms were challenged in court but upheld. If you have an R-6 lot, you can build townhouses without a rezoning.
How does the affordable housing height bonus work?
In mixed-use districts with the Transit Overlay (TOD), include affordable units and build 50% taller by right. A CX-5 becomes 8 stories. At least 20% of the bonus units must be affordable. No rezoning required. The bonus is especially powerful at higher base heights — a DX-20 goes to 30 stories.
What's the difference between CX, NX, and DX?
CX is general commercial mixed-use with no lot size cap — your standard corridor zoning. NX is neighborhood-scale with a 10-acre lot cap and height compatible with adjacent residential. DX is downtown with minimal setbacks (3 ft), 15-ft ground-floor ceiling requirements, and 66% transparency minimums. If you're outside downtown and want maximum flexibility, CX is typically the target.
What are the frontage types and do they matter?
Frontage types (Shopfront, Urban General, Green, Parkway, etc.) control how the building meets the street — setback ranges, building width requirements, parking placement, and whether mixed-use buildings are required. Shopfront (-SH) is the most urban: 0-15 ft build-to, 80% minimum building width, mixed-use primary. Parkway (-PK) is the most suburban: 50-ft setback with heavy landscaping. The frontage can matter more than the base district for your site design.
Can I build an ADU?
Yes, in all residential districts (R-1 through R-10). One ADU per lot, up to 800-1,000 SF depending on lot size. Maximum height 26 ft. In Frequent Transit Areas, you can build two ADUs per lot. The ADU cannot be sold separately from the principal dwelling.
What is infill compatibility and how does it affect my project?
In R-4, R-6, and R-10 on streets platted 20+ years ago, your setback and wall height must be compatible with the 4 nearest principal buildings. Your setback must fall within the range of the comparative sample or within a percentage of the median (10-25% depending on lot width). Side wall height is capped at 25 ft or the average of neighbors, whichever is greater. Pull the comparative sample early — it can significantly constrain your buildable envelope.
Get the full property profile for
any address in Raleigh
Permitted uses, setbacks, density, buildable area, overlays, and nearby development activity — for a specific parcel, not just the district.