Charlotte, North Carolina Dog Poop Law

Quick answer: Yes. Charlotte requires dog owners to pick up after their dogs under Charlotte City Code Sec. 3-69(a)(9). The set ticket for a first offense is $50, and $75 for a repeat.

What the Charlotte ordinance says

How the penalty works

Civil citation schedule in Sec. 3-33(a)(1): $50 first offense, $75 second, $150 third, $250 fourth, $500 fifth plus seizure/forfeiture of the animal. Penalties escalate only when the same owner has committed the same offense before, and offenses more than ten years old are not counted. Each day of an ongoing violation is a separate violation. An unpaid civil penalty doubles after 30 calendar days (Sec. 3-33(b)). Separately, Sec. 3-33(a)(2) states that a violation may be punished as a Class 3 misdemeanor with a maximum fine of $500 under G.S. 160A-175 and 14-4.

The carry rule

Sec. 3-69(a)(9) requires removal only. No requirement to carry bags or tools was found in Chapter 3 or in the city code chapters searched (1, 10, 15, 19).

Service animals

Narrow exemption: Sec. 3-69(a)(9) does not apply to visually impaired persons using guide dogs or to persons using dogs in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department activities. It is not a general service-animal exemption.

How Charlotte compares

At $50, the Charlotte ticket is lower than Raleigh ($100) and Greensboro ($100).

In practice

Pick up every time, bag it, and put it in a trash can. That is the one method that satisfies every ordinance in the country. The Walk Dispenser clips to the leash and holds a full roll.

Elsewhere in North Carolina

North Carolina dog poop laws covers the state and its other large cities. Nearby: Raleigh dog poop law · Greensboro dog poop law. All 50 states.

Source

Checked 2026-09-10 against the Charlotte municipal code. Codes change, so read the current version before relying on this for an actual citation.

This page is general information, not legal advice.