Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Shallotte, North Carolina

Town of Shallotte’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Shallotte town limits.

  • The Town states that its jurisdiction also extends to its 1-mile ETJ; this claim is limited to municipal limits.

  “The Town of Shallotte has land use and zoning jurisdiction over all land in the municipal limits and within the Town's 1-mile extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ).”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Shallotte town limits.

  • Official zoning map and district standards are incorporated in the Town UDO.

  “ARTICLE 9. ZONING DISTRICTS AND ZONING MAP PART I. ZONING DISTRICTS Section 9-1: Establishment of Zoning Districts, and the Purpose Thereof”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes inside Shallotte's planning and zoning jurisdiction, including town limits.

  • Class C manufactured homes are not permitted.
  • New manufactured homes must meet masonry-curtain-wall and certificate-of-occupancy conditions.
  • Temporary residence after destruction of the permanent home requires an Administrator-issued temporary occupancy permit, is capped at six months, and may be renewed once.

  temporary occupancy period: <= 6 months (Only when the permanent home was destroyed through no fault of owner or tenant; renewable no more than once.)

  “Manufactured Home (Mobile Home) Class C. Any manufactured home that does not meet the definitional criteria of a Class A or Class B manufactured home. Class C manufactured homes are not permitted within the Town of Shallotte’s planning jurisdiction.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Shallotte town limits.

  • The UDO is periodically updated.

  “The Town of Shallotte Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) contains the Town's primary land use and development regulations, including all zoning, subdivision, stormwater, and floodplain regulations.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development activities within Special Flood Hazard Areas inside Shallotte town limits.

  • Application must be made to the Floodplain Administrator before development activity.
  • All other local, state, and federal permits required before floodplain-permit issuance must have been received.

  “A Floodplain Development Permit shall be required in conformance with the provisions of this ordinance prior to the commencement of any development activities within Special Flood Hazard Areas determined in accordance with the provisions of Section 23-3 of this ordinance.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Town services, permits, and programs inside Shallotte town limits.

  • The approved FY 2026–2027 schedule takes effect with the new fiscal year.

  “The Town of Shallotte Board of Alderman have approved the Fiscal Year 2026–2027 Fee Schedule. The updated schedule establishes the fees for various Town services, permits, and programs and will take effect with the new fiscal year.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning permits for new structures, expansion or alteration of existing structures, and changes in use inside Shallotte town limits.

  • A plot plan or site plan must be approved before zoning-permit issuance.
  • Required planning, zoning, and utility fees must be paid in full before the permit is issued.

  “Prior to the issuance of a Zoning Permit for any new structure, the expansion or alteration of an existing structure, or a change in use, a plot plan or site plan shall be approved by the Town in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Shallotte or Brunswick County directly.

• Building permit — Residential building construction inside Shallotte town limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Shallotte town limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Shallotte town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Shallotte town limits.
• Lot coverage — Residential development inside Shallotte town limits.

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Shallotte means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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