Mecklenburg County

Landscaping & Hardscaping in Charlotte, NC

Charlotte is unusual in our service area because two separate governments have a say in hardscape projects: Mecklenburg County handles the structural permit for taller retaining walls, and the City of Charlotte separately requires a Fence and Wall Certificate for walls near city streets. We plan for both from the start.

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Local Conditions

Terrain & Drainage in Charlotte

Charlotte's older neighborhoods bring mature trees and root conflicts we plan excavation around, plus drainage systems that are often decades old and undersized for today's storm intensity. Piedmont clay's slow drainage compounds both problems, which is why base prep and drainage behind a wall matter as much here as the wall itself.

Priority Services

What Matters Most for Charlotte Properties

Retaining Walls

Mecklenburg's 5-foot permit threshold makes early engineering planning essential in Charlotte.

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Tree Services

Mature trees in established Charlotte neighborhoods frequently conflict with new hardscape.

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Irrigation & Drainage Solutions

Older, undersized drainage on established Charlotte lots is a common project starting point.

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Permitting

Permitting in Charlotte

Mecklenburg County requires a building permit with sealed engineering drawings for retaining walls supporting 5 feet or more of fill within 50 feet of horizontal distance. Separately, the City of Charlotte requires a no-cost Fence and Wall Certificate from its Department of Transportation for any fence or wall built along a city street, and a building permit for any wall over 6 feet tall — on top of, not instead of, the county's structural requirement.

Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement (CIRC) →
Nearby

Also Serving Nearby

HuntersvilleCorneliusMooresville
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about our work in Charlotte.

If it supports 5 feet or more of fill within 50 feet of horizontal distance, Mecklenburg County requires a building permit with sealed engineering drawings. If the wall sits along a city street, the City of Charlotte separately requires a no-cost Fence and Wall Certificate.

No — it's a separate, no-cost certificate from the City's Department of Transportation for walls near city streets. It doesn't replace a Mecklenburg County building permit for taller walls, and the City separately requires a permit for any wall over 6 feet.

Much of the drainage infrastructure in established Charlotte neighborhoods was sized for older storm patterns and is compounded by slow-draining Piedmont clay. We often address drainage as part of a hardscape project rather than as an afterthought.

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