Durham, North Carolina Zoning Map
Zoning, overlays and hazards on every parcel - and an answer to what the code actually lets you build. Compiled from current zoning data for all 54 districts.
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Zoning
- District code & full name
- Parcel boundary & APN
- All 54 districts mapped
Building controls
- Front setback
- Side setback
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Durham, North Carolina Zoning Districts: What Do They Mean?
Zoning districts are areas regulated by specific laws that determine land use, building types, and development rules. Each district below shows its zone type. Durham's ordinance does not state permitted uses as citywide flags, so they are read from each district's own table rather than summarised here.
| Zone Code | Category | Area | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
PDR Planned Development Residential | - | 18,415.1 ac | Standards & uses → |
RS-20 Residential Suburban 20 | - | 12,311.6 ac | Standards & uses → |
RS-10 Residential Suburban 10 | - | 8,181 ac | Standards & uses → |
IL Industrial Light | - | 6,051.5 ac | Standards & uses → |
Showing 4 of 54 districts
Start from what you're trying to build
Each one runs against the live Durham dataset and returns the districts, standards and approvals involved.
What does PDR actually permit?
The full standards for one district, read straight from the source.
Run it →How is Durham zoned?
Durham regulates land through 54 zoning districts, and the largest is Planned Development Residential at roughly 18,415 acres, more than the two largest conventional residential districts combined.
That scale means most of Durham's housing land is governed by approved plans rather than by the citywide tables.
The design district suffix is the distinguishing mechanism. Districts appear in versions marked with a D, covering residential suburban multifamily, university and college, industrial light, commercial general, office and institutional and commercial center. Together they cover roughly 6,122 acres. A design version applies design standards in addition to the base district, so the suffix changes what a project must satisfy.
The residential codes state lot size for suburban districts at 8, 10 and 20 and a numbered urban district at 5, with a variant of the urban district explicitly permitting two duplexes covering roughly 1,797 acres. Naming the permitted duplex count in the district itself is unusually direct.
Two University And College districts, plain and design, cover roughly 1,992 acres between them, reflecting the university presence.
Industrial Light covers roughly 6,051 acres in its plain version with a design variant adding about 1,073, and an Industrial Park district covers roughly 942. This is pre-development intelligence, not legal advice - verify with the local planning department before acquisition.
Durham zoning: frequently asked questions
What is Planned Development Residential?
The largest district in Durham at roughly 18,415 acres, more than the two largest conventional residential districts combined. Most of the city's housing land is governed by approved plans rather than citywide tables.
What does the D suffix mean?
A design district version that applies design standards in addition to the base district. It appears on residential suburban multifamily, university and college, industrial light, commercial general, office and institutional and commercial center districts.
What is the RU-5(2) district?
A residential urban district explicitly permitting two duplexes, covering roughly 1,797 acres. Naming the permitted duplex count in the district itself is unusually direct.
How is university land zoned?
Through University And College districts in plain and design versions, covering roughly 1,992 acres between them and reflecting the substantial university presence.
How is residential density coded?
Suburban districts state lot size at 8, 10 and 20, and an urban district is numbered at 5. Residential Suburban 20 is the largest conventional residential district at roughly 12,312 acres.
North Carolina zoning maps
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Zoning data is pre-development intelligence, not legal advice. Verify with the Durham planning department before acquisition or design.