Annexation Information

A voluntary annexation is a citizen-initiated petition to receive City services. The most common example is when a property owner wants to connect to City water or sewer (City water is available in the extraterritorial jurisdiction at a higher rate but property owners must annex into the Corporate Limits to receive City sewer service). The fee to extend water and / or sewer lines to the property proposed to be annexed is paid by the petitioner. Please reach out to the Public Services Department to find what the extension fee will be for your property.

There are two types of voluntary annexations applications: contiguous annexation and satellite annexation. 

  • A “Contiguous Annexation Petition” is required when requesting annexation of property that abuts directly up against the primary corporate limits; the application must be signed by all of the property owners. 
  • A “Satellite Annexation Petition” is required when requesting annexation of a property that does not abut directly up against the primary corporate limits; the application must be signed by all of the property owners. The area to be annexed must meet certain criteria (listed below in § 160A-58.1 (b)). 

§ 160A-58.1.  Petition for annexation; standards.

(b)       A noncontiguous area proposed for annexation must meet all of the following standards:

  1. The nearest point on the proposed satellite corporate limits must be not more than three miles from the primary corporate limits of the annexing city.
  2. No point on the proposed satellite corporate limits may be closer to the primary corporate limits of another city than to the primary corporate limits of the annexing city, except as set forth in subsection (b2) of this section.
  3. The area must be so situated that the annexing city will be able to provide the same services within the proposed satellite corporate limits that it provides within its primary corporate limits.
  4. If the area proposed for annexation, or any portion thereof, is a subdivision as defined in G.S. 160A-376, all of the subdivision must be included.
  5. The area within the proposed satellite corporate limits, when added to the area within all other satellite corporate limits, may not exceed ten percent (10%) of the area within the primary corporate limits of the annexing city. This subdivision does not apply to the Cities of Asheboro, Belmont, Claremont, Concord, Conover, Durham, Elizabeth City, Gastonia, Greenville, Hickory, Kannapolis, Kings Mountain, Locust, Lowell, Marion, Mount Airy, Mount Holly, New Bern, Newton, Oxford, Randleman, Roanoke Rapids, Rockingham, Saluda, Sanford, Salisbury, Shelby, Southport, Statesville, and Washington and the Towns of Ahoskie, Angier, Apex, Ayden, Belville, Benson, Bladenboro, Bridgeton, Bunn, Burgaw, Calabash, Carthage, Catawba, China Grove, Clayton, Columbia, Columbus, Cramerton, Creswell, Dallas, Dobson, Four Oaks, Franklin, Franklinton, Franklinville, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Godwin, Granite Quarry, Green Level, Grimesland, Harrisburg, Holly Ridge, Holly Springs, Hookerton, Hope Mills, Huntersville, Jamestown, Kenansville, Kenly, Knightdale, Landis, Leland, Liberty, Lillington, Louisburg, Maggie Valley, Maiden, Mayodan, Maysville, Middlesex, Midland, Mocksville, Morrisville, Mount Pleasant, Nashville, North Wilkesboro, Norwood, Oak Island, Oakboro, Ocean Isle Beach, Pembroke, Pine Level, Pollocksville, Princeton, Ramseur, Ranlo, Richlands, Rockwell, Rolesville, Rutherfordton, Shallotte, Siler City, Smithfield, Spencer, Spring Lake, Stanley, Stem, Stovall, Surf City, Swansboro, Taylorsville, Troutman, Troy, Vass, Wallace, Warsaw, Watha, Waynesville, Weldon, Wendell, West Jefferson, Wilson's Mills, Windsor, Wingate, Yadkinville, Youngsville, and Zebulon.

The filing fee for a voluntary annexation petition currently $350. The petitioner will also be responsible for the balance of advertising fees for the request following the Council's decision. The annexation process is approximately a 2.5-month process, starting with application submittal and ending with the public hearing. If the Council decides to annex your property, they will adopt an annexation ordinance; the effective date of annexation will occur immediately following the hearing. Once annexed, the property owner will be entitled to all available City services. The property will be subject to Town of Morehead City as well as Carteret County property taxes. 

For questions regarding annexations, please reach out to Planner Annie Bunnell at 252-726-6848 x103 or by email at annie.bunnell@moreheadcitync.org.