Does Carteret County, North Carolina have a solar moratorium?

No. As of 2026-05-02, Carteret County, North Carolina has no active solar moratorium on record. Score has been stable over the last 12 months.

What is Carteret County’s solar permitting risk grade?

Carteret County, North Carolina has a SitePath solar permitting grade of B — risk score 35/100 (Moderate Risk). Grades are based on primary-source county ordinances, board votes, and permitting activity, reviewed as of 2026-05-02.

What are the solar permitting rules in Carteret County, North Carolina?

Ordinance status: No specific solar ordinance recorded. Score has been stable over the last 12 months. See the full primary-source record — ordinance links, setbacks, board actions, and project history — on this page.

SitePath › County map › North Carolina › Carteret County

North Carolina

Carteret County

FIPS 37031

Carteret County, North Carolina: solar permitting grade B (score 35/100, Moderate Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.

Score 35/100

Moderate Risk

Public summary

Grade	B · Moderate Risk · Score 35/100
Population	70,568
Solar ordinance	No specific solar ordinance recorded
Active moratorium	None on record
Regulatory trajectory	Stable (no material ordinance movement)
12-month score movement	Stable
Last verified	2026-05-02

Developer outlook

Carteret County presents moderate permitting risk; conditions are generally workable for utility-scale solar with standard due-diligence preparation.

Local intel

On file: energy-related meetings · named opposition groups

2026-05-13Wind
The Planning Commission voted to approve a special-use permit application for a wind tower and related infrastructure. · agenda
2026-04-08Wind
The Planning Commission voted to approve a special-use permit application for a wind tower and related infrastructure. · agenda
2026-02-09Wind
The Planning Commission approved a wind project with conditions. · agenda

See full meetings + dockets + opposition tracking →

Cities, towns & townships

Local governments in Carteret County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.

Atlantic Beach town
Beaufort town
Bogue town
Cape Carteret town
Cedar Point town
Emerald Isle town
Indian Beach town
Morehead City town
Newport town
Peletier town
Pine Knoll Shores town

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.

Nearby counties

Pamlico County · ≈21 miB35—
Craven County · ≈36 miC47—
Hyde County · ≈43 miB41—
Beaufort County · ≈47 miB40—
Jones County · ≈48 miC50—
Onslow County · ≈56 miB38—

Compare these counties side-by-side →

Carteret County ranks #8 of 100 ranked North Carolina counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in North Carolina: Iredell County (A · 28), Tyrrell County (B · 31), Cherokee County (B · 31). See all North Carolina county grades →

Want the full record?

Setback distances, board vote histories, source documents, and ordinance amendments are available in the full county profile. The map is free; a walkthrough shows you the underlying record.

Open the full Carteret County profile → Request a demo

About this score

Every U.S. county is scored 0–100 on solar permitting risk (lower is friendlier to development). The grade is a weighted composite of compliance stringency, market saturation, regulatory trajectory, and data uncertainty. Every figure traces back to a primary government document. Read the full methodology →