NC S292

Violation of a city or county ordinance is no longer automatically punishable as a misdemeanor or infraction; criminal penalties must be explicitly specified in the ordinance itself.

Certain ordinance types are prohibited from imposing criminal penalties, including planning and development ordinances (except unsafe building violations), business licensing, mobile home registration, outdoor advertising, solar collectors, cisterns/rain barrels, and tree regulations.

Cities and counties must specify maximum fines, imprisonment terms, or infraction penalties in ordinances; penalties cannot exceed limits in G.S. 14-4 unless specifically stated in the ordinance.

Ordinances specifying criminal penalties cannot be enacted at the same meeting in which they are first introduced.

The bill becomes effective December 1, 2017, and applies to all ordinance enforcement by counties and cities on or after that date.