Rainwater laws / North Carolina
Is it legal to collect rainwater in North Carolina?
Checked at North Carolina's own statutes and agencies, November 2026. Not legal advice.
Allowed, and protected by law
Yes. No North Carolina building code may prohibit cisterns for flushing toilets and outdoor irrigation.
What the rules say
- GS 143-138(b), as amended in 2009: "No State, county, or local building code or regulation shall prohibit the use of cisterns to provide water for flushing toilets and for outdoor irrigation."
- EPA: the North Carolina Plumbing Code requires a permit for indoor non-potable systems.
Before you buy a big tank
State law is only one layer. Cities and counties can set their own rules, especially for tanks plumbed into the house, and an HOA can limit where a barrel sits. Drinking rainwater needs treatment everywhere. For a barrel or two on a downspout for the garden, the state rule above is usually the one that matters.
Where the numbers come from
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