The Unified Development Ordinance, or UDO, contains most local regulations concerning the use and development of land and buildings, including zoning, subdivision, stormwater, and natural resource conservation. The UDO was adopted in 2013 as text change TC-3-13, and became fully effective throughout Raleigh’s city limits and planning jurisdiction in 2016 with the adoption of the UDO Remapping, which applied new UDO districts to approximately one-third of the land area zoned by Raleigh (rezonings Z-27-14 and Z-27D-14).

The purpose and intent of the UDO is to preserve, protect and promote the public health, safety and general welfare of residents and businesses in the city.