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Annexation is the process of petitioning the City Council to bring property currently located in an unincorporated area into the city's corporate limits. There are two (2) types of voluntary annexation petitions considered by the City.
A connecting corridor consisting solely of a street or street right‑of‑way may not be used to establish contiguity.
The city may annex distressed areas contiguous to its boundary. Distressed areas are defined by Chapter 160A, North Carolina General Statutes, as "an area in which at least fifty‑one percent (51%) of the households in the area petitioning to be annexed have incomes that are two hundred percent (200%) or less than the most recently published United States Census Bureau poverty thresholds." Petitions for distressed area annexations must be signed by at least one adult resident of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the resident households located in the proposed annexation area.
A pre-application meeting is required prior to submission of a petition for annexation. Pre-application meetings will not be scheduled or held on the application submission deadline date. The purpose of the pre-application meeting is to provide an overview of the application process and general guidance on the proposed annexation, rezoning and development concept, if applicable. Pre-application meetings may be scheduled by emailing the Development Review team or calling 910.254.0900.
Public comment on pending applications is accepted in advance of both the Planning Commission and City Council public hearings through on-line portals. Members of the public may also contact the Development Review team with any questions they may have on pending applications.
Petitions for annexation and associated materials must be submitted to the City Clerk in paper form. Failure to submit all items required by the checklist provided with the application will result in rejection of the petition.
Prior to submitting the annexation petition, the applicant is responsible for preparing a metes and bounds description of the property to be annexed and obtaining City Engineer approval of the description.
Regardless of whether the annexation petition is approved or denied by the City Council, the responsibility for all fees associated with the annexation process lies with the applicant(s) or their designated representative. Signing the petition for annexation indicates the applicant (or their designated representative) accepts this financial responsibility.
*A mailed notice fee of $1.00/notice shall apply to all applications received on or after July 1, 2026. This fee will be determined during the review process and a separate invoice issued. The supplemental fee must be paid prior to a hearing on the application.
If you plan to pay in advance, planning staff must first notify the collections department to enable acceptance of payments.
Payment by Phone
Payment in Person
Payment by Mail
There is no set schedule for submission of annexation petitions.
Annexation petitions must be accompanied by a petition to establish initial zoning for the property. Rezoning applications are accepted on a monthly basis according to the Planning Commission schedule. (PDF, 142KB)
How to Apply Online Apply or Search Online
The City of Wilmington is aware that fraudulent invoices have been sent to applicants requesting money via wire transfer. The emails often contain pertinent information pulled from the application (such as address, parcel number, and case number), but include a fake invoice with fabricated application fees.
Here are a few ways to spot a fraudulent invoice:
If ever in doubt, don't hesitate to call the City's Planning Department at +1-910-254-0900 to confirm if the email or invoice you have received is authentic. Or if you have any questions about online permitting, please email staff at planreview@wilmingtonnc.gov.