Frequently Asked Questions

For information on staying and playing in Nags Head, contact the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau and the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce.

Visit our Weddings page for information on getting married in Nags Head.

Visit our Beach/Sound Accesses page for location information. 

Our Beach Wheelchairs page provides this information.

The Residential Solid Waste Collection page provides the Nags Head’s trash collection schedule as well as other useful information.

The use of all fireworks in Nags Head is prohibited.

Beach goers are prohibited from leaving unattended personal equipment on the beach from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m. daily. In addition, equipment must not obstruct the passage of vehicles on the beach or the line of sight of lifeguards to the ocean.

Tents, canopies, and awnings on the beach can not be greater than 12 feet by 12 feet in area or higher than 10 feet above the beach surface when erected. They shall also not be tied together and can not be placed any closer than 10 feet apart.

You can dig small holes on the beach, but they must not be left unattended for any period of time at night or for more than one hour during the day. In addition, holes must not create a hazard for people or for animals, and they must not disrupt the passage of vehicles.

Vehicles are allowed on the beach from October 1 through April 30 with a Town-issued permit. Driving on the dunes is prohibited. Visit our Beach Driving page for more information.

ATVs

ATVs are only allowed on the beach if they are being driven by a disabled person who has a Town-issued special permit. Visit our ATV Use for Disabled Persons page for more information.

Dogs are allowed on the beach at all times as long as they are leashed. Owners must clean up after their dogs. Anyone who violates the leash law is subject to a criminal and/or civil penalty.

Pit fires are allowed on the beach with a permit from Nags Head Fire and Rescue. View our Beach Pit Fires page for more information.

Golf carts must be registered and tagged for use on the streets in Nags Head. However, they can only be driven on State roads and on side roads (where the speed limit is 35 mph or less). They cannot be driven across U.S. Highway 158 (also known as South Croatan Highway), except at a traffic light to get across the highway. For more information, contact Nags Head's Police Department at 252-441-6386.

You must receive prior approval from Nags Head’s town manager to launch and recover your drone on any Town of Nags Head-owned property. Requests for approval from Nags Head’s town manager must include proof of required state and federal permits as appropriate. 

Town of Nags Head-owned property includes:

• Dowdy Park 
• Town Park
• Whalebone Park
• Dog Park
• Skate Park at the YMCA
• All Town Facilities (offices, fire stations, etc...)
• Beach and Sound Accesses 

If you are a videographer who has been hired by a vendor to provide aerial drone footage of an event on Town-owned property and intend to launch and recover your drone from said property, please keep in mind that the Town, as part of the approval process, will require proof of the appropriate North Carolina and Federal permits for commercial drone operations. Request use of drone from town manager.

You may fly a drone over the public beach in Nags Head according to North Carolina and FAA regulations. 

Jennette's Pier and Jockey's Ridge State Park are State of North Carolina facilities. Please check with them regarding drone use on their properties. 

Cape Hatteras National Seashore, which is south of Nags Head, is a national park and is governed by the Federal government. Visit their website for more information. 

Balloons are prohibited from being released on any Town-owned property, any waters within the Town's zoning jurisdiction, and the beaches and dune areas in Nags Head. This regulation is in place to protect our environment and wildlife from pollution and harm. See Section 26-17 of our town code for more information. 

From May 1 through September 30, PWCs must be launched by manpower only. From October 1 through April 30, when beach driving is permitted, PWCs may be launched using a vehicle with a Town-issued beach driving permit. PWCs must proceed straight in or out from shore without causing a wake or exceeding 5 mph. They must not be operated within 600 feet of the sound or ocean shoreline.

Yes, you can use a metal detector on the public beach in Nags Head.