Charlotte, NC Phone Numbers for City Services

For most city and county services in Charlotte, dial 311 from inside Mecklenburg County or 704-336-7600 from outside the county. That single line covers trash, water, code enforcement, permits, non-emergency police, and general questions. A handful of services run on their own direct numbers, and knowing which to dial first saves you the transfers.¹

CharMeck 311 representatives answer Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the line is closed weekends and city holidays.¹ Free interpretation is available in Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Arabic, Russian, and other languages commonly spoken locally — just ask when you call.² If you’d rather not call, you can submit most requests online, through live chat, or on the CLT+ app for Apple and Android devices.³

Emergencies and Police

Call 911 for any active threat to life or property. That number reaches dispatch for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Charlotte Fire, and Medic.⁴

For non-urgent police matters — a past property crime, a noise complaint, a report that doesn’t need an officer right now — call 311 or 704-336-7600 from outside Charlotte.⁵ To request a copy of an incident report you already filed, call CMPD records at 704-336-2848 with your complaint number.⁶

Stray animals, animal bites, and welfare concerns go to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care and Control, also through 311 or 704-336-7600.⁷

Utilities

Water and Sewer

Charlotte Water handles billing, service start and stop, water main breaks, and sewer overflows at 704-336-7600. Billing questions can also go to utilbill@charlottenc.gov. Have your account number from the top of your statement ready before you call.⁸

Trash and Recycling

Missed pickups, bulk collection, and recycling questions go through 311 or 704-336-7600. Report a missed pickup within 48 hours of the scheduled collection day.⁹

Electricity and Gas

Electricity and natural gas come from private utilities, not the city. Duke Energy serves the Charlotte area for electricity; report outages or downed lines through its phone, text, or online tools, with customer service staffed Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.¹⁰

Piedmont Natural Gas handles gas service at 800-752-7504, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. The same number is the emergency leak line. If you smell gas, leave the area and call 800-752-7504 or 911. Hearing- or speech-impaired customers can use 711 (TTY/TDD relay).¹¹

Before You Dig

North Carolina law requires at least three full working days’ notice before any digging. Call 811 inside North Carolina or 1-800-632-4949 from anywhere in the country, and utility crews will mark buried lines on your property at no charge.¹² This applies to contractors and homeowners alike, down to planting a tree.

Property Taxes

Two separate county offices handle property taxes, and calling the wrong one is a common mistake.

For questions about a bill you owe — payment plans, account status, due amounts — call the Mecklenburg County Tax Collector at 704-336-7600, open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. To pay by credit or debit card over the phone, use the 24-hour automated line at 1-800-994-1026.¹³

For 2025 tax year bills, payments had to be received or postmarked by January 5, 2026, to avoid interest. Late balances are charged 2% interest for the first month and an additional 0.75% each month after. If you mail a payment, the envelope needs a hand-stamped postmark from the post office counter; a metered office stamp does not protect you from a late charge if the envelope arrives after the deadline.¹⁴

For questions about how your property is valued, or to file an appeal, call the County Assessor’s Office at 980-314-4226, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.¹⁵

Parking Citations

Parking enforcement runs on its own lines. Call 704-432-PARK (7275) for general parking questions or to report a broken pay station. To pay a parking citation by phone, use the automated system at 980-270-2129.¹⁶

Public Transit (CATS)

The Charlotte Area Transit System has separate numbers depending on what you need:

General information, schedules, and ADA complaints: 704-336-7433
Lost and found: 704-336-3159
Paratransit (STS): 1-833-656-7699

The main call center at 704-336-7433 handles route planning, schedules, and fares.¹⁷

Traffic Court

Traffic tickets issued in Charlotte go through the Mecklenburg County court system, not through 311 or any city office. For payment options or your court date, call the Clerk of Court cashier department at 704-686-0450. The cashier window is on the first floor of the Mecklenburg County Courthouse.¹⁸

Claims Against the City

If city operations damaged your property — say a garbage truck clipped your mailbox or a pothole wrecked a tire — file through the Risk Management office at 704-336-3301 or claims@charlottenc.gov. You’ll complete a General Liability Claim Form online, and a claims representative will contact you after receiving it. Investigations typically take four to six weeks or longer.¹⁹

Quick Reference

General city and county services: 311 or 704-336-7600
Emergencies: 911
CMPD non-emergency: 311 or 704-336-7600
CMPD records: 704-336-2848
Charlotte Water: 704-336-7600
Piedmont Natural Gas: 800-752-7504
Dig notification: 811 or 1-800-632-4949
Tax Collector: 704-336-7600
Tax payment by card (24/7): 1-800-994-1026
County Assessor: 980-314-4226
Parking inquiries: 704-432-7275
Parking citation payments: 980-270-2129
CATS transit: 704-336-7433
Traffic court cashier: 704-686-0450
Claims against the city: 704-336-3301

1
Mecklenburg County Government. CharMeck 311
2
City of Charlotte. Meaningful Language Access Initiatives
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City of Charlotte. Help 311
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City of Charlotte. 911 Communications
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City of Charlotte. Non-Emergency Police Services
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Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Crime / Crash Reports
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City of Charlotte. Animal Care and Control
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Charlotte Water. Residential Services Charlotte Water
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City of Charlotte. Trash and Recycling
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Duke Energy. Power Outage Information
11
Piedmont Natural Gas. Customer Service
12
North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Session Law 2025-21 – House Bill 247
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Mecklenburg County. Pay Taxes and Fees
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Mecklenburg County. Final Day to Pay Property Taxes Without Interest
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Mecklenburg County. Contact the County Assessors Office
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City of Charlotte. Parking in Charlotte
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Charlotte Area Transit System. Customer Service
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Mecklenburg County District Attorneys Office. Traffic Citations
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City of Charlotte. Risk Management