Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a medical emergency please call 911 immediately!

For all of your non-emergency medical needs there are several medical providers located in our area as noted:

• MedFirst Immediate Care and Family Practice
  Veranda Square, 7901 Emerald Drive
  Suite 7
  Emerald Isle, NC 28594
  Phone: 252-354-6500
• Carolina East Internal Medicine
  906 WB McLean Boulevard
  Cape Carteret, NC 28594
  Phone: 252-393-9007
• Carteret Heart and Vascular
  8914A Reed Drive
  Emerald Isle, NC 28594
  Phone: 252-764-2024
• Crystal Coast Family Practice
  540 Cedar Point Boulevard
  Cedar Point, NC 28584
  Phone: 252-393-6374
• Sound Medical Family Practice
  300 Taylor Notion Road
  Cape Carteret NC 28594
  Phone: 252-354-1970
• Western Carteret Medical Center
  718 Cedar Point Boulevard
  Cedar Point, NC 28584
  Phone: 252-393-6543

Nearest Hospital to Emerald Isle

• Carteret Health Care
  3500 Arendell Street
  Morehead City, NC 28557
  Phone: 252-499-6000

The phone number for the Emerald Isle Post Office is 252-354-6677.

The phone number for the Emerald Isle Welcome Center is 252-393-2008.

View Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative's Outage Viewer.

18-inch satellite dishes are allowed in the Town.

Bird Sanctuary

The Town of Emerald Isle has elected to establish a bird sanctuary within Town limits, per NC GS 160A-188.   Pursuant to the General Statute, it shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, kill, trap, or otherwise take any protected birds within the town limits except pursuant to a permit issued by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission under G.S. 113-274(c) (1a) or under any other license or permit of the Wildlife Resources Commission specifically made valid for use in taking birds within town limits.    

Please see the Town’s Code of Ordinances relating to the bird sanctuary under sections 8-40 through 8-43.   (LINK)

Find garbage and recycling information, such as pickup times, types of trash picked up, container regulations, types of recycling picked up, how to dispose of appliances and yard debris on the garbage and recycling page.

The Town of Emerald Isle has several parks and water access locations for our citizens and visitors. Find locations and information.

Please note: Beach wheelchairs for physically challenged individuals are available for check out on a first-come, first-served basis from Emerald Isle Fire Station Number 1, from 8 am to 5 pm, 7 days a week. Reservations are not accepted; chairs are to be obtained in person. For more information, contact the Fire Department at 252-354-2445.

Voter registration forms are available at the Town Hall, as well as in Beaufort.

Carteret County Board of Elections
1702 Live Oak Street
Suite 200
Beaufort, NC 28516

Hours: 8 am through 5 pm. Monday through Friday

Phone: 252-728-8460

Visit the Carteret County Board of Elections website.

Please visit the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune website for advisories and contact information regarding concerns with military operations that involve bombing, vibration, and noise in Emerald Isle. You may also call their dedicated noise abatement hotline at 910-451-9079.

No animal shall be permitted to run at large (off the premises of owner, and not restrained by leash or lead) within the town limits - please note, our leash law also applies in the water and surf zone. All animals caught running at large shall be impounded by the police and unless claimed within four days shall be disposed of as the town shall deem best.

No owner, keeper, or person in charge of the possession and/or control of any dog shall cause or allow the dog to defecate or otherwise commit any nuisance on any street, sidewalk, park, beach strand, public right-of-way, or other publicly owned area, or upon any private property without permission of the owner or occupant of the property, unless the excrement is immediately removed by said owner, keeper, or person in charge of the dog and deposited in an appropriate waste container.

Any owner, keeper, or person in charge of the possession and/or control of any dog who shall violate any provision of this chapter shall be required to pay a fifty dollar ($50) civil fine in accordance with Section 1-6 of the Town Code of Emerald Isle.

Cats with a tipped ear belong to a fellow property owner, so please check with your neighbors before trying to remove the animal.

Property owners may consider contacting a not-for-profit organization in our area, such as Island Cat Allies, Inc. This volunteer organization offers assistance with a Trap-Neuter-Return/vaccination program for those willing to provide food and water to the animals.

If you have found a stray cat, and are able to transport it, you may consider the Carteret County Humane Society. Visit the Carteret County Humane Society website or call 252-247-7744.

If you have found a feral cat, and are unable to transport the cat, you may consider Carteret County Animal Control for assistance in removing the animal: Call 252-728-8585 or visit Animal Control Services.

Please note: Loose dogs and cats are apprehended and delivered to the Carteret County Animal Shelter, located on Hibbs Road in Newport for reclamation by its owner, adoption, or euthanization. The Carteret County Animal Shelter is operated by the Carteret County Humane Society, under contract with the county.

Wild animals abound on most barrier islands, and Emerald Isle is no exception. The Town is home to raccoons, opossums, foxes, squirrels, deer and an occasional bear and alligator. We do not have an animal control officer.

View a listing of authorized Wildlife Damage Control Agents for Carteret County.

Property owners can also visit the NC Wildlife Resources Commission website for information about wild animals.

The Town does not provide any nutria removal services, however, the NC Wildlife Resources Commission recommends the use of authorized Wildlife Damage Control Agents.

View a listing of authorized Wildlife Damage Control Agents for Carteret County.

Pricing varies for the trapping and removal of nutria, and can range from $150 to $300, depending on the severity of the problem.

Property owners can also visit the NC Wildlife Resources website for more information.

The Town license tag for the front of vehicles is optional. If you'd like to have one, they are available at Town Hall for $10 each.

The Town of Emerald Isle has stringent regulations on these activities. "Itinerant merchants" (such as street vendors or mobile vendors) are not allowed at all in the Town of Emerald Isle on any public streets, beaches, or other areas. We do allow what we call "satellite merchants" (such as street vendors or mobile vendors) to set up at a limited number of private business locations. Satellite merchants are only allowed on the private property of an ocean fishing pier, hotel, motel, campground, recreational vehicle park, or condominium complex having frontage on the Atlantic Ocean in Emerald Isle, and must be located completely on the private property - they are not allowed on the beach strand. Permission from the private property owner is required, and you must also register with the Town (there is no fee). The eligible private properties in Emerald Isle where 'satellite merchants' may be allowed with the required permission granted by the private property owner and the Town are as follows: Holiday Trav-L Park, The Islander Hotel and Resort, Boardwalk RV Park, Beachfront RV Park, Camp Ocean Forest, Bogue Inlet Pier, and oceanfront condominium complexes. Please call 252-354-3424 with questions."

We do, occasionally, have a hurricane threaten our community. We sometimes have to evacuate the island during these storm events. There is not a community evacuation shelter in Emerald Isle but there is a County shelter located in Newport, approximately 15 miles east of the bridge to Emerald Isle.

The island is closed to the public immediately after a storm for which a public evacuation was ordered. Once an assessment is made that the roads can be safely traveled, the Town is re-opened. If damage is minimal, the Town will be re-opened to everyone at the same time. If damage is more significant, the Town may initially only be re-opened to residents and property owners. Disaster Re-Entry Permits are required if the Town has re-opened the bridge to residents and property owners only. Disaster Re-Entry Permits are permanent permits, and have previously been issued free of charge to all property owners. Additional and/or replacement permits can be obtained from Police Department for a fee. Permits are not issued within 24 hours of projected landfall. You should get your permit prior to hurricane season. When you get your permit, put it in the glove compartment of your car.

The best source for Emerald Isle specific information during a weather emergency is on the home page of this site. Hurricane information is updated on this site. As long as telephone service is operational, this site will be operating and frequently updated with the latest conditions and announcements. Periodic updates are also emailed to subscribers to the Town's email newsletter.

Horses shall only be allowed on the beach strand between September 15 and April 30 of each year;

• From 5 am until 9 pm daily on days subject to daylight savings time
• From 5 am until 7 pm daily on days subject to Eastern standard time

Horses are not permitted on the beach strand from April 15 through April 22, 2022.

(All times coincide with beach driving.)

• Day-Pass Permit - $10 - Good for day issued
• Seasonal Permit - $50 - Good for current season

Permits can only be obtained at the Police Department during normal work hours.

Must have:

• Negative Coggins test for each horse obtained within the last 12 months
• Must have bun bag or manure catcher for each horse
• Picture ID

View full information and download the permit.

Permits available August 1st (online) and September 1st (in-person)

All beach driving permit applicants must now watch a short educational video and complete a 10 question quiz prior to applying for their permit. Quiz results will be required along with permit application.

A beach driving permit may be purchased online by visiting the Beach Driving page or at the Emerald Isle Police Department, at 7500 Emerald Drive, from 9 am until 8 pm. Sunday through Thursday, and from 9 am until 10 pm. Friday through Saturday, starting in September.

Beach Driving Permits are on sale online only, starting August 1.

September 1: Beach Driving Permits will be available for online and/or in-person purchase at the EIPD office. For everyone's safety, no more than 2 customers at a time are permitted inside the EIPD waiting area.

Authorized beach access ramps are located at the Ocean Drive "dog-leg" (near mile marker 15 on NC 58), at the end of Black Skimmer Drive (across from Police Department), and at The Point (at the terminus of Inlet Drive at Bogue Inlet). Driving on primary dunes, as well as other vegetated areas, remains strictly prohibited.

Beach Driving Period: The period for Beach Driving is scheduled to occur from September 15 to April 30, with the exception of Easter week.

Highly Important Disclaimer: By purchasing a beach driving permit, permit holders understand that there will be no refunds or discounts provided due to beach closures of any kind. Closures may be caused by nourishment activities, beach conditions, and/or other unavoidable events.

For more information, contact the Emerald Isle Police Department at 252-354-2021.

Find the full list of application fees.

Assuming the person is of age and not intoxicated, beer and wine are allowed on the beach strand. Liquor drinks are not allowed on the beach strand according to NC State law. Glass containers are permitted but please obey our litter ordinances and dispose of your trash appropriately.

Please visit the website of the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management for the most current state guidelines regarding the installation of sand fences. You can also watch a video by the Town of Emerald Isle concerning sand fencing and the permit process.

The Town's public parks and accesses are for use by the general public and are used on a first-come, first-served basis. You may not reserve our parks and accesses for any type of use. Wedding tents are not allowed at any of the public parks or accesses and overnight parking is not permitted. There is a daily fee of $4/hour at our Eastern Ocean Regional Access and our Western Ocean Regional Access, from April 1 - September 30. Paid parking runs from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m., and the maximum paid per day is up $20, even if you stay all day.

Please visit the Crystal Coast Tourism Authority website for helpful information concerning locations, marriage licenses, catering, florists, rentals, photographers, ministers, planners, receptions and entertainment! Emerald Isle does not require permits for a beach wedding. The Town does ask that chairs and other accessories be assembled so as not to obstruct the public or vehicles on the beach. Wedding tents are not allowed at any of the public parks or accesses and overnight parking is not permitted. Smaller tents may be used on the beach strand itself but may not be left unattended past 7 pm. You will also want to keep in mind when you are planning your beach wedding that vehicles are allowed on the beach from September 15 through April 30. Emergency vehicles must have full access in the event of emergency situations. For questions about parking or park hours please call our Police Department at 252-354-2021.

Please visit the Crystal Coast Tourism Authority website for helpful information about a variety of available types of transportation.

Stormwater ponding is a common problem in coastal areas, and it can exacerbate flooding and water quality issues. One way to mitigate stormwater ponding is to plant native plants that are well-adapted to the local climate and soil conditions. Some native North Carolina coastal plant species that are effective at absorbing stormwater include:

• Sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)
• Swamp red maple (Acer rubrum var. trilobum)
• Southern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
• Yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria)

These plants have deep root systems that help to anchor them in the soil and absorb stormwater. They also have the ability to filter pollutants out of the water, which can improve water quality.

In addition to planting native plants, there are other things that can be done to reduce stormwater ponding, such as:

• Creating rain gardens or bio retention basins or swales: Rain gardens and bioswales are shallow depressions that are planted with native vegetation. They are designed to collect and filter stormwater runoff before it enters storm drains or waterways.
• Installing permeable pavement: Permeable pavement, such as porous asphalt or concrete pavers, allows stormwater to soak into the ground instead of running off into storm drains.
• Disconnecting downspouts from storm drains: Disconnecting downspouts from storm drains and redirecting them to rain gardens, bio retention swales, or other infiltration areas can help to reduce stormwater runoff.
• Collecting rainwater in cisterns or barrels: Rainwater can be collected in cisterns or barrels and used for irrigation or other non-potable purposes. This can help to reduce the demand on municipal water supplies and reduce stormwater runoff.

By taking these steps, we can help to reduce stormwater ponding and protect our coastal communities from flooding and water quality issues.