New to Charlotte? Get to know these needed city and county services
So, you’ve moved to Charlotte.
You’re going to need basic necessities such as water and trash pick-up. At times you may need help finding health care or child care. You may even need police, firefighters or an ambulance.
Where you go for public services depends on what you’re looking for.
Here’s what to know about what services are available through the city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.
City of Charlotte services
City of Charlotte departments oversee a variety of infrastructure-related services, including water, trash pick-up and city roads.
Charlotte Water is the water utility for Charlotte as well as other towns throughout Mecklenburg County. Residents can pay their bill, sign up for alerts or request customer service online at charlottenc.gov/water/Home. The department is also reachable by calling 704-336-7600 or by emailing utilbill@charlottenc.gov.
The city’s Solid Waste Services department handles trash and recycling pick-up. For collection schedules, scheduling bulky item pick-up and guidelines, visit charlottenc.gov/Services/Trash-and-Recycling.
Charlotte’s Department of Transportation oversees a variety of issues, from road maintenance to on-street parking and managing traffic during events. To report a pothole, check out real-time road closures and more, visit charlottenc.gov/City-Government/Departments/Charlotte-Department-of-Transportation-CDOT.
Animal Care & Control is also part of the city. To report a lost or found animal, see animals up for adoption or look into volunteering at a shelter, visit charlottenc.gov/cmpd/Animal-Care-and-Control.
Residents with non-emergency questions or requests for city services can call 311 for assistance weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Requests can also be submitted online at servicerequest.charlottenc.gov/service or on the CLT+ app.
Mecklenburg County services
Mecklenburg County also oversees a variety of resident services.
The county’s Park and Recreation department manages parks and greenway trails throughout the county, as well as pools, splashpads, recreation centers and nature preserves. For information on amenities, programs, special events and more, visit parkandrec.mecknc.gov.
For information on voting and elections — including voter registration and elected officials in your community — connect with the county Board of Elections by visiting vote.mecknc.gov, calling 704-336-2133 or emailing Vote@MeckNC.gov.
Mecklenburg’s Office of Vital Records can help with getting birth or death certificates registered in the county, and marriage records, divorce records and real estate documents are available through the Register of Deeds Office.
The county’s Health and Human Services Agency provides a number of services, including:
Community Support Services, which includes benefit claim filing for military veterans, domestic violence prevention and intervention, substance use counseling and assistance for people experiencing homelessness and housing instability.
Child, Family and Adult Services, the county’s social services department helping with adoption, foster care and support for elderly people and people with disabilities.
Mecklenburg County Public Health, which provides clinical services, investigates potential cases of infectious diseases and inspects restaurants, hotels and nursing homes.
The Department of Community Resources, which oversees Community Resource Centers throughout the county is where residents can get help on a variety of issues including accessing housing, food, job training and Medicaid.
Families with young children can apply for the MECK Pre-K program, which provides pre-kindergarten education to Mecklenburg four-year-olds at no cost.
Homeowners struggling to pay their property tax bill can apply for assistance through the county’s HOMES program.
Residents can also reach county departments with non-emergency questions or requests by calling 311.
Emergency services in Mecklenburg County
There are multiple law enforcement agencies in Mecklenburg County.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s jurisdiction includes 438 square miles in the city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. CMPD, which formed in 1993 with the merger of the Charlotte Police and Mecklenburg County Police, has 1,937 sworn officers, as well as 521 civilian employees and 581 volunteers.
The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office also serves the county, and Mecklenburg’s towns have their own police departments.
The Charlotte Fire Department is the largest fire department in the county. Mecklenburg towns also have their own fire departments, and some volunteer fire departments still work in parts of the county.
MEDIC is Mecklenburg County’s emergency medical services agency.
Anyone experiencing an emergency should call 911 for assistance.
