# Tree-Root Sidewalk Damage in Charlotte, NC: Who Pays? | Who Pays the Repair?

> In Charlotte the City’s CDOT Street Maintenance Division repairs damaged public sidewalks, tree-root uplift included; report it via 311.

**Who pays:** city

Charlotte: the City’s CDOT Street Maintenance Division repairs damaged public sidewalks, tree-root uplift included; report it via 311.

**Boundary:** The City of Charlotte (CDOT Street Maintenance Division) maintains and repairs public sidewalks, and residents report damaged (cracked, uneven or missing) sidewalk sections for City repair via 311. This general City-repairs rule covers tree-root uplift; there is no owner-repair ordinance and no tree-specific carve-out. City right-of-way trees are managed by the City Arborist Group.

**Property owner:** No owner duty to repair the public sidewalk was found; tort exposure for a private tree that causes a hazard is a separate question these sources do not address.

**City / agency:** Charlotte DOT's Street Maintenance Division lists sidewalk repair among its maintenance work areas; report damage via 311.

## Sources
- [City of Charlotte: Street and Sidewalk Maintenance (CDOT maintains/repairs sidewalks)](https://www.charlottenc.gov/Streets-and-Neighborhoods/Parking-and-Streets/Street-and-Sidewalk-Maintenance) — "CDOT's Street Maintenance Division is committed to ensuring Charlotte streets, drainage structures and sidewalks are in safe condition." (accessed 2026-09-09)
- [City of Charlotte: Sidewalk Repair service request (report damaged sidewalk sections)](https://servicerequest.charlottenc.gov/service/SIDEWLKRPR) — "Damaged (cracked, uneven or missing) sidewalk sections for a street within the Charlotte city limits." (accessed 2026-09-09)

_Last verified 2026-09-27. Source: Who Pays the Repair? — https://whopaystherepair.com/rules/charlotte-nc-tree-roots/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._