Carteret County commissioners unanimously request unique ZIP code for western communities

The Carteret County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 12 adopted resolution 2026‑R‑03 asking the United States Postal Service to begin the process of assigning a separate ZIP code for western Carteret County, an area that includes Cape Carteret, Cedar Point, Vogue and Pelletier.

Commissioner Quinn read the resolution during the meeting and told the board that the area has "experienced sustained growth since 2021," pointing to new construction and planned projects. The resolution contends that the current shared ZIP code with portions of Onslow County can cause confusion for residents and service providers and has in some cases resulted in local sales tax revenue being recorded under Onslow County rather than Carteret County. "The United States Postal Service plays an essential role in providing reliable mail delivery and supporting commerce and public services for residents and businesses," Commissioner Quinn said while reading the resolution language.

The resolution requests that the Postal Service "initiate the process to assign a unique ZIP code for the area to improve postal efficiency, enhance community identity, support accurate service delivery, and ensure proper attribution of local sales tax revenue." Commissioners discussed the boundary confusion during the meeting, noting instances of businesses and online sales being attributed to the wrong county for tax purposes.

Planning and county staff told the board the western area has seen rising residential and commercial activity and that a new medical center is planned. The resolution, as adopted, expresses county support for a ZIP code change but does not itself change postal service records; any ZIP code change would require action by the U.S. Postal Service.

The board approved the resolution by voice vote with no recorded roll call; the chair characterized the vote as unanimous. The adopted resolution will be transmitted to the Postal Service as the county's formal request; no implementation timeline was provided at the meeting.