Seal of Charlotte, North Carolina

Symbolizing growth is a tree in the center, with rays radiating from behind it, symbolizing hope for the future. Hanging on the tree is a hornet's nest, a Revolutionary War-era symbol, symbolizing the role the city played during the time period. This is explained in a pamphlet produced by the city, reading:

... in the American Revolution, her citizens fought so fiercely that a British general compared being in Charlotte to being in a hornet’s nest.

More symbolism related to the era can be found within on seal, with a Liberty Cap present, hanging on the tree besides the nest. Beneath the tree are two hands clasped. The date "1775" is found below the hands, the year the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence was supposedly adopted, a year before the Continental Congress adopted their declaration.[2]

The current seal is much simpler in design, simply featuring the city's service mark atop a golden seal. On official documents, a green ribbon is typically found below it. The crown references the city's nickname of The Queen City, which references its namesake, Queen Charlotte. It also represents unity of the city's agencies as they work in unison for the good of its residents.[2]

The corporate seal shares design elements with the original seal, such as the text surrounding the seal, as well as the dates, and two five-pointed stars. It is the simplest of all the designs, consisting of only text and dashed lines, aside from the stars.