NC · #9 by population

Buying a home in North Carolina

Costs and rules that are specific to North Carolina. Main city: Charlotte.

In short

North Carolina taxes property sales through its excise stamp tax on conveyances, requires an attorney to close and requires a seller disclosure form. It allows both court and out-of-court foreclosure and is not a community property state.

Calculate for North Carolina

If you buy

North Carolina state transfer tax

Excise stamp tax on conveyances (G.S. 105 Article 8E): $1 for each $500, or fractional part, of consideration or value (0.2%). Change the price: the amount is recalculated instantly.

Price$333,000
State transfer tax$666
Share of the price0.2% of the price
Who paysThe seller

Default price: the North Carolina median value of owner-occupied homes, $333,000 (Census ACS 2024). Rule: Divide the consideration or value by $500, round up to the next whole unit, multiply by $1. Who pays: By law the transferor (seller) pays the Register of Deeds before the deed is recorded. Buyers and sellers can bargain over costs in the contract. Not included: county and city transfer taxes, recording fees, title insurance and lender charges. North Carolina transfer tax guide · all 50 states.

If you sell

Capital gain and the federal tax on it

Same federal rule in every state: Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code excludes up to $250,000 of gain on a main home ($500,000 for a married couple filing jointly).

Capital gain$350,000
Section 121 exclusion$250,000 (limit $250,000)
Taxable gain$100,000
Type of gainLong-term (owned over 1 year), 15% chosen
Federal tax on the gain$15,000

Section 121 excludes $250,000; the rest is taxable.

Gain = sale price minus your adjusted basis (purchase price, buying costs and improvements); selling expenses reduce it (IRS Publication 523). Long-term rates for sales in 2026, by taxable income including the gain (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, section 4.03): 0% up to $49,450 single or $98,900 married filing jointly, 15% up to $545,500 single or $613,700 jointly, 20% above. Not included: North Carolina state income tax on the gain (not computed), the net investment income tax, depreciation recapture on a rental or home office, and the reduced exclusion for an early sale. Agent commissions are negotiated and never set by law. Capital gains on a home sale.

North Carolina in short

Is there a real estate transfer tax in North Carolina?

North Carolina charges a state excise tax on deeds of $1 for each $500, or fraction of $500, of the price or value conveyed, which is $864 on a $431,900 home. The seller owes it and pays the county Register of Deeds before the deed is recorded.

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How much is the state transfer tax on a $333,000 home in North Carolina?

On $333,000, the median value of owner-occupied homes in North Carolina (Census ACS 2024), the state excise stamp tax on conveyances comes to $666 ($1 for each $500, or fractional part, of consideration or value (0.2%)). County and city taxes are not included.

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What closing costs does North Carolina law set?

North Carolina has no official typical closing-cost total. The seller owes the state excise tax of $1 per $500 ($864 on $431,900), recording a deed costs $26 and a deed of trust $64 in the county schedules read, and a North Carolina attorney handles the closing.

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How is property tax calculated in North Carolina?

North Carolina property tax is set locally: in Charlotte the 2025-26 combined rate is 76.68 cents per $100 of value (49.27 Mecklenburg County plus 27.41 City of Charlotte).

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What is the deadline to appeal a property tax assessment in North Carolina?

In North Carolina, appeal your value to the county Board of Equalization and Review, which begins deliberating around the first week of April, and if you disagree, appeal to the Property Tax Commission within 30 days after the local board mails its decision (G.S. 105-290(e)).

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Do you need a real estate attorney to close in North Carolina?

In North Carolina the State Bar says a nonlawyer may not handle a residential real estate closing (Authorized Practice Advisory Opinion 2002-1), and the Real Estate Commission says the closing will probably be handled by an attorney chosen by the buyer.

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What must a home seller disclose in North Carolina?

North Carolina law (G.S. 47E) requires owners of most residential property to complete a disclosure statement and give it to the buyer before any offer to purchase. Sellers may answer No Representation to most questions.

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How does foreclosure work in North Carolina?

Most North Carolina foreclosures use a power of sale in the deed of trust, overseen by the clerk of superior court rather than a judge, and for an owner-occupied home loan the servicer must mail a notice at least 45 days before filing the notice of hearing.

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What first-time home buyer programs does North Carolina offer?

In North Carolina, the NC Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) offers down payment help of up to 3% of the loan amount with its NC Home Advantage Mortgage, or $15,000 for first-time buyers and veterans.

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Which natural hazards affect home insurance in North Carolina?

A standard North Carolina homeowners policy usually does not cover flood, earthquake, mudslide or landslide, and may exclude wind and hail in coastal areas. Federal flood insurance covers a building up to $250,000 and contents up to $100,000.

Full North Carolina guide

How much tax when you sell a home in North Carolina?

The federal rule is the same in North Carolina as in every state: if you owned and lived in the home as your main home for at least 2 of the last 5 years, the first $250,000 of gain is excluded, $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly (Section 121, IRS Publication 523). Bought $400,000, sold $750,000: a single owner has $100,000 of taxable gain, $15,000 of federal tax at the 15% long-term rate; a couple filing jointly owes nothing. North Carolina income tax on the gain is not computed here.

Capital gains on a home sale

North Carolina guides

Charlotte

Buying a home in Charlotte, North Carolina

Professionals in North Carolina

All states · Federal guides