Skip to content

Taxes In North Carolina

North Carolina Tax Rates, Collections, and Burdens

How does North Carolina’s tax code compare? North Carolina has a flat 4.50 percent individual income tax rate. North Carolina has a 2.5 percent corporate income tax rate. North Carolina also has a 4.75 percent state sales tax rate and an average combined state and local sales tax rate of 7.00 percent. North Carolina has a 0.63 percent effective property tax rate on owner-occupied housing value.

North Carolina does not have an estate tax or inheritance tax. North Carolina has a 40.65 cents per gallon gas tax rate and a $0.45 cigarette excise tax rate. The State of North Carolina collects $4,859 in state and local tax collections per capita. North Carolina has $4,431 in state and local debt per capita and has an 89 percent funded ratio of public pension plans. Overall, North Carolina’s tax system ranks 9th on our 2024 State Business Tax Climate Index.

Each state’s tax code is a multifaceted system with many moving parts, and North Carolina is no exception. The first step towards understanding North Carolina’s tax code is knowing the basics. How does North Carolina collect tax revenue? Click the tabs below to learn more! You can also explore our state tax maps, which are compiled from our annual publication, Facts & Figures 2024: How Does Your State Compare?

See Related Articles

Tax Data by State

Get facts about taxes in your state and around the U.S.

Explore Data

State Tax Data

Individual Taxes

Top Individual Income Tax Rate
4.50%See Full Study
State Local Individual Income Tax Collections per Capita
$1496Rank: 25
State and Local Tax Burden
9.9%Rank: 19See Full Study

Business Taxes

Top Corporate Income Tax Rate
2.5%See Full Study
State Business Tax Climate Index Ranking
9See Full Study

Sales Taxes

State Sales Tax Rate
4.75%Rank: 35See Full Study
Average Local Sales Tax Rate
2.25%See Full Study
Combined State and Average Local Sales Tax Rate
7.00%Rank: 27See Full Study
State and Local General Sales Tax Collections per Capita
$1284Rank: 30
State Gasoline Tax Rate (cents per gallon)
40.65¢Rank: 9
State Cigarette Tax Rate (dollars per 20-pack)
$0.45Rank: 47

Property Taxes

Property Taxes Paid as a Percentage of Owner-Occupied Housing Value
0.63%Rank: 36
State and Local Property Tax Collections Per Capita
$1116Rank: 40

All Related Articles

Tax treatment of electric vehicles ev taxes by state 2023 vehicle registration fees and EV tax credits

How Are Electric Vehicles Taxed in Your State?

The state EV taxation landscape reflects the evolving transportation sector and the pressing need to address both fiscal gaps in road funding and environmental concerns.

4 min read
2023 State Vape Tax Rates Compare State Vapor Tax Rates and State Vaping Tax Rates

Vaping Taxes by State, 2023

If the policy goal of taxing cigarettes is to encourage cessation, vapor taxation must be considered a part of that policy design.

3 min read

States Move Away from Throwback and Throwout Rules

As more and more states move away from throwback or throwout rules, those states that still impose these rules are becoming less attractive for businesses, which are incentivized to relocate their sales activities to non-throwback states.

6 min read
2023 state gas tax rates by state California Illinois Pennsylvania

How High are Gas Taxes in Your State?

California pumps out the highest state gas tax rate of 77.9 cents per gallon (cpg), followed by Illinois (66.5 cpg) and Pennsylvania (62.2 cpg).

2 min read
2023 beer taxes by state alcohol excise tax rates and beer excise tax rates

Beer Taxes by State, 2023

Taxes are the single most expensive ingredient in beer, costing more than the labor and raw materials combined.

3 min read
NC budget North Carolina tax reform proposals in the NC budget taxes 2023

North Carolina’s Budget Should Prioritize Pro-Growth Structural Reforms

As fiscal year 2023 draws to a close, North Carolina’s House and Senate have each passed their own versions of the biennial budget for fiscal years 2024-25. While legislative leaders have generally agreed to overall spending levels, negotiations remain ongoing to resolve different approaches to tax policy.

7 min read