North Carolina Late Rent Notice Guide
The North Carolina rules on late fees, the demand for rent and eviction, each with the statute it comes from
What a late rent notice does in North Carolina
A late rent notice puts an overdue balance in writing: what is owed, for which period, and any late fee the lease allows. It is a record, and often the step before a landlord demands the rent formally or goes to court.
North Carolina limits late fees and the fees a landlord may add when an eviction case is filed, and it allows a tenant to be removed only through the courts. The rules below are the ones LeaseCraft has read in the General Statutes, each with its citation, a link to the official text and the date it was read. They are general information, not legal advice; local practice and the facts of a tenancy matter.
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North Carolina rules, with their sources
| Rule | What the statute says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Late fee limit | For monthly rent, a late fee may not be more than $15 or 5% of the monthly rent, whichever is greater (for weekly rent, $4 or 5% of the weekly rent). The landlord and tenant must have agreed to the fee. | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-46(a) read 2026-10-15 |
| When a late fee may be charged | Only once the rent payment is 5 days or more late. | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-46(a) read 2026-10-15 |
| One late fee per late payment | A late fee may be charged only once for each late payment, and it may not be deducted from a later rent payment so as to make that payment late. | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-46(b) read 2026-10-15 |
| Administrative fees for an eviction complaint | The only administrative fees a landlord may charge for filing a complaint for summary ejectment or money owed are the complaint-filing, court-appearance and second-trial fees the statute describes, each only under a written lease and in the circumstances it sets out, and only one of them per complaint. Actual out-of-pocket costs, such as court filing and service fees, and attorneys' fees within the statute's limits are dealt with separately in § 42-46(i). | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-46(e)-(i) read 2026-10-15 |
| Returned (bounced) check | The holder of a dishonored check may charge a processing fee of up to $35. | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 25-3-506 read 2026-10-15 |
| Demand for rent | Where the lease sets a time for paying rent, the lease is forfeited if the tenant fails to pay within 10 days after the landlord demands all past-due rent. | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-3 read 2026-10-15 |
| Summary ejectment | A landlord may recover possession through summary ejectment when a tenant holds over after demand: after the term has ended, after an act or failure that ends the tenancy under the lease, or after leaving the premises while behind on rent. | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-26(a) read 2026-10-15 |
| Court process only | A residential tenant may be removed only through the procedures in Article 3 or Article 7 of Chapter 42, which means a court case, not a lock change or a utility shut-off. | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-25.6 read 2026-10-15 |
| Ending a month-to-month tenancy | Either side may end a month-to-month tenancy with notice given 7 days or more before the end of the current month (two days for week-to-week). | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-14 read 2026-10-15 |
| Security deposit | The limit depends on the tenancy: 2 weeks' rent for week-to-week, 1.5 months for month-to-month and 2 months for longer terms. Within 30 days after the tenancy ends and possession is delivered, the landlord must refund the deposit with a written itemization of any damages; when the claim cannot yet be determined, an interim accounting is due at 30 days and a final one within 60 (N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-50 to 42-52). | N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-50 to 42-52 North Carolina deposit guide |
Late fee examples
- Monthly rent $1,200: the late fee may not exceed $60.
- Monthly rent $1,000: the late fee may not exceed $50.
- Monthly rent $500: the late fee may not exceed $25.
- Monthly rent $250: the late fee may not exceed $15.
The greater of $15 and 5% of the rent, per N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-46(a); a lease can set a lower fee, not a higher one. The late fee calculator works it out for any rent.
What to put in the notice
- The tenant's name and the rental address
- The rent period that is unpaid, the due date and the amount owed
- Any late fee, only if the lease provides for one and only within the limit above
- How and where to pay, and how to reach you
- The date of the notice and how you delivered it; keep a copy and proof of delivery
The late rent notice LeaseCraft prepares asks for each of these.
If the rent stays unpaid
Where the lease sets a time for paying rent, the lease is forfeited if the tenant fails to pay within 10 days after the landlord demands all past-due rent. (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-3)
A landlord may recover possession through summary ejectment when a tenant holds over after demand: after the term has ended, after an act or failure that ends the tenancy under the lease, or after leaving the premises while behind on rent. (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-26(a))
A residential tenant may be removed only through the procedures in Article 3 or Article 7 of Chapter 42, which means a court case, not a lock change or a utility shut-off. (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-25.6)
Court forms, filing fees and timelines are set by the North Carolina courts and change; check the North Carolina Judicial Branch before filing, and talk to a North Carolina lawyer if the tenant disputes the claim.
Frequently asked questions
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