Skip to main content
NCSBE logo NCSBE

Topical Navigation

  • Home
  • Registering
    Registering
    • FAQ: Voter Registration
    • Who Can Register
    • How to Register
    • Checking Your Registration
    • Updating Registration
    • Choosing Your Party Affiliation
    • Hosting Voter Registration Drives
    • National Voter Registration Act (NVRA)
  • Voting
  • For Candidates
  • Results & Data
  • Campaign Finance
  • About Elections
  • About
  • Contact
  • Media
  • nc.gov
ELECTIONS 2022 View unofficial results on the Election Results Dashboard.
NCSBE »   Registering »   Who Can Register

Who Can Register

Qualifications to Register to Vote

To register to vote in North Carolina, you must:

  • Be a U.S. citizen.

    • See the USCIS website for citizenship information.
    • Citizenship documents are NOT required to register.
  • Live in the county where you are registering, and have resided there for at least 30 days prior to Election Day.
    • The federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) allows certain voters who are active duty military or their families as well as U.S. citizens abroad special rights that provide an expedited means to register and vote by mail-in ballot. Find more information on Military and Overseas Voting.
  • Be at least 18 years old, or will be by the date of the general election.
    • 16- and 17-year-olds may preregister to vote.
    • 17-year-olds may vote in a primary election if they will be 18 at the time of the general election.
  • Not be serving a sentence for a felony conviction, including probation, parole, or post-release supervision.

    • Note: By order of the court, you may now register and vote if you are serving an extended term of probation, post-release supervision, or parole, you have outstanding fines, fees, or restitution, and you do not know of another reason that your probation, post-release supervision, or parole was extended.

    • Once you have completed a felony sentence, including any probation, parole, or post-release supervision, or received a pardon, you are eligible to register and vote. No additional documentation is needed.

    • If you have been discharged from probation, you are eligible to register and vote, even if you still owe money or have a civil lien.

Note: An inactive voter is still a registered voter. A voter who is inactive status will be asked to confirm their addresses when they appear to vote. No special document is required.

Registering as a College Student

Find out where to register and how to register during the one-stop early voting period at Registering as a College Student.

Registering as a Person in the NC Criminal Justice System

Find information at Registering as a Person in the NC Criminal System.

Preregistering to Vote When You are 16 or 17 Years Old

Eligible voters who preregister will automatically be registered to vote when they turn 18 years old. Find more information at Preregistering to Vote When You are 16 or 17 Years Old.

Learn how to register

Related Content

Determine if You Are a U.S. Citizen | USCIS
Military and Overseas Voting
N.C.G.S. Chapter 163, Article 6: Qualifications of Voters.
N.C.G.S. Chapter 163, Article 7A: Registration of Voters.
Registering as a College Student
Registering as a Person in the NC Criminal Justice System
Preregistering to Vote When You are 16 or 17 Years Old
Registering

Registering

  • FAQ: Voter Registration
  • Who Can Register
    • Registering as a College Student
    • Registering as a Person in the Criminal Justice System
    • Preregistering to Vote When You are 16 or 17 Years Old
  • How to Register
  • Checking Your Registration
  • Updating Registration
  • Choosing Your Party Affiliation
  • Hosting Voter Registration Drives
  • National Voter Registration Act (NVRA)

Share this page:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

How can we make this page better for you?

Back to top

Contact

North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE)

PO Box 27255
Raleigh NC 27611-7255

Email: elections.sboe@ncsbe.gov
Phone: (919) 814-0700
Fax: (919) 715-0135

Receive Updates

Subscribe to receive press releases and meeting notices.

Indicates required field

Please enter your email address in format name@domain.com

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

Tweets by @NCSBE

Voter Tools

Voter Search
County Boards of Elections Information
BallotTrax (Absentee Ballot Tracking)
Voter Registration Statistics
View all tools and forms

County Boards Resources

Resources for County Boards
NCSBE Public Files (FTP)

Work with Us

Career Opportunities

  • Translate Disclaimer
  • Accessibility
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Open Budget
https://www.ncsbe.gov/registering/who-can-register