All Laws Decoded

Restoring Civil Rights After a Felony in North Carolina

How North Carolina law treats restoring rights after a felony, from the state code and official state agencies.

Short answer: Citizenship rights (on which voting and jury eligibility depend) are restored automatically when a person is unconditionally discharged from prison, probation or parole by the agency in charge (or by the court for a suspended sentence), or receives an unconditional pardon, or satisfies… G.S. 13-1; G.S. 9-3; G.S. 14-415.4

Restoring rights after a felonyCitizenship rights (on which voting and jury eligibility depend) are restored automatically when a person is unconditionally discharged from prison, probation or parole by the agency in charge (or by the court for a suspended sentence), or receives an unconditional pardon, or satisfies all conditions of a conditional pardon; the same applies to federal and out-of-state convictions. Firearm rights are separate: a North Carolina resident convicted of a single nonviolent felony whose citizenship rights have been restored for at least 20 years may petition the district court where they live to restore the right to possess a firearm (Class A, B1 and B2 felonies, and felonies involving assault, a firearm or deadly weapon, or sex offender registration, do not qualify; the filing fee is $200).
Jury: G.S. 9-3 excludes people convicted of a felony unless their citizenship has been restored, https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_9/GS_9-3.html ; firearms: https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_14/GS_14-415.4.html .

More North Carolina criminal law

FAQ

How do you restore your rights after a felony in North Carolina?
Citizenship rights (on which voting and jury eligibility depend) are restored automatically when a person is unconditionally discharged from prison, probation or parole by the agency in charge (or by the court for a suspended sentence), or receives an unconditional pardon, or satisfies all conditions of a conditional pardon; the same applies to federal and out-of-state convictions. Firearm rights are separate: a North Carolina resident convicted of a single nonviolent felony whose citizenship rights have been restored for at least 20 years may petition the district court where they live to restore the right to possess a firearm (Class A, B1 and B2 felonies, and felonies involving assault, a firearm or deadly weapon, or sex offender registration, do not qualify; the filing fee is $200).

General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.