Living Wills and Advance Directives in North Carolina

North Carolina's living will is a 'Declaration of a Desire for a Natural Death.' It can direct that life-prolonging measures be withheld or stopped if the person has an incurable or irreversible condition that will cause death within a relatively short time, becomes permanently unconscious, or has advanced dementia or another irreversible substantial loss of cognitive ability. It must be signed before two qualified witnesses (not related within the third degree to the person or spouse, not expecting to inherit, without a claim against the estate, and not the attending physician or a paid employee of the physician or the person's health facility) and proved before a notary or clerk. An optional statutory form is provided.

North Carolina uses a 'health care power of attorney' naming a health care agent. It must be signed in the presence of two qualified witnesses (the same witness restrictions as for a living will) and acknowledged before a notary public. An optional statutory form is provided.