Free Legal Help for Tenants and Landlords in North Carolina

Legal aid organizations, right-to-counsel programs and official court self-help resources in North Carolina, gathered from the state, county and city pages on this site.

Right to a free lawyer in eviction cases

Statewide: No statute. North Carolina has no statewide right to a lawyer in eviction cases. N.C. Gen. Stat. ch. 42, art. 3 (Summary Ejectment; no counsel provision)

Charlotte: No. No right-to-counsel program for tenants was found.
Durham: No. No right-to-counsel program for tenants was found; free representation is available through the Durham Eviction Diversion Program for eligible tenants.
Greensboro: No. No right-to-counsel program for tenants was found.
Raleigh: No. No right-to-counsel program for tenants was found.

Free legal aid organizations

Legal Aid of North Carolina — Statewide civil legal aid; linked from the NC Judicial Branch landlord/tenant help page.
Serves: Mecklenburg County (Charlotte), Wake County (Raleigh), Guilford County (Greensboro, High Point), Durham County (Durham), Cumberland County (Fayetteville), Forsyth County (Winston-Salem)
Pisgah Legal Services — Free civil legal aid (including housing) for low-income residents of 18 Western North Carolina counties; main phone 828-253-0406. Program availability varies by county.
Serves: Buncombe County (Asheville)
Legal Aid of North Carolina - Charlotte office — Office listed for Cabarrus County (with Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Stanly and Union): 5525 Albemarle Road, Suite 100, Charlotte, NC 28212-3610, 704-594-8662. Statewide helpline 1-866-219-5262, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM Monday-Friday (https://legalaidnc.org/apply/).
Serves: Cabarrus County, Union County
Legal Aid of North Carolina - Winston-Salem office — Serves Davie, Forsyth, Iredell, Stokes, Surry and Yadkin counties; 102 W 3rd St, Ste 460, Winston-Salem, NC 27101; 336-725-9162 or 1-800-660-6663. Helps with evictions (https://legalaidnc.org/get-help/).
Serves: Iredell County
Legal Aid of North Carolina - Central Carolina (Carrboro) office — Serves Alamance, Anson, Chatham, Harnett, Lee, Moore, Orange and Richmond counties; 205 W Main Street, Suite 203, Carrboro, NC 27510; 919-542-0475 or 1-800-672-5834; by appointment only. Helps with evictions (https://legalaidnc.org/get-help/).
Serves: Orange County
Legal Aid of North Carolina - Raleigh office — Serves Johnston and Wake counties. 1425 Promise Beacon Circle, Suite 201, Raleigh, NC 27610; 919-828-4647.
Serves: Johnston County
Legal Aid of North Carolina - Greensboro office — Serves Davidson County. 122 N Elm St, Ste 700, Greensboro, NC 27401-2842; 336-272-0148 (Mon-Fri 9-5).
Serves: Davidson County, Rowan County, Randolph County
Legal Aid of North Carolina - Fayetteville Office — 327 Dick St, Suite 103, Fayetteville; 910-483-0400 or 1-800-824-5340. Serves Robeson County (also Cumberland, Hoke, Sampson, Scotland).
Serves: Robeson County

Find a tenant or eviction lawyer in North Carolina

If you do not qualify for free legal aid, a bar lawyer referral service can match you with a landlord-tenant lawyer for a low-cost first consultation.

North Carolina Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service — 919-677-8574
$50 for an initial 30-minute consultation with a referred lawyer

Official court and state resources

Legal aid groups set their own eligibility rules (usually income-based). Call ahead or check their site.

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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.