North Carolina Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel
North Carolina rules on section 8, records & right to counsel for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: No statewide protection. Since 2024 state law also bars counties and cities from adopting or enforcing ordinances that stop landlords from refusing tenants whose rent includes federal housing assistance (for example Section 8 vouchers). N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-14.1(b) (S.L. 2024-47, s. 7)
The rules in North Carolina
| Statewide ban on refusing Section 8 / source of income | No statewide protection. Since 2024 state law also bars counties and cities from adopting or enforcing ordinances that stop landlords from refusing tenants whose rent includes federal housing assistance (for example Section 8 vouchers). Exceptions: local regulation of locally owned property, agreements for subsidized units, CDBG-assisted properties, and owners receiving local funding or incentives (§ 42-14.1(c)). |
|---|---|
| Eviction record sealing | No statute. North Carolina has no general provision for sealing or expunging summary ejectment (eviction) records. Absence checked only in chapter 42. The only 'sealed' reference there concerns criminal records in nuisance-eviction actions (Article 7). |
| Right to a lawyer in eviction | No statute. North Carolina has no statewide right to a lawyer in eviction cases. Absence checked in chapter 42 only. |
Related questions
- Can a landlord refuse Section 8?
- Can an eviction be removed from your record?
- Do tenants get a free lawyer for an eviction?
North Carolina vs. neighboring states
| State | Statewide ban on refusing Section 8 / source of income | Eviction record sealing | Right to a lawyer in eviction |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | No statewide protection. Since 2024 state law also bars counties and cities from adopting or enforcing ordinances that stop landlords from refusing tenants whose rent includes federal housing assistance (for example Section 8 vouchers). N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-14.1(b) (S.L. 2024-47, s. 7) | No statute. North Carolina has no general provision for sealing or expunging summary ejectment (eviction) records. N.C. Gen. Stat. ch. 42 (no sealing provision for summary ejectment) | 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) |
| Georgia | No statewide protection. Georgia's fair housing protected classes are race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status and disability; source of income (including vouchers) is not among them. Georgia Fair Housing Act, O.C.G.A. § 8-3-200 et seq. (as summarized in DCA Landlord-Tenant Handbook, rev. 8-29-24, p. 4) | No statute in effect yet. Beginning January 1, 2027, a court may, on motion and after a hearing, order all court records of a dispossessory (eviction) case made unavailable to the public if the tenant won the case, the tenant paid the judgment in full with interest and costs, or seven years have passed since a dismissal or judgment (with any judgment paid in full). The landlord may still pursue amounts owed in a separate action or through collections. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50(e) (added by SB 406, 2026, Act 715, § 8; effective January 1, 2027) | Not verified yet |
| South Carolina | No. The South Carolina Fair Housing Law protects race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin (among other protections), but not source of income or voucher use. S.C. Code 31-21-40 | Starting January 1, 2027: eviction filings and records with a defendant's personal information (including cases ending in an order of eviction or writ of ejectment, settled cases, and cases resolved by later payment) must be removed from the public index and publicly accessible files 7 years after final disposition or filing if no additional filing is recorded. Removal is automatic (by the responsible agency); no motion process. S.C. Code 30-2-60 (2026 Act No. 214, H.4270) | No statewide right to counsel in eviction cases. S.C. Code Title 27, Ch. 37 and Ch. 40 |
| Tennessee | No. The Tennessee Human Rights Act's housing provision covers race, color, creed, religion, sex, disability, familial status and national origin, but not source of income or vouchers. T.C.A. 4-21-601(a) | No statute. Tennessee has no law sealing or expunging eviction (detainer) records. A 2026 bill to make dismissed unlawful detainer cases confidential (HB1940/SB2016) failed in House subcommittee on March 18, 2026 and was not enacted. 2026 HB1940 / SB2016 (not enacted) | No statewide right to counsel in eviction cases. T.C.A. Title 29, Chapter 18; Title 66, Chapters 7 and 28 |
| Virginia | Yes. The Virginia Fair Housing Law bars refusing to rent, discriminating in terms, discriminatory advertising, and misrepresenting availability because of 'source of funds'. Va. Code § 36-96.3(A) | Yes (expungement). For unlawful detainer cases with no order of possession, the general district court must automatically expunge records, without petition or hearing, once 30 days pass after dismissal or 6 months pass after a voluntary nonsuit. A tenant who won a judgment is not automatically covered but may petition, and the court must expunge without a hearing. For cases filed before July 1, 2024, the tenant may petition on a Supreme Court form for expungement of dismissed (30 days) or nonsuited (6 months) cases with no order of possession. Va. Code § 8.01-130.01 | Not verified yet |
City rules that may add to state law
More North Carolina rental law
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- North Carolina Eviction Laws
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- North Carolina Repairs & Tenant Remedies
- North Carolina Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
- Breaking a Lease in North Carolina
- Squatters' Rights in North Carolina
- North Carolina Rental Fee Rules
- North Carolina Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
- North Carolina Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
- North Carolina Landlord Selling the House
- North Carolina Lockouts, Utility Shutoffs & Retaliation
- North Carolina Subletting, Lease Endings & Tenant Death
- All North Carolina landlord-tenant rules
- Free legal help in North Carolina
Compare section 8, records & right to counsel in all 50 states and DC →
North Carolina Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel FAQ
Is it illegal for a landlord to refuse Section 8 vouchers in North Carolina?
No statewide protection. Since 2024 state law also bars counties and cities from adopting or enforcing ordinances that stop landlords from refusing tenants whose rent includes federal housing assistance (for example Section 8 vouchers). (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-14.1(b) (S.L. 2024-47, s. 7))
Can an eviction record be sealed or removed in North Carolina?
No statute. North Carolina has no general provision for sealing or expunging summary ejectment (eviction) records. (N.C. Gen. Stat. ch. 42 (no sealing provision for summary ejectment))
Do tenants have a right to a free lawyer in eviction cases in North Carolina?
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))
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.