Scope and Nature - Rules and Bulletins
Effective July 1, 2024, professional privilege licenses are no longer required. Licenses are still required for loan agencies, pawnbrokers, and check casher companies. For additional information, refer to this important notice issued by the Department.
Privilege License Tax
Scope and Nature - Rules and Bulletins
State privilege license taxes are imposed for the privilege of carrying on the business, exercising the privilege or doing the act named in Article 2, Schedule B of the Revenue Laws of North Carolina. These privilege license taxes are in addition to any regulatory or qualification requirements to engage in the practice of a profession, business or trade. Various State privilege licenses were repealed effective July 1, 1999. The remaining sections of law which impose taxes are listed below:
| G.S. 105-41 | Attorneys-at-law and Other Professionals |
| G.S. 105-83 | Installment Paper Dealers |
| G.S. 105-88 | Loan Agencies or Brokers, including Pawnbrokers and Check Cashers |
| G.S. 105-102.3 | Banks Repealed effective July 1, 2016 |
| G.S. 105-102.6 | Publishers of Newsprint Publications Repealed effective October 22, 2015 |
Effective July 1, 2016, N.C.G.S. 105-102.3, which imposed an annual privilege tax upon every bank or banking association, including each national banking association, that is operating in this State as a commercial bank, an industrial bank, a savings bank created other than under Chapter 54B or 54C of the General Statutes or the Home Owners' Loan Act of 1933 (12 U.S.C. §§ 1461-68), a trust company, or any combination of such facilities or services, and whether such bank or banking association, hereinafter to be referred to as a bank or banks, is organized, under the laws of the United States or the laws of North Carolina, in the corporate form or in some other form of business organization, is repealed pursuant to Session Law 2015-241. These banks are no longer required to file an annual report each year and remit the privilege tax to the Secretary.
Effective October 22, 2015, N.C.G.S. 105-102.6, which provided incentives for the recycling of newsprint and magazines and for the use of newsprint containing recycled content, is repealed pursuant to Session Law 2015-286. Publishers are no longer required to apply to the Secretary for a newsprint publisher tax reporting number nor are they required to file an annual report each year of the newsprint tonnage consumed or recycled. The last filing period will be for the calendar year 2015 and Form, B-302, Publishers of Newsprint Publications Privilege Tax Return, will be due on or before January 31, 2016.
Effective July 1, 1999, pawnbrokers became subject to license tax under G.S. 105-88, but the maximum on county and city privilege license taxes imposed on a business taxed under this statute does not apply to pawnbrokers. Pawnbrokers remain subject to the maximum county and city privilege license taxes imposed under G.S. 153A-152 and G.S. 160A-211.