The North Carolina law prohibits the Department from providing any information about your refund to others including your spouse unless you filed a joint return or proper authorization has been given.

You may check the status of your refund online using our Where’s My Refund? web service, or you may call our refund inquiry line toll-free at 1-877-252-4052. Be sure to have available your social security number and the exact amount of your refund. Additional time is required if you owe a State agency or the IRS, or if your return contains an error.

You will receive refund interest if the refund is not issued within 45 days from the date the original return was filed or the date the original return was due, whichever is later. Refund checks are written once a week. If you call our refund inquiry line and are informed that your check has not been written, please wait at least 7 days before calling back.

Direct deposit of an income tax refund is only available for original returns filed electronically. Direct deposit is available for original refunds only. It is not available to taxpayers filing a paper return.

If you claimed itemized deductions on your federal return and received a state refund last year you will receive a Form 1099G. This statement shows the amount of your state refund received last year but does not mean you are entitled to an additional refund. Generally, your State income tax refund must be included in your federal income for the year in which your check was received if you deducted the State income tax paid as an itemized deduction on your federal income tax return.  See Frequently Asked Questions About Form 1099-G and Form 1099-INT for additional information about Form 1099-G.