2026 North Carolina judgment & prejudgment interest rates
Current 2026 snapshot: North Carolina post-judgment interest is 8% per year; the recorded prejudgment reference is 8% per year.
Everything North Carolina charges in interest on a money judgment or an overdue debt, in one place — the rate after judgment and the rate before it, each recorded with a cited source and linked to its full page with observations, scope, and known carve-outs.
| Metric | Rate or rule | Effective / reference date | Authority | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Post-judgment interest | 8% | December 1, 2016 | N.C.G.S. §24-5 / §24-1 | Fixed by statute |
| Prejudgment interest | 8% | July 9, 2026 | N.C. Gen. Stat. §24-5 | Fixed by statute |
Post-judgment interest
North Carolina's post-judgment interest rate is 8% per year. N.C. Gen. Stat. §24-5 uses the §24-1 legal rate for the general judgment branch. A contract award uses the contract rate after judgment only when the contract expressly provides that the rate continues after judgment; otherwise the legal rate applies. A qualifying consumer-contract award uses the lower of the contract and legal rates, and penal-bond and noncontract awards have separate timing rules.
→ Full North Carolina post-judgment page — N.C.G.S. §24-5 / §24-1, effective-date history, scope, and official source.
Prejudgment interest
North Carolina's prejudgment interest rate is 8% per year (fixed by statute). N.C. Gen. Stat. §24-5 does not use one rate for every award. A contract award generally bears the contract rate from breach when that rate is stated; otherwise the legal rate applies. A qualifying consumer contract uses the lower of the contract and legal rates. In a noncontract action, only compensatory damages receive pre-entry interest from filing.
→ Full North Carolina prejudgment page — N.C. Gen. Stat. §24-5, when it applies, accrual, compounding, and carve-outs.
Frequently asked
What is the post-judgment interest rate in North Carolina?
As of December 1, 2016, the North Carolina post-judgment interest rate is 8% per year. North Carolina’s legal-rate and contract judgment branches.
What is the prejudgment interest rate in North Carolina?
North Carolina's prejudgment interest rate is 8% per year (fixed by statute). Contract, consumer-contract, penal-bond, and noncontract compensatory awards follow different branches.
Is North Carolina judgment interest simple or compound, and when does it start?
See each rate's page for the exact compounding rule, accrual date, and statutory carve-outs — North Carolina prejudgment interest in particular turns on the type of claim.
Cite this page
StatuteRates. “North Carolina Judgment & Prejudgment Interest Rates.” StatuteRates.com. Accessed today. https://statuterates.com/states/north-carolina/ Each rate includes a cited source and an effective or recorded-reference date; confirm the controlling authority before use.
Compare every state on the state interest-rate index and the prejudgment interest index, or enter a confirmed rate in the judgment interest and per-diem calculator. Reference data only — not legal advice.