Jury Duty in North Carolina: Pay, Exemptions, Excuses and What to Expect (2026)

North Carolina picks its jurors at random from a county master list built every two years from the voter rolls and driver's license records. If you're a U.S. citizen, 18 or older, and live in the county, a summons can come by mail. Jury service is run county by county by the clerk of superior court and the chief district court judge, so the practical details (where to report, how to ask for an excuse, the deadline) are printed on your summons.

The headline numbers: $12 for the first day, $20 a day after that, and $40 a day once you've served more than five days in 24 months. Your employer doesn't have to pay you, but it can't fire or demote you for serving. Ignoring a summons can bring a fine of up to $50, and a judge can also treat willful disobedience as contempt.

The law is in Chapter 9 of the General Statutes, with juror pay in G.S. 7A-312. Everything here is current as of November 2026.

North Carolina jury duty at a glance

Who can serve

G.S. 9-3 lists ten qualifications. You must be a U.S. citizen, live in North Carolina and in the county that summons you, be 18 or older, be physically and mentally competent, and be able to understand English. You also must not have served on a jury in the preceding two years, or a full grand jury term in the preceding six.

A felony conviction disqualifies you, and so does a guilty or no-contest plea to a felony indictment, until your citizenship rights are restored. Restoration is automatic once you're unconditionally discharged from prison, probation or parole, or pardoned (G.S. 13-1). A person who has been adjudged non compos mentis is also disqualified.

Names come from the voter registration list and the driver's license records the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles sends each county, merged and drawn at random by a three-member jury commission (G.S. 9-2). If you aren't qualified, say so on the excuse form that comes with the summons. The clerk keeps those requests, and requests based on lack of citizenship go to the State Board of Elections (G.S. 9-6.2).

Exemptions and excuses

North Carolina has no list of jobs that are automatically exempt. Instead, a judge decides each request, and the starting point is strict. G.S. 9-6(a) sets the policy:

The General Assembly hereby declares the public policy of this State to be that jury service is the solemn obligation of all qualified citizens, and that excuses from the discharge of this responsibility should be granted only for reasons of compelling personal hardship or because requiring service would be contrary to the public welfare, health, or safety.

Each chief district court judge sets the local procedure. The judge may hear requests personally, or hand them to another district judge, the clerk of superior court, or judicial support staff. Every request goes on a form from the Administrative Office of the Courts, and a judge must excuse anyone who isn't qualified under G.S. 9-3.

The grounds the law singles out:

• Age 72 or older. You may ask to be excused, deferred, or exempted without going to court, by sending a signed statement of your reasons at least five business days before your date (G.S. 9-6.1(a)). The summons itself must tell you that "persons 72 years of age or older are entitled to establish in writing exemption from jury service for good cause" (G.S. 9-10(b)). It isn't automatic: the judge or clerk may grant a temporary exemption instead of the permanent one you asked for, or turn the request down.
• Disability. If a disability could interfere with your service, you can ask in writing, with a brief explanation, on the same five-business-day schedule. The court may ask for medical documentation, which stays confidential (G.S. 9-6.1(b)).
• Out-of-state college students. A full-time student at an out-of-state college, university, or trade or professional school "shall be excused" for a session that falls while you're taking classes or exams, if you send proof of enrollment (G.S. 9-6(b1)). You may be called again for a later session.
• Hardship. Caregiving, a medical problem, or a financial crisis is handled as compelling personal hardship. Bring documentation. Guilford County, for example, asks for a doctor's note for a disability and a physician's letter for a caregiver who has no alternative (Guilford County jury FAQ).

No North Carolina statute excuses breastfeeding mothers, but some courthouses set aside a private room for nursing mothers to pump; Guilford's FAQ describes one. Moral or religious objections aren't a ground for an advance excuse; Guilford's page says to appear and raise them with the judge in the courtroom.

Local deadlines differ. Durham County asks for requests no later than 10 days before the first day of service, by mail or online (Durham County Clerk of Superior Court). Guilford County wants them at least 10 business days ahead, through its online system or by mail, and takes no phone requests. Until you hear back, plan to report.

Postponing jury duty

The statutes allow deferrals but leave the details to each county. Ask through the same excuse form, online or by mail, and name the dates you can serve. Guilford County's jury office says it will move your service to a more convenient time "in most instances," and that a second postponement is allowed only for an unforeseen emergency (Guilford County jury FAQ). When you're deferred, your name is added to a later panel (G.S. 9-5).

Juror pay

Pay is set statewide by G.S. 7A-312(a):

A juror in the General Court of Justice including a petit juror, or a coroner's juror, but excluding a grand juror, shall receive twelve dollars ($12.00) for the first day of service and twenty dollars ($20.00) per day afterwards, except that if any person serves as a juror for more than five days in any 24-month period, the juror shall receive forty dollars ($40.00) per day for each day of service in excess of five days.

So you get $12 for day one, $20 for days two through five, and $40 for each day after that. The five-day count runs over any 24-month period, not just one trial. Grand jurors get $20 a day.

The State doesn't pay ordinary jurors mileage. Jurors brought in from another county for a special venire get mileage at the State employee rate. A juror kept overnight gets lodging and meals, and a sequestered jury is fed. Jurors also ride North Carolina ferries free while serving. Guilford County says checks generally go out about 14 working days after your last day.

A district chosen by the Administrative Office of the Courts may run a pilot that lets jurors give up their pay and direct it to a local program, such as a drug treatment court, a self-help center, or legal aid (G.S. 7A-312(b)).

Your job is protected

G.S. 9-32 is short:

(a) No employer may discharge or demote any employee because the employee has been called for jury duty, or is serving as a grand juror or petit juror.

An employer who breaks the rule owes you reasonable damages in a civil suit, and a worker fired or demoted for serving is entitled to be reinstated. You carry the burden of proof, and you have one year to sue.

North Carolina doesn't require private employers to pay you while you serve. Guilford County's FAQ puts it plainly: "An employer is NOT required by law to pay employees who are on jury service but many employers do." Check your handbook, and ask the jury office for proof of attendance if your employer wants one.

What happens if you don't show up

G.S. 9-13 sets the penalty:

Every person summoned to appear as a juror who has not been excused, and who fails to appear and attend until duly discharged, shall be subject to a fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00), to be imposed by the court, unless he renders an excuse deemed sufficient.

An unpaid fine becomes a judgment against you. A judge may also treat willful disobedience of a summons as criminal contempt of the court's process (G.S. 5A-11), which can carry up to 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $500 (G.S. 5A-12). If you missed your date, call the clerk of superior court in your county before the court calls you.

Your first day

Read your summons. It gives the date, time and courthouse, and explains how to ask for an excuse (G.S. 9-10). If it tells you to call a jury line or check online before your date, do it, because the instructions can change.

Expect to wait. Guilford County suggests bringing a book or laptop, small snacks, a drink with a lid, and any medications, and its courthouse has Wi-Fi. Cameras and radios aren't allowed, and phones must be off. Dress comfortably but properly: Guilford turns away shorts, miniskirts, tank tops and halters.

Your panel goes to a courtroom for jury selection, where the judge and lawyers ask questions to test whether you can be fair. If you aren't chosen, you return to the assembly room and may be sent to another courtroom. Guilford County says the average trial lasts two to three days. Under G.S. 9-5, jurors are discharged at the end of the week unless they're in the middle of a trial.

Grand jury service

Each county's grand jury has 18 members drawn from the same jury pool. Terms usually run about 12 months, staggered so half the members change every six months, though a senior resident superior court judge may shorten the term to six months in a county where the burden is heavy (G.S. 15A-622). Grand jurors are paid $20 a day. After a full grand jury term, you can't be called again for six years.

Jury duty scams

Scammers call North Carolinians, claim to be deputies, and say you'll be arrested for missing jury duty unless you pay now. It's a scam. The Attorney General's office warned again in June 2026 that "Law enforcement agencies will not call people to demand payment or threaten arrest over missed jury duty" (N.C. Department of Justice). Summonses come by mail, and no one can fine you by phone or email. Hang up, call the sheriff or clerk at a number from their official website, and report the call to 1-877-5-NO-SCAM (N.C. DOJ consumer alert).

Recent and pending changes

• Juror training material (effective December 1, 2025). S.L. 2025-54, § 12.2 (House Bill 620) added a new G.S. 9-33. The Administrative Office of the Courts now writes the rules for any training or educational material given to jurors, and courts may not hand out anything those rules don't allow.
• No change to pay, qualifications or excuses. We found no 2024, 2025 or 2026 session law changing G.S. 7A-312, 9-3, 9-6, 9-6.1, 9-13 or 9-32. The last changes to the excuse rules came in 2023: judicial support staff may now decide requests (S.L. 2023-103), and excuses based on lack of citizenship are reported to the State Board of Elections (S.L. 2023-140).

Frequently asked questions

How much does jury duty pay in North Carolina?

You get $12 for the first day and $20 a day after that. Once you've served more than five days in any 24-month period, each extra day pays $40. Grand jurors get $20 a day. The rates are set statewide by G.S. 7A-312.

Can my employer fire me for jury duty in North Carolina?

No. G.S. 9-32 bars an employer from firing or demoting you because you were called or are serving. You can sue for damages and reinstatement within one year. Your employer doesn't have to pay you for the days you serve, though many do.

How do I get out of jury duty in North Carolina?

Fill out the excuse form that comes with your summons and send it, with any documentation, to the chief district court judge's office before the local deadline. Excuses are granted only for compelling personal hardship or when serving would harm public welfare, health or safety; full-time students at out-of-state schools are excused on request. Keep planning to report until you're told you've been excused.

What happens if I miss jury duty in North Carolina?

The court can fine you up to $50 under G.S. 9-13, unless you give an excuse the judge accepts. A judge may also treat willful disobedience of a summons as contempt. Call your county's clerk of superior court as soon as you realize you missed your date.

How often can you be called for jury duty in North Carolina?

After you serve, you're exempt for two years from the date you were discharged. After a full term on a grand jury, the break is six years (G.S. 9-7). The clerk notes the dates you served on the master jury list to track this.

Is there an age limit for jury duty in North Carolina?

There's no upper age limit, but at 72 or older you may ask in writing to be excused, deferred or exempted without going to court (G.S. 9-6.1). Send the signed request at least five business days before your date. The judge or clerk decides, and may grant a temporary exemption instead of a permanent one. You must be at least 18 to serve.

Where these rules live

• G.S. 9-3 — Qualifications of jurors
• G.S. 9-6 — Excuses and the hardship standard
• G.S. 9-6.1 — Written requests; age 72; disability
• G.S. 9-7 — Two-year and six-year breaks after service
• G.S. 9-10 — The summons
• G.S. 9-13 — Penalty for disobeying a summons
• G.S. 9-32 — Employer may not discharge a juror
• G.S. 7A-312 — Juror pay
• G.S. 15A-622 — Grand juries
• North Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure