Post-judgment interest by state · North Carolina
North Carolina · after judgment
Post-judgment interest in North Carolina
An unpaid North Carolina money judgment earns 8% a year unless the judgment or a contract says otherwise. On a $5,000.00 judgment that is $400.00 in the first year, about $1.10 a day.
How the rate is set
Fixed in the statute at 8% a year, the legal rate, which §24-5 applies to judgments. It changes only when the legislature acts.
- Statute or rule
- N.C. Gen. Stat. §24-1 (applied to judgments by §24-5)
- Statute re-checked
- 2026-10-23
- Changes
- only when the legislature amends the statute
When a different rate applies
- A judgment on a contract bears the contract rate under §24-5.
- Department of Transportation condemnation judgments use §136-113.
Work out your own judgment
North Carolina is prefilled at 8%. Enter the amount and the date the judgment was entered. The calculator uses simple interest; that is how this rate accrues.
How North Carolina's rate is set, and where it comes from
Uses simple interest at the rate you enter — pre-filled with each state's standard statutory rate, editable since some states publish a new rate quarterly or annually. Some states apply a different rate to specific debt types (noted above where it applies) or when a contract specifies its own rate. Informational only, not legal advice; confirm the current rate and any exceptions with your court clerk before relying on this figure.
The formula, worked
Last reviewed: October 2026
Interest = principal × rate × days ÷ 365. For $5,000.00 at 8%: $5,000.00 × 0.08000 × 365 ÷ 365 = $400.00 after one year, and $1.10 for each further day.
What this page does not know
- The rate written on your judgment. If the court stated a rate, that one applies, whatever the default is today.
- Partial payments. Interest accrues only on what is still unpaid.
Informational only, not legal advice. Every figure is cited to the statute or the office that publishes it; confirm the current rate with the court clerk before relying on it.
Also for North Carolina: what it costs to sue in North Carolina small claims court.
Frequently asked questions
What is the post-judgment interest rate in North Carolina right now?
8% a year for an ordinary money judgment, fixed in the statute, under N.C. Gen. Stat. §24-1 (applied to judgments by §24-5).
How is the North Carolina rate set?
Fixed in the statute at 8% a year, the legal rate, which §24-5 applies to judgments. It changes only when the legislature acts.
Is it simple or compound interest?
Simple interest: it is calculated on the original judgment amount only and never on earlier interest.
Can my North Carolina judgment carry a different rate?
Yes. A judgment on a contract bears the contract rate under §24-5. Department of Transportation condemnation judgments use §136-113. The judgment itself may also state a rate, and that controls.
Related tools
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