Federal and State Tax Filing Deadline Extended to May 1st for North Carolinians
Extension covers a wide range of taxpayers including all individuals living in North Carolina and businesses and tax-exempt organizations with their principal place of business in the state.
Holly Springs, NC, Apr. 9, 2025 — Residents and businesses across North Carolina, including those in Wake County, Holly Springs, and Apex, now have additional time to file their taxes following a federal disaster declaration for Hurricane Helene. Both the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the North Carolina Department of Revenue (NCDOR) have extended the tax filing and payment deadline to May 1, 2025.
The IRS relief, announced on October 1, 2024 (link), applies to individuals and businesses in federally declared disaster areas throughout the state. The North Carolina Department of Revenue followed suit with a state-level extension (link) on October 3, 2024, aligning with the IRS’s May 1 deadline for most filings and payments.
Who Qualifies?
According to the NCDOR's official guidance, the extension covers a wide range of taxpayers:
All individuals living in North Carolina
Businesses and tax-exempt organizations with their principal place of business in the state
Individuals and businesses whose tax-related records are located in North Carolina
Out-of-state relief workers aiding in disaster recovery within North Carolina
Visitors injured or killed in the state as a result of Hurricane Helene
That means residents of Wake County, including those in Holly Springs and Apex, are covered under this relief, regardless of whether they experienced direct storm damage. The broad eligibility ensures that most local taxpayers benefit from the extension.
What’s Covered?
Affected taxpayers now have until May 1, 2025, to file returns or make payments originally due between September 25, 2024, and the new deadline. This includes:
Individual income tax returns
Business returns
State and local sales and use tax returns
Certain penalties for late filing or payment
However, interest on unpaid taxes will still accrue, and not all taxpayers may receive penalty relief automatically. Those who believe they've been wrongly penalized can request waivers by submitting Form NC-5500 or Form NC-5501 and marking them with “Hurricane Helene.”
How to Apply for Relief
Taxpayers can file forms online at ncdor.gov or call the NCDOR at 1-877-252-3052 for assistance. Those without internet access can request paper copies of the necessary forms. For federal relief details, visit the official IRS announcement: IRS Tax Relief for Victims of Hurricane Helene.