Abortion laws in North Carolina
Abortion is allowed in North Carolina up to 12 weeks and 6 days of pregnancy.
Data last updated .
How far into pregnancy
- Abortion is allowed up to 12 weeks and 6 days of pregnancy.
- Pregnancy is counted from the first day of your last period, not from conception.
- Exceptions after that point: to save your life; to protect your health, including mental health; if the fetus has a serious or fatal health condition; if the pregnancy is from rape or incest.
- Abortion is banned when the reason is the fetus's sex, the fetus's race, or a diagnosis of a disability, such as Down syndrome.
- A procedure called intact dilation and extraction (D&X) is banned.
- Good to know: North Carolina's rape/incest exception is only applicable up to 20 weeks of pregnancy and fetal indication is only applicable up to 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Waiting periods and clinic visits
- You must be given state-required information (counseling) before your abortion.
- There is a 72-hour waiting period before an abortion.
- You'll need to make two separate trips to the clinic: one for required counseling, then another for the abortion.
Abortion pills by telehealth
- You can get abortion pills through telehealth, but some steps, such as an exam or picking up the pills, must happen in person.
If you're under 18
- If you're under 18, a parent or legal guardian must give permission.
- If you can't involve a parent, you can ask a judge for permission instead. This is called a judicial bypass, and free legal help is available.
Insurance coverage
- Medicaid (public health insurance) pays for abortion only in the limited cases federal law requires.
- Plans bought on the ACA marketplace can cover abortion only when your life is in danger or the pregnancy is from rape or incest.
Penalties and legal risk
- People can file lawsuits against anyone who violates the ban.
- Doctors and other licensed providers who violate the ban can lose their license or face other discipline.
- For advice about your own situation, the Repro Legal Helpline offers free, confidential legal help.
Legal protections
- The state has no specific legal protections for abortion.
Get help
- Find a provider near you: AbortionFinder
- Find verified clinics: I Need an A
- Free, confidential legal help: Repro Legal Helpline · 844-868-2812
- Help paying for care: National Abortion Federation Hotline · 1-800-772-9100
- Medical questions about abortion or miscarriage: M+A Hotline · 1-833-246-2632
This is a summary of state law, not legal advice. Laws change, and an update to this data can also be a correction.