North Carolina Paystub Generator
North Carolina's income tax rate fell to a flat 3.99% for 2026, yet employers withhold at 4.09%. The extra tenth of a point is built into the NC-30 tables on purpose and the result is rounded to whole dollars. This North Carolina paystub generator follows those tables, applies the NC-4 allowances and itemizes federal tax and FICA for Charlotte, Raleigh or Greensboro payrolls.
Create Your North Carolina Paystub
Free preview · NC-30 withholding at 4.09% · Instant PDF
- 3.99%2026 income tax rate
- 4.09%NC-30 withholding rate
- $12,750standard deduction, single
- $2,500per NC-4 allowance
Short answer
For 2026 North Carolina employers withhold 4.09% of annualized wages after subtracting a $12,750 standard deduction for single filers and $2,500 for each NC-4 allowance, rounded to the nearest whole dollar. The tax rate on the return is 3.99%.
Why Payroll Uses 4.09% When the Rate Is 3.99%
NC-30, the 2026 Income Tax Withholding Tables and Instructions for Employers, describes its rate as 3.99% plus 0.1%. The cushion helps cover income that is not subject to withholding and reduces balances due at filing. The tables also round each period's tax to the nearest whole dollar, which is why a north carolina pay stub rarely shows cents in the state line.
The Department of Revenue NC-30 publication covers every pay frequency and filing status.
From $1,920 Biweekly to a $58 State Line
Brianna Hughes, single, 0 NC-4 allowances
Claiming allowances on the NC-4 lowers the line. Each allowance removes $2,500 of annual wages.
0 allowances
- Taxable $37,170
- $1,520.25 for the year
- $58 per biweekly check
2 allowances
- Taxable $32,170
- $1,315.75 for the year
- $51 per biweekly check
Piedmont Crate and Freight Sample
Scenario: Brianna Hughes works for Piedmont Crate and Freight LLC at 1515 S Tryon St in Charlotte. She earns $24.00 an hour, works 80 hours from September 7 to September 20, 2026 and is paid September 25. She files single with no NC-4 allowances. This is her 21st paycheck of the year.
| Line | Current | Year to date |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $1,920.00 | $40,320.00 |
| Federal income tax | $146.55 | $3,077.55 |
| Social Security | $119.04 | $2,499.84 |
| Medicare | $27.84 | $584.64 |
| North Carolina state tax | $58.00 | $1,218.00 |
| Current deductions | $351.43 | $7,380.03 |
| Net pay | $1,568.57 | $32,939.97 |
The year-to-date state figure is 21 checks of $58.00. How those running totals build is explained in the guide to year-to-date amounts on a pay stub.
Filing Status Moves the Deduction
| Filing status on the NC-4 | Standard deduction | Taxable for withholding | Per check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single or married filing separately | $12,750 | $37,170 | $58 |
| Married filing jointly or surviving spouse | $12,750 | $37,170 | $58 |
| Head of household | $19,125 | $30,795 | $48 |
North Carolina does not split the standard deduction between spouses for withholding, so each working spouse gets $12,750 on their own NC-4. Couples who both work often add a few dollars on line 2 of the NC-4 to avoid a balance due and that extra amount shows up on the North Carolina pay stub as part of the state line.
- Gross pay is hours times rate before anything is taken out.
- State tax is always a whole-dollar figure under NC-30.
- Current deductions add federal tax, FICA and state tax for this check only.
- Net pay is what reaches the bank account and should match the deposit.
Which Deductions Need Written Permission Under 95-25.8
No authorization needed
- Federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare
- North Carolina income tax
- Court-ordered garnishments and child support
Written authorization required
- Health or retirement contributions
- Uniforms, loans or advances
- Cash shortages or damage, with seven days' notice
The authorization must be signed on or before payday and state the reason. When the amount is not known in advance, the employee must also be told the amount ahead of time and of the right to withdraw consent. A clear nc pay stub that labels each of these lines saves a dispute later; the list of common pay stub abbreviations helps keep the labels readable.
Notice of Wages and the Itemized Statement
G.S. 95-25.6, 95-25.7 and 95-25.13 in practice
- Tell employees in writing or by posting the promised pay and the regular payday
- Give an itemized statement of deductions for every pay period in which deductions are made
- Pay daily, weekly, biweekly, semimonthly or monthly on the announced schedule
- Pay final wages by the next regular payday, by trackable mail if the employee asks
Minimum Wage, Overtime and Unemployment Tax
- Minimum wage
- $7.25 per hour
- Tipped cash wage
- $2.13 per hour
- Overtime
- Over 40 hours a week
- Seasonal amusement
- Overtime after 45 hours
North Carolina's unemployment tax applies to the first $34,200 of wages in 2026, with a 1.000% rate for new employers. It is paid by the employer only, so a North Carolina pay stub should never show it among the employee deductions.
Make the Stub in Three Steps
- 1
Business and employee
Company name and North Carolina address, employee name and the last four SSN digits.
- 2
Pay and NC-4
Rate, hours, pay frequency and the NC-4 allowances on file.
- 3
Preview and download
Check the rounded state line, then download the PDF for $4.99.
For a field-by-field walkthrough read how to make a paystub. To test an allowance change first, use the North Carolina paycheck calculator and then build the record with the north carolina paystub generator.
Accuracy Comes First
A pay stub documents wages that were really paid. Creating one with invented income or an employer that does not exist is fraud. Use the north carolina paystub generator only for true payroll so every north carolina paystub agrees with deposits and the W-2. Each North Carolina pay stub it produces should match the NC-30 math line for line.
Follows NC-30 Instead of the Headline Rate
Applying 3.99% straight to gross pay under-withholds and ignores the $12,750 standard deduction. North Carolina's tables subtract the deduction and allowances first, then multiply by 4.09% and round.
Online Paystub runs that calculation for every pay frequency. Enter the pay and NC-4 details, preview the North Carolina paystub for free and download the PDF once it matches payroll.
Build a Charlotte Earnings Statement in Minutes
The walkthrough shows each field; choose North Carolina as the work state to see the state tax line.
North Carolina Paychecks in the Charlotte Region and Beyond
North Carolina withholds a flat 4.09% under NC-30. Charlotte's labor market reaches deep into South Carolina and the mountains border two states with no tax on wages.
- Rock Hill and Fort Mill residents commute to Charlotte, while North Carolinians with jobs in York County need South Carolina's WH-1603F withholding from the South Carolina paystub generator.
- Western North Carolina workers with jobs in Bristol or Johnson City have no state income tax withheld on that pay. Use the Tennessee paystub generator.
- Northern Piedmont employers with staff in Danville or Martinsville owe Virginia withholding for that work; see the Virginia paystub generator.
North Carolina Paystub FAQ
What is the North Carolina income tax rate for 2026?
A flat 3.99%, down from 4.25% in 2025.
Why is North Carolina withholding 4.09%?
NC-30 adds 0.1% to the 3.99% rate to help cover income that is not subject to withholding. Each period's tax is rounded to the nearest whole dollar.
How much is one NC-4 allowance worth?
$2,500 of annual wages. The standard deduction for withholding is $12,750 for single filers and $19,125 for heads of household.
What is the North Carolina supplemental withholding rate?
A flat 4.09% or employers may use the aggregate method.
Does North Carolina require a pay stub?
Employers must give an itemized statement of deductions for each pay period in which deductions are made and tell employees their pay and payday in writing or by posting.
When is a final paycheck due in North Carolina?
On the next regular payday, whether the employee quit or was fired.
How much does a North Carolina pay stub cost?
$4.99 for one stub, no subscription, with a free preview first.
Payroll rules on this page checked against the North Carolina Department of Revenue NC-30, the Department of Labor and the Division of Employment Security by Olivia Bennett, Payroll Specialist. Last reviewed .