Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Revenue (NCDOR) Secretary Ronald Penny announced North Carolina will join the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Direct File program for the upcoming tax filing season.
Beginning in 2025, approximately 1.25 million eligible North Carolinians will be able to utilize the free Direct File tool to submit both state and federal tax returns directly with the IRS.
During the 2024 filing season, the U.S. Department of Treasury and IRS launched a Direct File pilot program that enabled more than 140,000 taxpayers across 12 states to electronically file their tax returns at no charge. The IRS announced in May 2024 that it would make Direct File a permanent option for filing federal tax returns.
According to the NCDOR Direct File webpage, more information about NC Direct File—including eligibility information—will be available soon.
If you have questions about this issue or other policy matters, please contact NCACPA Director of Advocacy Robert Broome, CAE.