Pre-18 voter registration in
North Carolina
In North Carolina 60,410
18-year-olds are not yet registered.
North Carolinians can 
pre-register before turning 18.
To register to vote in North Carolina, you must be: 16 years old. That means all eligible seniors, juniors and most sophomores in your high school can register to vote today and vote at 18*.
Learn more about the voter registration gap in North Carolina.
*In North Carolina, 17-year-olds can vote in primaries if they will be 18 by Nov 3, 2026.
High school students can help one another get ready to vote. 
Next Steps!
How to Register to Vote in North Carolina
Upcoming Elections:
- Nov 3rd, 2026 - North Carolina General Election (Register by Oct 9th, 2026)
Useful Links:
- Registration Form - Download the paper registration form for North Carolina.
- Registration Status - Check if you are already registered, your polling place, and more from your state’s voter registration website.
- Fair Elections Center - Learn about conducting a registration drive in North Carolina.
- Vote 411 - A nonpartisan resource to help you register, preview your ballot, and find key election information from the League of Women Voters.
- VoteRiders - Find out what forms of ID you can use to register and vote, and get help getting a valid form of ID.
Full Registration Details
By Mail: ID Requirements
When submitting a voter registration application by mail in North Carolina, you are required to provide your valid North Carolina driver’s license or DMV ID number. If you do not have a North Carolina-issued ID, you must provide the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you have not been issued any of these numbers, indicate you do not have an ID number and include a copy of ONE of the following: current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address.
By Mail: Eligibility Requirements
To register in North Carolina you must:
be a United States citizen
be a resident of North Carolina and the county where you live for at least 30 days before the election
be 18 years old by the day of the next General Election. You may pre-register to vote if you are at least 16 years old. You may vote in a primary election if you will be 18 years old at the time of the General Election
not be serving a felony sentence, including any period of probation, post-release supervision, or parole
By Mail: New Voter Instructions
If you registered to vote for the first time and did not provide a North Carolina driver license number or last four digits of your Social Security number on your registration application, or you provided a number that could not be validated, you will be required to show proof of identification. Proof of identification includes:
Current and valid photo identification,
Current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address
More information here.
Online Instructions
To register online in North Carolina, you must be an existing North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) customer and you will need your DMV-issued driver’s license or ID number and Social Security number. Existing DMV customers may register to vote, update their voter registration address, or update their party affiliation. They may not change their name. If you don’t have a NCDMV-issued ID, you can still submit a voter registration application by mail or in person at your county election office.
More information here.
North Carolina High School Educators!!!
Support your students’ voter registration effort with our free toolkit.
North Carolina Requirements for High School Voter Registration
Every public high school shall make available to its students and others who are eligible to register to vote the application forms, application forms, and shall keep a sufficient supply of the forms so that they are always available.
About this information
This page presents a curated compilation of voting and election information, specifically geared toward high school students, their families, and educators.
Information about deadlines and voting laws is retrieved via the Democracy Works Elections API and was last retrieved on Mar 30th, 2026; the API compiles election guidance from official government sources and other vetted data providers, and details may change over time. Information concerning requirements for high schools is based on The Civics Center’s analysis of State Requirements for High School Voter Registration and was last updated on Mar 27th, 2026.
See More
Information about youth turning 18 each year is from the U.S. Census, and information on the number of 18-year-olds who have not yet registered is based on applying TCC’s analysis of Census data and state voter files. We also provide links to trusted resources, including VoteRiders (for voter ID information) and Fair Elections Center (for information about laws governing voter registration drives).
These pages are offered for guidance only and are not intended as legal advice. Please consult state election officials or an attorney if you have questions about any particular situation. We hope you find this useful. To cite our resources and original research, please provide links and/or cite The Civics Center.
© 2026 The Civics Center
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