Administration of Justice Bulletin #2025/08

Squatters Beware: Navigating North Carolina's Expedited Removal Law

Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Before December 2025, state law provided a judicial procedure for the summary ejectment of a tenant from residential rental property after that tenant’s lease had expired, but provided no comparable means of removing an unauthorized person who was not a tenant. The Act to Create an Alternative Remedy for the Expedited Removal of Unauthorized Persons from Private Property by a Law Enforcement Agency, effective December 1, allows property owners to file a complaint specifically for such a removal. This bulletin explores the new procedure and what it means for judicial officials, property owners, and law enforcement agencies.