North Carolina will join IRS Direct File for 2025 tax filing season

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — North Carolina will join the IRS Direct File program for the upcoming tax filing season, Gov. Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Revenue Secretary Ronald Penny announced on Friday.

Beginning in 2025, eligible North Carolina residents can use the free Direct File tool to submit their state and federal tax returns directly with the IRS. About 1.25 million North Carolina residents will be eligible to use this service next year, according to the governor’s office.

The governor’s office says 140,000 taxpayers claimed over $90 million in tax refunds during the 2024 filing season.

“Filing taxes is often stressful, expensive, and time-consuming for North Carolina taxpayers and families,” Cooper said in a statement. “The IRS Direct File tool helps remove unnecessary hurdles and fees by allowing taxpayers to file directly with the IRS for free, keeping more money in their pockets. This resource will help ensure qualifying families receive tax credits.”

“We are grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration for their diligent work in developing this tool and making it available at no cost to North Carolinians,” he continued in his statement. “We look forward to rolling it out as an option this coming tax season.”

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