The North Carolina Department of Revenue (NCDOR) officially opened the 2021 business income tax filing season and began accepting Corporate Income and Franchise, and Partnership tax returns effective Jan. 11. The agency began accepting Estate & Trust tax returns on Feb. 1. Taxpayers who filed before the Jan. 11 opening for Corporate returns and Feb. 1 for Estates & Trust will begin receiving acknowledgements for electronically filed (eFiled) returns on the respective start dates.  For calendar year filers, the tax filing deadline this year is Thursday, April 15.

The increasingly popular eFile method remains the fastest and safest way to file an accurate return and receive a refund. This is the first year the NCDOR is accepting Estate & Trust returns through eFile.  In addition, payment options including scheduling of automatic bank drafts for taxes due, estimates, and extensions are available with eFile.  

As previously announced, the NCDOR will begin accepting and processing individual income tax returns on Friday, Feb. 12. This later date is due to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) delayed opening.