How to Claim North Carolina (NC)
Lottery Prizes

Under $600: Any lottery retailer, any regional office, by mail or NC Lottery Headquarters (Raleigh Claim Center). $600 to $99,999: Any regional office, by mail or NC Lottery Headquarters (Raleigh Claim Center). $100,000 or more: NC Lottery Headquarters (Raleigh Claim Center).

Not at a store: North Carolina Lottery retailers pay prizes up to $599. $600 to $99,999: Any regional office, by mail or NC Lottery Headquarters (Raleigh Claim Center).

NC Lottery Headquarters (Raleigh Claim Center), 2728 Capital Boulevard, Suite 144, Raleigh; Asheville Regional Office, 16-G Regent Park Blvd., Asheville; Greensboro Regional Office, 20A Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro; Charlotte Regional Office, 5029-A West W. T. Harris Blvd., Charlotte; Greenville Regional Office, 2790 Dickinson Avenue, Suite A, Greenville; Wilmington Regional Office, 123 North Cardinal Drive Extension, Suite 140, Wilmington.

Any North Carolina Lottery retailer cashes prizes up to $599 whenever it's open. The North Carolina Lottery regional offices are open Mon–Fri, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM.

Sign your ticket and keep it safe, then claim it within 180 days of the drawing. Under $600: Any lottery retailer, any regional office, by mail or NC Lottery Headquarters (Raleigh Claim Center). $600 to $99,999: Any regional office, by mail or NC Lottery Headquarters (Raleigh Claim Center). $100,000 or more: NC Lottery Headquarters (Raleigh Claim Center). From $600, bring your signed ticket, ID and a completed claim form.

180 days after the drawing. A jackpot's cash option must be chosen within 60 days of claiming the prize.

Yes. A winning ticket must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing, or the prize can no longer be paid.

At a store, a prize up to $599 needs just the signed ticket. From $600: The original winning ticket, signed on the back; For a prize of $600 or more, a completed and signed Winner Claim Form; For a prize of $600 or more, a photo ID that shows your name, signature and age, such as a driver's license or ID card from any state, a passport or visa, or a U.S. resident alien card; For a prize of $600 or more, proof of your Social Security number: your original Social Security card, or a U.S. military ID showing it; If you claim by mail, copies of your ID instead of the originals; For a group win, an Affidavit of Multiple Ownership, with a claim form and ID for each member sharing a prize of $600 or more; To be paid by direct deposit, an EFT form and a voided check or a letter from your bank.

It's recommended: book an appointment before you go to every regional office.

Yes, prizes up to $99,999. Mail the signed ticket, with any copies the North Carolina Lottery asks for, to North Carolina Education Lottery, P.O. Box 41606, Raleigh, NC 27629-1606. Prizes from $600 also need a completed claim form.

Prizes can be cashed once the drawing is finalized, which can take an hour or more after it. Winners of $100,000 or more can be paid by direct deposit: a lump sum is sent the day of the claim and usually arrives within 2 to 3 business days.

Not by law. Once a prize is validated, the winner's name, city and state, the game, the amount won and the date are public records. The lottery keeps a winner's details private only with a valid protective order or an Address Confidentiality Program card.

For some prizes, yes: online Play prizes under $600 are paid into your NC Lottery account automatically, and prizes from $600 to $99,999 are claimed online. Otherwise, claim in person or by mail.

877-962-7529 for customer service. NC Lottery Headquarters (Raleigh Claim Center): 877-625-6886.

NC Lottery Headquarters (Raleigh Claim Center) is at 2728 Capital Boulevard, Suite 144, Raleigh, NC 27604, open Mon–Fri, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM. Call 877-625-6886.

North Carolina taxes lottery winnings at 3.99%, and federal income tax applies too. 3.99% state tax is withheld from prizes of $600 or more, plus 24% federal tax from prizes over $5,000.