North Carolina’s Industrial Commission runs on numbered forms — Form 19 from the employer, Form 18 from the employee — with tight timelines on both. Here’s the map.

Official North Carolina resources

• NC Industrial Commission — the state agency
• Verify an employer’s coverage — the Commission’s coverage search
• Official forms — the Commission’s forms library
• Employer guidance — reporting duties explained

Key employer forms

The employer’s form is Form 19 — Employer’s Report of Employee’s Injury, filed within 5 days of learning of any injury causing more than one day’s absence or over $4,000 in medical costs; the employer must also give the employee a copy plus a blank Form 18 (the employee’s notice of claim, due within 30 days of injury and filed within two years).

What to do when an employee is injured

1. Get the employee medical care and document the incident
2. Notify your carrier immediately
3. File Form 19 with the Commission within 5 days of knowledge (through your carrier in most cases)
4. Give the employee a copy of Form 19 and a blank Form 18
5. Calendar the two-year claim window — documentation disputes are common at the margins

Deadlines that matter

Employees give written notice (Form 18) within 30 days and must file claims within two years of injury. Employers file Form 19 within 5 days of learning of a qualifying injury.

For rate context, see North Carolina workers’ comp rates, or start with our full North Carolina coverage guide. Need proof of coverage for a contract? We issue same-day certificates.

North Carolina forms FAQs

What is Form 19 in North Carolina?

The Employer’s Report of Employee’s Injury to the Industrial Commission — due within five days of learning of an injury that causes more than one day’s absence or over $4,000 in medical costs. The employer must give the employee a copy along with a blank Form 18.

How do I verify a North Carolina subcontractor’s coverage?

Use the Industrial Commission’s online coverage search (ccms.ic.nc.gov) — free, by employer name. NC’s three-employee threshold means many small subs legitimately have no policy, which is exactly when your GL and comp exposure questions matter.

How long does a North Carolina worker have to file a claim?

Written notice within 30 days and a claim filed within two years of the injury or occupational disease — both stated on Form 18 itself.