{"data":{"id":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-7b-1103","jurisdiction":"us-nc","citation":"N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7B-1103","heading":"Who may file a petition or motion.","body":"(a)\tA petition or motion to terminate the parental rights of either or both parents to his, her, or their minor juvenile may only be filed by one or more of the following:\n(1)\tEither parent seeking termination of the right of the other parent.\n(2)\tAny person who has been judicially appointed as the guardian of the person of the juvenile.\n(3)\tAny county department of social services, consolidated county human services agency, or licensed child-placing agency to whom custody of the juvenile has been given by a court of competent jurisdiction.\n(4)\tAny county department of social services, consolidated county human services agency, or licensed child-placing agency to which the juvenile has been surrendered for adoption by one of the parents or by the guardian of the person of the juvenile, pursuant to G.S. 48-3-701.\n(5)\tAny person with whom the juvenile has resided for a continuous period of 18 months or more next preceding the filing of the petition or motion.\n(6)\tAny guardian ad litem appointed to represent the minor juvenile pursuant to G.S. 7B-601 who has not been relieved of this responsibility.\n(7)\tAny person who has filed a petition for adoption pursuant to Chapter 48 of the General Statutes.\n(8)\tA grandparent of the juvenile if all known parents are deceased and the motion is to terminate the parental rights of an unknown parent.\n(b)\tAny person or agency that may file a petition under subsection (a) of this section may intervene in a pending abuse, neglect, or dependency proceeding for the purpose of filing a motion to terminate parental rights.\n(c)\t(See Editor's note) No person whose actions resulted in a conviction under G.S. 14-27.21, 14-27.22, 14-27.23, or 14-27.24 and the conception of the juvenile may file a petition to terminate the parental rights of another with respect to that juvenile. (1977, c. 879, s. 8; 1983, c. 870, s. 1; 1985, c. 758, s. 1; 1987, c. 371, s. 2; 1995 (Reg. Sess., 1996), c. 690, s. 4; 1998-202, s. 6; 1998-229, s. 9.1; 1999-456, s. 60; 2000-183, s. 4; 2004-128, s. 13; 2015-181, s. 23; 2015-264, s. 33(b); 2021-132, s. 1(l); 2024-33, s. 25(b).)","path":["Chapter 7B. Juvenile Code.","Subchapter I. Abuse, Neglect, Dependency.","Article 11. Termination of Parental Rights."],"source_url":"https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_7B/GS_7B-1103.html","current_through":"S.L. 2026-30","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T17:55:32Z","sha256":"084f7cf668a0a09f3eb8a41cbb97e6da34e18448abd25b36d106a72587629829","source_id":"us-nc","stale":false,"prev":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-7b-1102","next":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-7b-1104"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}